After four years of studies, I graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Master’s of Engineering! From October I will start a robotics PhD at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland! (Reflection below) ４年間の大学生活の末、無事ケンブリッジ大学工学部での修士課程を修了しました！秋からはスイス連邦工科大学ローザンヌ校（EPFL）のロボティクス学科での博士課程に進む予定です！
Reflection of the 4 years here at Cambridge:
Almost 4 years ago, I traveled from Kyoto to Cambridge to start my university life in a foreign land. I remember walking down Hills Road with two suitcases towards Homerton College, mostly filled with excitement above all other emotions to meet people and do everything I could ever imagine. While the 4 years seemed like an infinite amount of time back then, these years went by at a blink of an eye. At the same time, it has possibly been the most intense, dense, tough, and exciting years of my life.
Through the first weeks I got to know some of my friends which I will eventually spend the next 4 years together (and hopefully many more years afterwards). Everyone always talks about meeting “like-minded people” at university - which was certainly the case for me. Regardless of interests and subjects, I felt that we all appreciated what we studied, and was proud to be interested in these topics. Coming from a high school without a strong stem background, it was almost a relief to be able to chat and discuss my subject with friends. Despite being halfway around the world, being immersed in this environment made me feel much more at home in some sense. While this may seem like a somewhat random segment from my first year, it is a vivid memory of mine above so many other things, and probably what pushed me through the first year.
Perhaps equally important was my motivation to “do something” at university. Just before moving to Cambridge, I was introduced to the members of the newly created Masason Foundation (my scholarship foundation). The jump from being just a high schooler to being recognized to be part of a group of young individuals with unbelievable amounts of talent, drive, and achievements was quite a steep one. I have always been someone who will work hard for something which I really want to achieve - but this was quite narrow and specific (junior robotics competition + IB examinations). Being told (quite seriously) at 18 that you have the potential to do so much more for the world by a respectable public figure, surrounded by crazily overachieving (I don’t like this term but it does the job) people, and actually followed through by financial support without strings attached, is quite a life-changing moment and gives you the right amount of boost. Having had this experience a few months before starting uni, as much as I wanted to enjoy university, I also wanted to do something, make a mark, and lay down the right path for the future. At the same time, it was so unclear what that something was. Anything “big” seemed like an impossibility, and moreover I didn’t really know what I wanted to do - where I’m going with my life in the short and long run. But I had to start somewhere, and the most viable option for me was to better establish the student robotics society.
From 1st to 2nd to 3rd year, so many events and activities (luckily pre-covid times) filled and enriched the time here. From the big planned holiday trips to the small but beautiful times, like the hours and hours of chat in the gyp, they are all great memories looking back. During term time, academics took up a pretty big proportion of the time where we were all challenged and pushed to do well. The learning and course wasn’t “fun” in the most literal sense, buty they were interesting to say the least and exciting at times. Surrounded by lots of hardworking people, there was a sense of comradery when it came to studies, which pushed me and hopefully others too (in a good sense). It was also this time where I tried to allocate as much time to robotics projects. At times I felt that things were just not working, both technical and organisational, but eventually things got better. In my third year, I was able to pass on the society, and now the committee is completely new. It is “just” a student society, but it is one of the things I am proud of. Especially now with covid prohibiting much action, it makes me look back and appreciate what a precious time this was.
On the more professional side of things, during these years my future directions and such started to solidify. In hindsight, the biggest turning point was a summer research internship in my 2nd year. A key moment was a conversation I had with the PI of the lab at the pub. There he asked me - “where do you fit inside the history of robotics?”. Regardless of how serious the question was asked, it was enough to get me properly thinking about where exactly I want to go with my professional career. Not much of this question was answered during this internship, but it was clear that moving on to a PhD was the path to take. I have been immersed in the world of robotics for more than half my life. I love it and care about it to the extent that I really want to contribute to this field. Being in my position, I thought doing a PhD is the most appropriate decision.
My 4th and final year here was quite different to the previous three. The fact that it was a masters, the fact that I was living out rather than in halls, and of course because of covid. Almost independent of covid however, the academics of 4th year was the most demanding - to a point where it occupied most of my activities. The never ending coursework (unlike everything being condensed in an exam for the first three years) and the difficulty of conducting a master’s project threw me off. Having PhD applications alongside making the already uncertain world even more so, definitely pushing me to the edge at points. It seems easy now the year is over, but at the time the challenge is real. Out of all years I am really glad it is now over and also glad that all my peers have made it through too.
Throughout this long but short summary, there is one common thread - which is that you never do anything alone. This whole reflection is a personal one, centred about my experiences and thoughts, but they have been formed and made possible by others taking parts in bits of my life. Without mentioning them, this writing is incomplete.
Friends. How plain would university life been without you guys. Corridor people, Hom engineers, CUR, frisbee, VB, 2A5W, the list goes on. Thank you so much for all of the amazing memories. We’ll all now go on to different avenues of our lives, but I really wish to stay in contact and reunite in the future.
Family. Being half way around the world, I haven’t been able to spend much time. But when I did come back to Japan, it was always a wonderful feeling, thank you for all the love. Thank you especially to my mum, who really raised and educated me to become who I am today. I’m so grateful to be your son. Lots of love.
Academics and mentors. In my professional career, I think I grew the most in the last four years. The course itself is one thing, but more so outside of course I have had some excellent guidance. Whether it was on proper research, for the robotics society, or choosing career choices, the conversations made me who I am. Thank you.
Masason foundation. Firstly, without the financial support, this whole university thing will not have happened. But on top of that, through the connections of other members, I’ve always been inspired and always making me strive for the best. Thank you for all of the opportunities, and showing me that I can do more.
So what’s next?
As in the title, moving forwards I will be joining EPFL to start my PhD this October. The lab I am joining (CREATE Lab) is newly set up by Dr. Josie Hughes who I’ve worked with multiple times throughout the 4 years, who will be my PI (in fact, she was the only person who I have been introduced to at Cambridge before coming here). The research topic is around robotic hands, and based on fabricating sensors and the hand itself. Looking at improving the robotic hardware technology when combining rigid and soft materials, sensors, and actuators in a complex way. The hope is to develop a systematic and functional method for creating such robotic hardware and to some degree controlling it (the details are being discussed now).
Since the end of 3rd year attending the ICRA conference (big international robotic conference), I have been interested in dexterous manipulation. I think that the next big advancements in robotics will come when dexterous/in-hand manipulation leaves the lab (as legged locomotion is leaving the lab now), to be fully integrated in our lives. I’m also optimistic that the technological advancements in robotics is something that gets distributed across various industries to be put into use in different ways, which is always exciting to see. When choosing a lab, I decided that this lab in EPFL would be good for many reasons, but mainly because it combines my interest in manipulation and my day-to-day interest in “making stuff” (I have also heard many good things about Lausanne, so hopes are up!).
During this PhD, I want to really push myself to produce meaningful research, and learn, grow, and improve as a robotics researcher. Not having much research experience, this is probably a naive comment, but I want to be proud of the work I do not just because I’ve done it, but because it is something which is meaningful - whether that is academic or application based.
I hope to look back at my PhD life 4 years later when it ends, and wish it is as good or even better than these years at Cambridge.
Thank you for reading until here. The photo is a view of Cambridge city centre from the top of St. Mary's church.
