2018: Yui Kanaoka

Yui Kanaoka
Hometown in Japan: Shiga
Home University: Nagoya University, Faculty of Science, Physics
B3: Junior, Expected Graduation Date: March 2020
Host Lab at Rice University: Ching-Hwa Kiang Research Group 
Host Professor: Prof. Ching-Hwa Kiang, Depts. of Physics and Bioengineering
Research Project Poster (PDF): “Probing Cancer Cell Mechanism Using Single Cell Atomic Force Microscope”Recipient: First Place Poster Presentation Award at Joint RCQM-Nakatani RIES Research Poster Symposium

Why Nakatani RIES?

I applied to this program so that I would have the opportunity to conduct some experiments and learn more about my research theme in a cutting-edge research laboratory at Rice University.  This hands-on research experience will be helpful in the future when I join a research laboratory in Japan as a B4: Senior undergraduate as I will have already had experience of making some results and taking part in research.  In the future, I want to work on experimental applications informed by natural phenomena and principles.

Moreover, I want to enjoy the difference of the culture between Japan and U.S. I am excited to get to know the culture and talk with foreigners. 

Goals for the Summer
  • Gaining research skills to help me consider the next step from results in experiments.
  • Experiencing American culture and learning more about its origins.
  • Interacting with as many various people as possible, like researchers and students, to help mebrush up my English skills.

Excerpts from Yui’s Weekly Reports

Week 01: Arrival in the U.S.

Checking out the Houston Murals ~ Yui Kanaoka

One week has passed since I arrived in the United States and I began working in my research laboratory three days ago. In this report, I will write about my life in the US so far and our orientation program at Rice University.

My first impressions of the U.S. were that, in Texas, everything is so huge and big. I was so surprised by this. For example, the freeways in Houston were five lanes wide and I couldn’t believe how fast the speed limit was. Also,  a lot of the food seemed to be a fusion with Mexican. So far, I have eaten tacos and sandwiches and they tasted so good. Moreover, the people in Texas are kind and friendly. For example, at Rice University, I couldn’t find police department to pick up my lab key. So, I asked a student and he kindly showed me how to get there. Then, he gave me a nice smile, not a nasty face. This is not the only example. In the hotel where we are staying, I can say same thing. In Japan, it is unusual to speak to someone that you don’t know. So, I’m not experienced with small talk but I want to try to experience this in Houston. The most surprising thing that I saw at Rice University was about student life. For example, there are a lot of trees in campus and it is so comfortable to stay and spend time on campus. The facilities for students are substantial like the cafeteria and student center. This week was orientation for incoming freshman who are called owls. So, many of the upperclassmen welcomed them and all students on campus were very active. It seemed to be fun and I felt a little bit jealous.

During our orientation program, some speakers talked and lectured about specific topics. The most impressive program is lecture by Dr. Ozaki on speaking English. Her talk was very fun and I was surprised about her life. She has moved many times and tried things without hesitation. She said you can do anything, just continue to try something. Changing is fun. I admired about story. Moreover, the campus tour was interesting because I could learn about Rice University’s history. The buildings were so beautiful and if I was a Rice University student, I thought I would have a good life on campus surrounded a lot of comfortable trees,.

A view of my favorite mural from the bus ~ Yui Kanaoka

This weekend, we say many murals in Houston and visited downtown. This wall art is called mural and our guide Dana explained about their history and meaning. I was so impressed and wish Japan could also be more active about art. I was surprised that these murals on buildings were painted legally. It was amazing place for sightseeing and also comfortable. The Houston Food Festival was also exciting because there are many kinds of food from around the world. I ate ice cream, sugary sweets, and lemonade. In the US sweets use so much sugar so I had to be careful not to eat too much. I was surprised that there were a lot of lemonade stand and asked Sarah about this. It seemed to be like green tea and barley tea in Japan.

Reflecting on my first week, there are many things I want to try. I want to talk with people even if my English skill is poor and try to go somewhere I have never challenged. Even if I  fail, I want to try without hesitation. In the second week, my goal is to talk to someone I have never known before. I hope my aim will be achieved.

Reflections on Intercultural Experiences
In the hotel and at Rice University, people are always smiling and asking me ‘how are you today?’. Japanese people hesitate to talk or speak to someone who we do not know. However, in US, it’s natural to comment about the weather and have a little conversation. I have now known about this before coming to US. But now I actually have experienced this greeting many times. Moreover, compared with in Japan, I felt the number of people who stop their car when I across street. In some streets without signals, I have experienced that many times and they were even smiling at me.

I think people in Japan place a high value on being punctual. In the US, what train or metro doesn’t come on time is natural. Also, people in US are tend to be a little bit late for a meeting and everyone comes lab whenever they like. But, in other words, I think US is also free country. So, it is reflected to people’s thoughts like that. Moreover, I also realized that Japanese people tend to take things very seriously. They try to do completely and tend not to hold party or event. At Rice University, there are some events or parties which are for student and also for professors. So, people in the U.S. tend to enjoy their life by taking their mind off of work or studying sometimes.

Preparing for and Initial Days Doing Research 
On my first day working in my lab, I observed one experiment that was actually taking place and talked with my professor for about two hours. She is so active and such a kind person. So, I thought I want to be an active person like her. My project is to help with the experiment that one graduate student has already been doing.  Before coming to the U.S., I read some papers that my mentor sent me and this helped me have a better understanding. Almost everything was the first experience for me such as doing a bioscience experiment and using Matlab for data analysis. I will use a cancer cell which was taken away from one patient’s uterus and measure one force called step force. To do this, we attach a cantilever to the cancer cell and separate this cantilever from the cell. Then, step force will happen because of Hooke’s law. In the future, we may make use of this force for cell diagnosis of cancer if we find a correlation between the progression level of the cancer cell and a parameter like stiffness or Ph value. I will search for a correlation between step force and the stiffness of substrate.

My mentor said no one will demand results from you. The important thing which you shouldn’t forget is to get experience doing research and I agree his thought completely. I am going to conduct my experiment starting from next Monday. So, this week I read some papers to bet a better understanding about what I will research, observed some experiments,  and practiced how to make samples. The specific scientific vocabulary is very difficult and it is hard for me to discuss with mentor about structure of the experiment and theory. However, I am keeping in mind that it is okay to ask questions many times until I understand completely.  One experiment will take three hours to do at one time. It may be hard, but I will try my best.

Also, I asked about what it is like to be a graduate student and pursue a PhD in the U.S.. She wondered why I am worrying my PhD course and told me you should take PhD course. I want to think about my career in this program and if I will pursue a PhD course. However, my concern is communication with people in English. My lab members are almost all Chinese. So, I can hear their English and understand what they say to me. But, native English speakers speak English so fast and I have to ask then to repeat themselves again many times. I feel I need to brush up my English skill more. Therefore, in this program, I want to speak to a lot of people and become more comfortable talking about school life.

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Week 02: Life in My Research Lab at Rice

Two weeks has passed from our first day and I feel that the time which I can use is getting more limited every day. In this report, I will write from two points the cultural reflection and about research.

Attending a football game with Mari ~ Yui Kanaoka

About my research environment, two days ago, I talked with my mentor about pursuing a PhD and future career opportunities. He is a post doctoral researcher now after completing his PhD at a university in the U.S. I asked him if it is hard to complete a PhD and what I should consider about my future career. He told me completing a PhD is not as hard as you expect if you want to learn and like science. However, what I was surprised is that companies don’t tend to adopt PhD student because they have to pay high salary to employee. In panel discussion by graduate school student, they didn’t say that. I think it may be difficult to find a job with PhD in U.S., but, if I took a job with PhD, I would be success. He said also if you are thinking about going only into industry, you may ot have to take a PhD. Then I felt the necessity which I have to decide what I want to be and do in the future.

Sometimes, people say you don’t have to look into the future completely. But, I think we have to make some decisions and plans about our future. Moreover, a graduate school student in my lab gave me another pieces of important information that the recommendation letter is more effective written by professors from U.S. university. I don’t know the reason but she has experienced this actually.

The other things I noticed about my research lab environment is that there is not set time we have to come into lab each day. People in lab come whenever they like as needed by their research project and life, such as when they have classes. I feel this rule is a very American style where people have choice over their daily life. Instead of fixed working hours, people have the responsibility for their own project. I think it is the most important to make a results in the U.S. and the way you achieve this goal, such as the hours you keep, may not be evaluated in US.

With my room mate in NASA ~ Yui Kanaoka

In terms of my daily life in Houston, I went to a summer tango class with my roommate at Discovery Green Park in Downtown Houston. Tango is Spanish dance and it was first time to do tango. We were dancing with people who we had never met before. I was so nervous because I have to dance with strangers in foreign country. However, people talked to me kindly and it was enjoyable time for me. We are also planning to go there for Zumba class and yoga. My roommates have their own thoughts and worries about life in the U.S. too. So, we often talk about that after eating dinner. It is an important and precious time to spend with other university students because talking and sharing these moment with other Japanese students who I have never met before is very stimulating for me.

Research Project Update
This week, I was given lecture about Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) which is a tool I will use in experiment. Friday, I could use this without instruction by my mentor. However, I cannot operate it alone without my mentor being there because the AFM is so expensive and that is my lab’s rule. So, I will learn about data analysis by Matlab. The operation for AFM usually takes three hours to do one experiment. So, this week was so hard because I did experiment for six to eight in each day day. Next week, with the data that I collected in this week, I will be using Matlab and also analyzing data; which will be the first time for me to do this. So, I don’t know what I can do, but, I want to do my best.

After next week, I will have learned all lectures about this experiment. So, I will then do my experiments as my project. I am thinking about comparing motility and cancer progression. I am going to suggest my proposed project to my professor after next week. My mentor said sometimes doing experiments takes a long time and computer programing is needed for data analysis. Through this program, I noticed the importance for computer programing. So, a graduate school student in my lab can conduct computer programing and also he will teach me. I want to get a new knowledge from him.

Moreover, I am planning my poster layout and design now too. It is only bullet points for now, but, I want to make sure of my project content which I will present in session on September 14th.

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Week 03: Interview with a U.S. Student and Researcher

Sky from Houston: I visited to Austin during the Labor Day holiday weekend. This picture from airplane was so impressive to me. ~ Yui Kanaoka

I interviewed two people, my mentor and an undergraduate student who I met at the Japanese Language Lunch table for Rice students who are studying Japanese. These interviews were so interesting, because their ways of thinking about their career and life were completely different. I think this is affected a lot by the environment in which people grow up.

First of all, my mentor who has been working as a post-doctoral research at Rice University for five years. He took his PhD course at a different university, not Rice. I asked whether he plans to become a professor and his answer was no. He said being a professor is such a hard job such due to having to get research grants and take frequent business trips. I didn’t ask why,then, was he was working as a post-doctoral researcher right now as I thought it might be rude. But, he told me ‘You can also go into industry even if you first take an academic career.’ I thought what he said was correct and I could make a choice like that. The most interesting thing we talked about was about job hunting. He said that sometimes companies don’t tend to adopt people who have a PhD degree because the company might have to pay them a high salary. Also, people who have a PhD degree may get pushed because they are used to work for a long time. So, he told me ‘If you only want to go only industry, a PhD is too much.’ I felt he was negative about job hunting overall.

American Sushi: I had a dinner with my friend who I interviewed at Zen Izakaya ~ Yui Kanaoka

My second interview as with my undergraduate friend who is majoring in  computer science at Rice University. She grew up in China until she was a high school student. The trigger which made her decide to go university in US was talking with a woman who belonged to be a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in China. Through this conversation,  she could know ‘the world which I live now is so huge and I have to consider about studying abroad to know a foreign country.’ So, she started to study for the SAT which is an exam required for high-school students planning to apply to U.S. colleges. Her parents approved of her going to university in the U.S. willingly. Her father is a teacher and mother is accountant. So, if anything, her family may be placed as a well-off family in China. The reason why her dream was to study in the U.S. came true might be because of her family environment. Actually, she went to an international school in China so she already had great spoken English and this supported her future goal. Moreover, her answers about my questions as to  why she chose Rice University was surprising. She was also thinking about Cornell University. However, a shocking incident happened there in which a student died by suicide. She said that because of this she thought it was important to see the overall environment for students. (In 2016, the Princeton Review ranked Rice #1 for Happiest Students).

Through these interviews, I could hear two person’s story about their life and career goals. While I think I need to decide my own career path myself, I can refer to another person’s career path for insight too. However, it is up to myself to decide it at the end of the day. This opportunity affected to think about my graduate school life.

Research Project Overview
This week, I also suggested my project to my professor. I am very interested in the microenvironment of cancer cells which is different from normal cells. What I will focus on is learning about the pH value in the cancer cell environment. In general, the pH value of cancer cell is lower than normal cell. So, I wanted to find out if there is a correlation with pH value and step force. According to my professor, no one in laboratory has ever done this topic before so no one in the laboratory knows what the result will be. I don’t know if it is possible to do the truly. However, I want to do my best and make use of my knowledge. If I can’t get good a result, it doesn’t matter. The process for conducting experiment based on this theme is the most important in this program. I started to calibrate the pH meter and do titration for adjusting the pH of the medium which is used to make subculture. I am thinking about my experiment step-by-step myself and I have never done that before. So, this is is my concern about my project. My mentor and professor often give me advice and answer my questions, so I believe my project will go well in the end.

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Week 04: Reflections on English Language & Life in the U.S.

I went to a Hip Hop concert with Moe and Shuhei. In this concert, people played some instruments and sang some songs. ~ Yui Kanaoka

Four weeks have passed since I first came to Houston. I use English to communicate with people every day. There are some things I have noticed about using English on a day-to-day basis during my time in Houston.

First, when I speak with students, they often use slang. For example, ‘You are weirdo.’ This slang combines ‘weird’ and ‘do’ and means you are strange. When I heard this for the first time, I didn’t know it’s meaning. But, talking with people, I could understand what they meant. Like this example, students often use slang in conversation. I think learning idioms or slang can be achieved by continuing to talk with someone though I know it is difficult to do it. Moreover, I am always worrying if I can speak English well. I want to believe that if I never give up, I can tell other what I am thinking even though sometimes it doesn’t work out as well as I would hope. So, after going back to Japan, I will try to speak with my exchange student friends and make new friends with English speakers.

Second, I feel that I have some difficulty telling people what I want to say because the structure for sentences in Japanese and English is completely different. In Japanese the subject and object come first then the verbs. However, in English it is subject and verbs then the object. This difference of structure often confuses me when I am speaking in English. So, changing the order is still very hard for me. Sometimes, I am annoyed by myself because I can’t tell what I mean smoothly. Those are the two key things I have noticed about English. Anyway, I have to practice and study English by speaking in-person in conversation with people each day.

Best hamburger with Natsumi and Mari in Rice Village. ~ Yui Kanaoka

This week we also had a seminar about idioms on Thursday. I could learn about and find some interesting new idioms. Idioms have a deeper meaning than the literal translation of the words. The actual meaning of the whole sentence is completely different. In this seminar, we looked up and predicted what the meaning might be with the other fellows. What I surprised by in this seminar was idioms are often used in papers or even research posters. My image was that idioms were like slang so I thought before that using idiom is not polite. Now, I want to know and learn more about idiom. Moreover, my goal is to be able to use idioms in my daily conversation.

Research Project Update
This week, I measured step force and did data analysis. The day I measured step force, I stayed in the lab for 12 hours and it was so tiring for me. But, my mentor stayed and taught me how to do it with me. I have to appreciate for him for this definitely. My data analysis isn’t working well now. I have to select clear and flat figures of step force. However, it is my first experience doing this analysis, and I don’t know the standard for which figures I should select correctly. I measured about 900 figures, so the step of selecting a clear figure is so hard. But, I wanted to try many times until I could learn hwo to do this. Next week, I have a group meeting for my lab. In this meeting, my professor told me that I should present my poster to the group meeting to practice for the poster session. Also, my lab members can check my poster and teach me about which points to revise. Next week will be a hard week, but this is the last week for research. I want to try and do my best.

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Week 05: Last Week at Rice and Research in the U.S. vs. Research in Japan

Special thanks to Professor Kono!!! ~ Yui Kanaoka

The final week of research has passed already. I feel the day we came to Rice University is just like yesterday. It was only five weeks of research. However, what I got during this time in the US is so great and wonderful for me.

In doing research, I thought it was so important to tell my professor and lab members what I wanted to do in the U.S. in Japan, many people just follow instructions from their professor or other group members and it is difficult to show my intentions about what I want to research. I think the most wonderful thing about research is to consider my own research interests and make sure of my experimental steps. Actually, my professor asked me ‘What do you want to do in five weeks?’ This sentence from my professor had great meaning and was an opportunity for me to learn more about researching by myself. So, this environment made me mature more as a research student.

In my lab, they don’t seem to spend a lot of time together outside of the research lab. There are only a few members in my lab, and one of them is a couple. So, the connections with each other in private outreach of the research lab hardly exist. However, I think the working relationship within my lab is good and we could communicate well with each other.

In this program, my feelings and thoughts about what I wanted to learn and study have been getting stronger and it affected to think about going to graduate school in U.S. However, I felt to do this I need to study English more and more. Sometimes, I cannot hear or understand what people say and are telling me in English. In asking them to repeat themselves again, I feel sadness about my poor English many times. It was easier for me to understand Asian people’s English. Eventually, I learned to not to feel as sad and chagrined about my English as compared with the first week. However, some of the other Japanese Fellows ships had very good English skills and more experience studying abroad or living in a foreign country. I know I can’t change my past experience since this is my first time abroad, but, I am regretted that I did not study harder in my junior high school and high school years. So, what I can do from now is to make a good effort for going to graduate school in the U.S. (Tip: Contact your home university international student/study abroad office and ask if they have a mentorship or ‘buddy’ program that matches Japanese students with international students; particularly native English speakers.  Then, maybe you can meet up once or twice a week and spend some time helping them with their Japanese conversation skills and in return you could ask them to practice speaking in English with you.  That way, you continue to build your English communication skills while you are back in Japan).
In addition, this experience made me change the research field I am interested in. My current department is Physics in the Faculty of Science. By talking with my mentor I have become more interested in bioengineering. He told me that you can change your research major and it is actually worthwhile to have two interests in interdisciplinary research in the U.S. I want to study more about the applications of physics to fields like bioengineering. So, it may be good effect to change my major and learn new things.

What I will miss most about Houston and Rice University is the kind people. Compared with Japan, people are always smiling and laughing at something. These smiles made me happy and gave me a good feeling. Also, if I ask something to people, they would always answer kindly and help me. In this program, I could join the Japanese Language Table for Rice University students who are studying Japanese and made a friend. She is very good at speaking in English and likes Japanese culture so much. I was inspired from her about studying abroad. Also, I realized one thing in this program. It is better for me to do things by myself and decide something on my own. For example, I don’t like taking the time for debating. I feel it is waste of time and wanted to make up my mind as soon as possible.

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Research Project Overview and Poster

After my poster presentation ~ Yui Kanaoka

In the final research week, I submitted my first poster draft and we also had a seminar on how to present a search poster. In this seminar, I was so surprised because almost all of class mates had completed their poster. At that point, I actually hadn’t gotten my results yet. My result had a problem and we had to discuss about it. So, I was upset it was only me who not to finish my poster by the time the draft was due. Moreover, my first presentation was so terrible and I realized I had to make more effort and keep going. As a result, I talked with my mentor about my experimental results. It was not a good result and I could not see difference between pH value. However, my mentor told me that this is the true nature of research. It always does not work well. I agreed with this thought and tried to brush up my poster. Sometimes, my mentor would give me advice to reduce the number of letters and use more pictures. In my lab group meeting, I also practiced my presentation and professor asked me to modify my poster too. Moreover, I practiced my presentation in my hotel many times. Moe and I showed our presentations to each other and gave feedback. What I focused on was mainly to show my motivation and the reasons why I proposed this project to my professor.

In the days before the presentation, I was little bit nervous. However, I knew the best way for me was managing to complete my presentation. I felt the one and a half hour passed very quickly and it was interesting to talk with people. However, sometimes I couldn’t answer some detailed questions because I didn’t have so much knowledge and I said honestly ‘I’m not sure.’ My mentor and professor came and supported me. I was so glad and appreciative for their support and kindness. I can’t forget this memorable time and my future goals became clear.

Researching doesn’t work well always. However, the times when I come up with interesting theme and research plan is the best for me. I am thinking about graduate school in the U.S. To achieve this goal, I have to study more and more; especially English. Moreover, I got the 1st prize for the poster session. I thought everyone else would do better than me. So, I was surprised and didn’t find the reason why professors chose me. However, with this 1st prize, I could have a bit more confidence. It was the first time for me to make a poster and do presentation like this and this experience had an impact to me in terms of my future goal.

Yui Kanaoka at the final research poster presentation at Rice University.

Research Project Poster (PDF): “Probing Cancer Cell Mechanism Using Single Cell Atomic Force Microscope”
Recipient: First Place Poster Presentation Award at Joint RCQM-Nakatani RIES Research Poster Symposium
Host Lab at Rice University: Ching-Hwa Kiang Research Group 
Host Professor: Prof. Ching-Hwa Kiang, Depts. of Physics and Bioengineering
Mentor: Tsung-Cheng Lin

In Professor Ching-Hwa Kiang’s Lab, in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, my mentor is Tsung-Cheng Lin. My project was about probing the mechanism of cancer cells using single cell atomic force microscope. I proposed my project to my professor because I wanted to know more about the correlation between the pH value and step force. Step force is needed to break the bonding of cell membranes called the nanotube and cantilever. Cantilever is a part of the atomic force microscope and it can touch the cell directly. By continuing to touch and detach many times, I could measure the step force. I think step force will be an indicator for cancer cell studies because it is important to understand how cells work if I change the microenvironment of cancer cells. So, I researched the correlation by changing the pH value. In general, cancer cells can get high viscosity and motility by losing cell adhesion functions to metastasis to other organs and then invade blood vessels. The pH value is lower than normal cell to realize as a signal for proliferation and migration. The mechanism of getting a lower pH is that, usually, the area around a cancer cell has poor blood circulation and the oxygen concentration gets lower. The cancer cell inhibits the function of mitochondrion and needs glycolytic function. In this step, lactic acid is created and the pH value gets lower by the emission of lactic acid.

First of all, I prepared HCl to adjust the pH value of the culture fluid medium by adding HCl to a normal one to make a HeLa cell subculture. The pH value I adjusted was 6.0,6.5 and 7.0. After making a subculture with a normal medium, I attached Hela cell on an AFM substrate disc with different pH mediums and kept it in a CO2 incubator one night to grow. It is the AFM sample which I need to measure. The concentration of CO2 is kept 37% constantly. AFM continues to attach and detach with the cell. After adjusting some values for AFM and measuring, I can get step force curves. The number of curves which I could get in one experiment is about 300 images.

The result, unfortunately, was that I could not tell a difference with each pH value and step force. The most probable step force was almost same. Cancer cell properties can change depending on its microenvironment. The total number of cells which has clear and flat step force increases in this order pH 7.0,6.5,6.0.

With this result, I considered future steps. In this project, I used three kinds of pH mediums. We also need to measure some pH values that are lower than pH 6.0 and higher than pH 7.0. We also need to do a comparison of step force with normal or other cancer cells, such as lung cancer cells, under the same situation.

This research experience was so great and I am fortunate to get a new way to approach my studies and research. I appreciate everyone who supported me in this program.

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Week 06: Last Week in the U.S.

My lovely friends. I want to keep in touch with them. ~ Yui Kanaoka

The final week in the U.S. has passed. This program gave me good opportunity to think about my career in the future. After the final poster session at Rice University, we went to to Philadelphia. I was so excited because a number of my favorite movies had scenes that were shot there. We only had a short time for sight-seeing, but I could enjoy this city. The features of buildings or museums was more European and historical than in Houston. Seeing Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell were so great because I could learn more about the history of the U.S. I thought I should have studied more about U.S. history before I went there. I could imagine the people who fought for nation’s freedom were so aggressive and had such passion. American history is not very long or deep, but there was a dream of a new nation. I felt this actually in this city.

After sight-seeing in Philadelphia, we moved to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. At Lehigh, I was so surprised that it had such a beautiful campus and nature. It was like Harry Potter world. If I studied abroad at this university, I would be happy and enjoy a good student life. During the dinner we had with Lehigh undergraduate students, I found that students there have clear goals and thoughts about their future. Also, they often go to internships for some companies even though they are just sophomores or juniors. In the U.S., it is usual to take part in internships in your undergraduate studies because this experience of doing an internship can be added in resume as professional experience. In Japan, we do not have this form for personal experience or skills.

In addition, I met also an Indian person in our hotel. I talked with him for one hour and shared thoughts about difference between Japan and India. What I was surprised was that people in India are expected to take care of their sisters or brothers. The oldest children is expected to have to pay for their brothers tuition or look for a good marriage partner marriage for their sisters. In India, it is important to love their family. This talk gave me chance to consider the role of families in culture.

Moreover, during the lunchtime discussion with professor, I was able to talk with a female professor about leadership. Moe asked her ‘How can I get a leadership role and is supporting someone included as leadership?’ She answered. Only leading someone is not leadership. Different people have various skills and each will be able to make use of their own leadership. By getting together these different types of leadership, a team will be successful. I was so impressed these words. I want to apply and not to forget this thought in any team.

The Library of Congress. I was so impressed guide of this building. ~ Yui Kanaoka

In Washington D.C, we went to the Natural Science Foundation’s Office of International Science & Engineering (NSF-OISE) and through this session I could find a difference between Japan and US. The NSF doesn’t judge by citizenship in it’s scholarship and funding for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. It doesn’t matter if I have citizenship in US because it my research skills and suitability for the professor to hire me for that project are more important to improving U.S. science overall. However, in Japan, citizenship is included as significant element of eligibility; though the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) does have some programs for international post-docs and researchers. I felt Japanese like Japanese people strongly and I am not sure which is correct. However, in Japan, this may make the possibility for science in Japan decrease a bit. (This is also why the Japan Science & Technology Agency (JST) had developed some initiatives to support international collaboration.) Moreover, I was surprised that in the U.S. the NSF does not fund programs for only female students and researchers because we need to seek more equality between men and women. In Japan, sometimes I see programs or improvement for only female scientists or students. Compared with Japan, I agree with the US style because I think diversity and equality is needed for people. (For more on this, see the section on ‘Resources for Women’ on our Career Resources page).

This program made me notice various things such as diversity or the character of people. I want to be a person who can accept different ways of thinking. Thanks to Sarah, Prof. Kono, and the Nakatani Foundation, I will be able to change my life. I appreciate everything and it has been the best summer in my life.

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Final Report

Coming this fall!

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Tips for Future Participants

Coming this fall!

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