FAQ for students
Do you have core hours?
No, we do not. However, we encourage students to come to the lab at 10:00 every day. Students in particular tend to be night owls, so we encourage them to be day owls for experimental safety reasons. In addition, researchers and staff, who make up two-thirds of the laboratory, start their research in the morning, so if they want to be supervised, they inevitably have to come to the laboratory in the morning. In reality, though, some students are still night owls.
When are the meetings?
We have a weekly meeting to discuss lab matters, research presentations, and a paper presentation. In addition, we have meetings for each project. Until the master’s course, students are required to submit a weekly report at the meeting to keep track of their progress. Occasionally, we also ask them to participate in large project meetings (via Skype) that include collaborating researchers from other universities and overseas.
How do you decide on a research theme?
Of course, it would be better if you could set your own theme, but we think it is quite difficult at first. For this reason, we present multiple themes to new students and ask them to choose from among them. We welcome consultations with students about changing themes midway through the program; if you wish to select a preferred theme during your M1 or other years, we recommend that you visit the laboratory and discuss the theme beforehand. In addition, in the case of the Pre/Post collaborative program, students will be given priority in theme selection over other M1 students.
Contact PI for prospective research topic. Highly recommended to propose your own research topic after reading published papers.
What about employment?
It depends on your position when you leave our laboratory. Please refer to “To All Applicants to Our Laboratory” for details. In the case of employment in the master’s program, you will be asked to do a general job search as a mechanical engineer.
Are scholarships available?
Since it is the policy of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to provide scholarships equivalent to living expenses in the doctoral course, our laboratory is prepared to support students by giving them positions as RAs, TAs, etc. However, we ask students to help themselves by applying for tuition waiver, searching for scholarships, and applying for research grants.
Do I have to pay for conference presentations?
Basically, we support students so that they do not have to foot the bill for domestic and international travel expenses for conference presentations. We have never had a student present at a conference at his/her own expense.
What are the events in your laboratory?
In addition to drinking parties such as the New Year’s Reception, pre and post-semester launches, year-end parties, and farewell parties, we hold a lab trip every year. We organize active trips where members plan events and enjoy the outdoors; in 2018 it was camping + BBQ + hiking, and in 2019 it was sightseeing in Ise-Shima.
Can I study abroad?
It depends on the student’s intention. We sometimes ask students to study abroad for joint research purposes. We recommend that those who advance to the doctoral program study abroad at least once, even for a short period of time.
Is English required?
Since there are many foreign researchers here, we often have meetings in English. However, just like you, the current students were not accustomed to English at the beginning, so there is no need to worry too much. The ability to explain and discuss things logically in English, not just in daily conversation, is essential not only in R&D but also in today’s world, so I believe that spending time in this kind of environment from the time you are a student will be a source of food for your future. At the very least, I believe that resistance to English will disappear as a result of living in the laboratory.