[:en]Akane Katayama
Hometown in Japan: Tokyo
University in Japan: Meiji University
Major & School Year: Mechanical Engineering, B4
Host Advisor: Prof. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Dept. of Bioengineering
Host Lab: Optical Spectroscopy & Imaging Lab

Why TOMODACHI STEM @ Rice University?

I believe the TOMODACHI STEM Program will surely broaden my future career choices after graduating from the master courses, to work in a company or to go to a Ph.D. program. In this program, I can experience the environment and conduct the research in the United States, where there is a fierce competition between researchers from different countries gathered and collaborations of modern and advanced ideas born. This research experience would awaken me from the disillusionment to the future careers. I am now studying about biocalorimetry, which is the measuring method of the heat generated from the microorganisms and cells. As I am majoring in mechanical engineering, my main study is to design the experimental set and the sensors, and lower the detection level of quantity of heat, but I am having a trouble to find the application to this method. It is my conviction that all technology should be useful.  In this program, I will be studying in different field, and this may give me a hint to this trouble. Rice University and Houston has a history of advancement in biotechnology. My major, mechanical engineering, is different from bioengineering, but surely, the collaboration between different fields is necessary to deepen my study. This program is a nice starting point for me to seek my theme of research in the master’s courses.

Also, this program is an extraordinary opportunity to build a new relationship between Japan and the researchers from other countries. It is very natural that we cannot move from our laboratory, where we conduct our research everyday. And, sometimes, only thinking about own research limits our view. This program allowed me to jump out from my daily life to reflect myself, and also connect relationship between researchers nationwide that could be maintained to the future. To build or discover a new value, the exchanges of human resources are crucial. The United States is a country composed of immigrants. I would like to see how people from different countries work together and as this program are only for Japanese women, how women researchers are succeeding building their careers. In my private life, I love traveling, especially, I enjoyed bicycle touring in my university club, and I also would like to explore Houston and Washington D.C.

Goals

• Understand thoroughly and communicate in English for conducting research
• Interact with people I meet and spend a lot of time with them
• Move actively to absorb knowledge about new research field, and also pursue my research project
• Explore Houston and Washington D.C., and learn about the culture of the United States

Excerpts from Akane’s Weekly Reports

• Week 01: Arrival in the U.S.
• Week 02: First Week at Research Host Lab
• Week 03: Interview With a Female Researcher
• Week 04: Research in the U.S. vs. Research in Japan
• Final Research Poster Presentation
• Week 05: Science & Technology Policy Study Tour
• Final Report

Week 01: Arrival in the U.S.

On the way from the airport to the Residence Inn hotel that we are staying at, the shuttle bus driver drover up to the speed of 90 miles per hour, fast speed compared from Japan, with the radio playing my favorite U.S. singer, Bruno Mars’ “Grenade”. I felt so welcomed by Houston. One week has passed now. In my first initial reaction, the image I had about the United States turned out to be a very narrow view. Some of the expectations were true, but some of them were not.  Awareness about safety was true. Tramps and beggars pass each other. It happens in Japan too, but in the U.S., some people have guns, so possibility of having guns is something that scares me a lot. I could be killed anywhere, if I say it extremely. Starbucks coffee in Japan is the icon of urban, stylish, and sophisticated life. Though, in the U.S., I could find Starbucks in some normal supermarkets. From the influence of U.S. magazines’ articles about the recommendations of celebrities, Natural, and organic food, cosmetics, and lifestyle originally from L.A seemed to be popular in the U.S. Though, in the mass supermarket of the Houston, there were much chemical products, processed food, and especially ethnic food at the supermarket Fiesta. The everyday people’s lives are of course different from that of celebrities. I noticed the power of advertisement and prejudice due to the culture I am used to now in Japan. United States, and also Texas is huge, and I cannot wrap all of the perspectives together.

At the orientation, I learned about the graduate school system in the U.S. from the lecture of Prof. Kono. It indicated me that graduate school in the U.S evaluates the potential of applicants as the researchers when they choose the candidates. The school raises the future researchers, and invests in the students. To finish a PhD in the U.S., it takes 5 to 7 years, and also, 60% of the people who entered the graduate school finishes the Ph.D. courses. The elements that successful researchers in the U.S. should have were vague, though. As I met people in my lab, attended several meetings in the lab, or worked with my mentor, I came to understand the independence required to be a researcher in the U.S.

I have already had the experience of doing research in Japan for a year. That experience made me skeptical. Was I doing research? What I did was maybe my professor wanted to do. I actually did a lot of tasks, but I didn’t have in mind that I was the one who should handle my project. It is very popular in Japan to do what your boss indicates. In my lab in Japan, there are several themes that senior students have been working on. Senior students accompany with their mentees, and teach or order what the mentee should do. We rarely have experience ourselves of how to handle the projects. Maybe, there was no choice for me because I am still an undergraduate student, but the awareness of the independent research work in the U.S. looked awesome to me.

My current mentor at Rice is handling a big project to high-resolution micro endoscopy for cervical cancer in El Salvador. She speaks Spanish to communicate with the local doctor there and uses the device she made with real patients in El Salvador. She is very kind and wise, and her motivation to develop medical devices to under-served areas is something I could rarely see in Japan. I am happy I can work with her here in Houston.

At the visit at Dow Chemical, the biggest chemical company in the world, engineers who have Ph.D. degrees told us about the importance of research and industry balance.  When applying technologies to the industrial company, they should think about the costs and margins they would have. People in the universities seek advancement and innovations that nobody has found before. Researchers in the companies and in the school have to focus on different points. I worked at a chemical trading company for a part time job for a year, and the visit to the Dow was exciting for me. I had seen “Dow” on many patents through my part-time job. We also participated in a Networking Brunch with Japanese Professionals. The women engineer’s talk told me about how tough it is to work in the U.S. She faced some disadvantage as a women, and has to devote herself to work in obscurity after finishing her Ph.D. courses. Now, she is a very high position, so she can have baby. Balancing of raising children and of working seemed to be a struggle. I’m glad I could know successful engineers in the U.S.

During the weekend, we went to the Rodeo Houston Parade, the Houston Ballet, the George. H.Bush statue, and the Galleria shopping mall. During the Rodeo Parade, hundreds of horses and wagons were riding down the street. Some horses were taping. People in the parade were wearing jeans, shirts, leather boots, and cowboy hats. It was the image I had about Texas, and old-fashioned America. At the Houston Ballet, we saw Cinderella. The structure of the play and the costumes were very detailed, and never bored me. I would like to thank for all the people who organized, and especially Donna Cole and Deborah Grant whose network allowed us to do so.

Research Project Update

Before arriving in the United States, I read several papers about the optical imaging for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women of developing countries. In Prof. Richards-Kortum’sOptical Spectroscopy & Imaging Lab, they are developing a low-cost, high-resolution microendoscope (HRME) imaging system, which allows them to visualize the cells of the cervix in real time. They carry out clinical studies in China, Brazil, and El Salvador. In my opinion, the fluorescent method seems to be more popular to analyze biological samples than biocalorimetry, which I am researching in Japan. It was a big opportunity for me to learn the most popular bio-analysis. My mentor was the main person who contacted me about the project I will do in this internship. If I could give any advice for those who would come to this internship, I would say study a lot about the lab you are staying at, and also be curious about the research they are doing even if your major is different. My major is mechanical engineering, which is different from the major, bioengineering in this internship. However, I have found the 3-D CAD drawing I did in my undergraduate training was very useful when I have to draw the molds for cervix models I am creating.

During my stay in Rebecca Richards-Kortum Lab, I will be making a training tool for HRME system. The training tool is needed so physicians can be trained to use the microscope before using on actual patients. These tools will simulate the actual imaging you do of the cervix. For the training tool, I will be making a fluorescent gel model with a film which mimicks the patterns of cervical nuclei(10micron diameter). Then, I will use the fluorescent gel model I created in a simulation system and evaluate how similar my model is to images from actual cervical tissue.

This week, I gained a better understanding of the importance of training models. My mentor showed me how the HRME works. Also, I made a gel model using the molds, and understood the procedure of making it. An important point of training model will be providing physicians with practice on how to focus the HRME. When you focus the microscope, the imaging fiber should be vertically set to image the surface you want to see.  In the coming days I will work on improving the mold design for the gel models and create a film pattern with 10-20micron diameter dots/shapes to simulate normal and abnormal cervical tissue.

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Week 02: First Week at Research Host Lab

My first day at the Lab was on February 27^th. My mentor, Sonia had a presentation for me about research. Sonia is pursing the joint program at Medical school and Ph.D. course at Bio-engineering. She is bright, diligent, and she understands me even if I am sometimes stuck in words, or talked in puzzling way. I heard harmonizing, in Japanese, “Aunnokokyu” and understand this only in Japanese, but Sonia knew what I want to say by interpreting my words. After the presentation, Sonia showed me the student room, and gave me my desk. I talked with several students and gave them Japanese souvenirs. I was surprised to know I am the first person to be a visiting undergraduate student in my lab. Lab members, almost all the people, have never been to Japan. I am an alien. I sometimes feel like an alien in Japan, too. I am the only girl in my lab in Japan. Although, in my lab environment at Rice nobody knows about my hometown culture and I am more isolated than before. However, cross-border relations, when there is nothing in common about cultures, we seem to become stronger, because we have to get out of our comfort zone so that we can better understand each other.

Also, I was amazed at what a big team the lab has. Lab members are composed of one professor, four research scientists and Post doc, approximately 17 graduate students, and other supportive members. They say many undergraduates work together for each graduate student, so there are more people to come in this lab. A big team supports the big outcomes for this lab, and I soon noticed this team is strong. The lab members like their research, and work independently with high concentration.

Sonia showed me how HRME actually works. She put proflavine and fiber on the back of her lip, and HRME imaged the nuclei where fiber settled. Nuclei don’t show up when we watch them in naked eye, but they surely appear when the fluorescent contrast agent (proflavine) is applied. After her demonstration, I worked on CITI IRB training course on the Internet to foster the knowledge to the safety use of biological sample.

Let me write about the usual day in lab, and how I use English. I work individually, for example, imaging, drawing 3D CAD, and making molds and gels on weekdays. Sonia is the only person I discuss about my project with, so I have to speak with her thoroughly to make sure there are no misunderstandings between us. Sometimes I have trouble telling her the problem or solution I suggest to her when I talk with her. However, my ears have now became accustomed to her fast English. What is worse, I have trouble understanding the fast talk used in casual conversations that I hear in meetings and the content of seminars or meetings I have little prior  knowledge of the subject. I understand the majority of the conversation if I have a chance to confirm what the speaker says, or speaker speaks clearly. The solution for this trouble seems to be talking more, or studying more in other fields. During the second week, I had some chance to talk with other lab members. Mary is cyclist, so she and I talked about touring via bicycle. She rode from Baltimore to Maryland, approximately, 7000km in two and half months. I felt like I am beginner cyclist. My bicycle was stolen, so I should buy a new bicycle after going back to Japan.

Jennifer had also worked with Prof. Kono, so I decided to interview her next week. Likewise, I can talk with people, but I don’t know how I can get closer. I should know more about making new friends, because I like chatting, though, the lab is the place I do research, and I work alone, so for me I don’t know how to get closer even in Japanese lab. In Japanese labs, we have drinking parties every three month, and have to talk about research, so we do make a social relationship on surface, but I don’t come close in private. Also, many professors taught me this is a good occasion to make friends, although, I would like to ask how I can get closer? Everyone in my lab seems to be busy for me.

On Tuesday, I attended the meeting for HRME. Sonia is the chairman, and people from M.D. Anderson cancer center, researchers and professors at Rice, and people on the spot in El Salvador gathered for meeting on the Internet. The cervical cancer team Sonia is working on is moving forward to address global health problems.

This weekend, we went to NASA on Saturday, and Austin on Sunday. At NASA, we are able to see the history of the cultivation of the space program. The U.S. is at the frontier of the space industry. In Austin, we enjoyed the Texas State Capital and Bullock Museum. We walked along the downtown and saw the crowded SXSW festival and Colorado River. The SXSW festival is one of the most famous music festivals in the U.S. I became fond of historical buildings in Austin, and nature preserved near the river. I wish I had more time to enjoy the festival. At the museum, there was an exhibition about Stevie Ray Vaughan, a legendary Bluesman from Texas. I didn’t know his music, but as I saw the exhibition, I would listen to them later in Japan.

Research Project Update
In this report, I would like to introduce the HRME and provide a research update for this week. The HRME is a high-resolution microendoscope that consists of an optical fiber extending from a florescence microscope. For tissue imaging, a fluorescent contrast agent (Proflavine) is applied to the surface of the sample. Proflavine stains cell nuclei. A blue light-emitting diode(LED) light illuminates the tissue and is delivered through the optical fiber(0.72mm diameter) to the sample surface. Fluorescence from the proflavine-stained surface is collected by the bundle, passes through dichroic mirror and long pass filter to CCD camera. The image is viewed on laptop or tablet computer with 4.4 micron resolution. The HRME then runs a Matlab-based image analysis algorithm to analyze the image and automatically identify the nuclei. By calculating the average nuclear to cytoplasm ratio, the HRME identifies how many abnormal nuclei are in the image. This information is then used to determine whether the tissue imaged is cervical precancer/cancer or not.

This week, I imaged with HRME alone, and learned the difference between good and bad focusing. For the rest of the week I will continue to train myself in good HRME operation and imaging. In my project, I am developing training models to provide imaging practice for new HRME users.  I make these gel models (30mm diameter) from ballistic gel mixed with proflavine. The gel model has a thin film with letters (~500um) on the surface of gel. Since the letters are so small, the user can read only read them by imaging them using the HRME. Part of making the gel models is developing new molds to form the gels. I made molds for the gel model using 3D CAD software, Solidworks, and 3D printer.

I design the molds on software, and print them with 3D printer with the material, PLA. I designed one mold that has a shorter height than my mentor’s example mold. The problem of using one mold type is that the gel sticks to the mold. I need to use a metal spatula to take off the gel, but I accidentally peeled off some part of the gel. So, I have now designed a mold with two parts, which now allows me to easily remove the gel from the mold. One problem still remains which is that gel still collects under the film in the bottom. We have to take off the gel residue on the film, otherwise the imaging will appear blurry. To increase the number of film patterns we can image, I called and e-mailed several companies in the U.S. that specialize in printing 10micron patterns on film. Photo laser plotting and photomask were my targets to search. It took me a lot of time to find them, but I eventually found two companies that could print 10 micron size features. I had good experience communicating the actual pattern I needed to print. Next week, I will order the film, and if possible, image this new film that will mimic cervical nuclei patterns.

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Week 03: Interview With a Female Researcher

No Report Submitted 

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Week 04: Research in the U.S. vs. Research in Japan

In people’s interaction in the lab, people have no barriers with each other, and with a positive atmosphere they talk. There are many people coming or meetings from outside of the lab everyday, so the lab is doing collaboration inside and outside the same department, university, and field. I haven’t seen people arguing at the lab. They do have time that some people have different opinions, but they embrace the opposite opinions.  For the experiment I had different opinions from my mentor, she tried to pursue her opinion, and so I did both to see what would happen. She always said me you can use your time as you can, as I always taught her what I shall do next beforehand everyday. To see other lab members, they seemed to talk seriously to make sure why they have different opinions, and opinions of each other. Always people are respectful to others. They are using language to understand each other, not to stand away from somebody else. Communication is always constructive.

In academic research in the United States, people’s network is building their research topic, and people’s value. In the lab I stayed at, my professor has a friend who gave her chance to realize the problems of medical devices in developing countries. People-to-people networks are solid. My professor has a strong basis for her research in collaboration between her friends, and doing numerous projects rather than one project. Her research in case of HRME is covering the health problem and trying out in underserved areas in Texas, but more, outside of the U.S to other developing countries. In Japan, in my lab, there is some domestic collaboration, but no international collaboration. To do international collaboration, the project should exist for more critical need. Also, in the U.S. where I stayed, more creativity and independence of research is valued. They come up with numerous new projects, and finish the research once their fund is stopped. Compared to Japan where I am staying, continuous research is valued. My professor focuses one research project until he reaches his goal and then makes a new goal after that. I cannot tell which value is better or not, but as there are more people in the lab where I stayed so those supports enabled them to seek and do numerous new projects as ideas come up. The lab where I am staying is putting more weight to deepen the research, so it may depend on the purposes, which the team puts the strength on, wider or deeper research.

One culture difference, which describes a good value in the lab where I stayed in the U.S. is international collaboration and creativity. Both our lab and clinical field in developing countries are to cooperate for improvement, and both sides need each other. In international collaboration, according to Jennifer who is research scientist in the lab where I stayed, people try to solve the problems differently, so that solutions create diversity, and embrace differences. The diversity and creativity they have through international collaboration are special things they have.  Also, they value the culture of openness and trust. They trust each other’s ability, and work doing team works on the same theme. Chatting time seemed important, because they can refresh their brains, and also, they concentrate on their own after chatting. Also, they are sociable. They do a lot of collaboration with outside of their lab, so they should do various types of communication.

During the final week, I was in a rush to make my poster and to do additional imaging. On Monday 20th, I actually used the training tool for imaging cervix which the undergraduate students my mentor is mentoring made. I should use only one hand to hold the optic fiber when I image the vertical surface of the gel from the table where HRME is on, so it took me time to practice imaging. My mentor taught me the actual procedures the physicians are doing with HRME. I heard like the radiation treatment for cancer, cancer is eradicated by the direct point where cancer grows, but in the spot where HRME is used, precancerous lesions from the cervix is cut with an electric current. The lesions are cut in area, so it should not be such accurate where the lesions are than radiation way for treatment.  The glass beads I ordered free from Potters Industries LLC, and the film with 10 microns scale dot patterns from Advance Reproductions Corporation for purchase were arrived on Wednesday 22^nd, and used to image patters similar to nuclei on the gel. After submitting the poster, I had free time, so I printed cervix patterns my mentor asked me. My mentor asked me to draw film patterns with AutoCAD, so I might try in Japan. Although, this research field, optics is different from my major in Japan, mechanical engineering, so I would try how I can contribute to my research topic. Also, I would see some internship at the optics company. Optics is the key fields in medical devices, which I am interested to do in the future. I hope to keep continue doing both fields in Japan.

For my farewell, my mentor and I went together for dinner to Torchy’s Tacos in Rice Village. The appetizer we ate was Queso & chips. My mentor told me that queso means cheese in Spanish, and also this menu is Tex-mex menu, which we are only able to see in Texas. I ate shrimp Tacos, which surprised me that shrimp was not raw and instead, fried. We talked about world affairs, for example, North Korea, President Trump, and the Vice President, President Abe, and so on. I respect my mentor’s understanding to culture. She is very curious about politics around the world. I think all people should be interested in world affairs, and have opinions to those fields because engineering is responsible to every society and people lives. I also made my farewell with my lab members, and gave flowers and letters to my mentor, Jenny, Jennifer, who I interviews and Prof. Rebecca. I told lab members I talked with individually that I am leaving, and they told me I should stay more and keep in touch. It was short internship, but I fostered wonderful relationships.

At the poster presentation, I presented to approximately 10 people. The people’s major background I presented were various, for example, chemistry, physics, and economics. I talked to each person about the whole process, from introduction to conclusion and future plans about 10 minutes. This poster presentation taught me the importance of making understandable and clear posters and presentation. We should share our research with others in poster session. I had three times of experience to do poster presentation beforehand, but this occasion was my first time to present other than my majors. I hope I can improve my ability to make my posters until the phase no body edits.

After the poster presentation, I joined to see Rice 360° Seventh Annual Undergraduate Global Health Design Technologies Competition at BRC. In this competition, low-cost global health technologies were presented. The idea of making health technologies in low resource setting is fascinating for me to know, so I would like to try making them in my future.

I will miss the lab where I stayed, and also warm climate of Houston. I would like stay more lab longer. There topics are wonderful. People like chatting to people who they don’t know rather than cities, like Washington D.C. My hometown Tokyo is city, so they are cold to strangers.

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Final Research Poster Presentation

Developing Training Tools for Detecting Cervical Cancer with HRME (PDF)

I was hosted atProf. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Dept. of Bioengineering in the Optical Spectroscopy & Imaging Lab and my mentor is Sonia Parra Gomez. My research title is

developing training tools for detecting cervical cancer with High-resolution Microendoscopy (HRME) imaging system. Cervical cancer causes nearly 90% of cervical cancer deaths in developing parts of the world. Early screening can prevent cervical cancer by detecting precancerous lesions that can be treated in the initial phase so they do not progress to cancer. Many low-resource countries do not have the technical and public health infrastructure for screening [1]. Prof. Rebecca Richards-Kortum’s Lab is developing a low-cost optical device, HRME, to detect cervical cancer in developing countries. Therefore image acquisition training using the HRME is important. Physicians should acquire images in a short amount of time. Also, good images should be taken to analyze the image correctly, and physicians who work at the point-of-care should learn those techniques in order to use the HRME. The training tool the lab is developing consists of a fluorescence gel that can be placed inside a simulation model of the female pelvis. In my project, I designed and made the gel molds to form the functional gel. Also, I made florescence gel models with films and with beads, and investigated how to make surface patterns that mimick actual cervical nuclei when imaged. Using the3D CAD software, Solidworks, I was able to design two gel mold patterns. One was a single-part mold, and the other was a two-part mold. The molds were printed with 3D printer and the gel model was formed by allowing liquid gel to solidify within each mold. The single-part mold formed a gel that was hard to remove from the gel and in the process of removal, would cause the film on the gel to peel away. However, the two-part mold easily came apart so that the gel within could be removed easily without the film on top peeling off I test different gel model designs using three patterns film and 10 micron glass beads with the florescence gel. One film had 500~600 micron letters. Only using the HRME were the letters clearly visible. For the film with 6~8micorn dots, nothing particular was observed. On the other hand, for the film with 60~80micron dots, blurry outlines of the shapes were visible when using HRME imaging. Because of this, some of the dots could be analyzed and were counted by the HRME’s automatic image analysis algorithm correctly. The reason for the blurry images is probably due to improper printing of the pattern onto the gel since we had a difficult time converting the pattern from an adobe illustrator file to a vector data file. With the 10 micron glass beads, blurry patterns of the glass beads were observed. For better results, the beads should be mixed to prevent clumping. From these results, the patterns with words (500~600 micron) were the best for providing imaging training with the HRME. Also, the two-part mold was the best at forming functional gel models. For future research, plan to design the films with AutoCAD, which can then be better saved as a vector file. Also, we will use less beads to decrease the risk of clumping.

Reference
[1] American Cancer Society, “ Global Cancer Facts&Figures 3^rd Edition”, p34-p36

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Week 05: Science & Technology Policy Study Tour

During our final week in the U.S, we visited Washington D.C and Bethlehem, PA. In Washington D.C, we had a tour of the U.S Capitol and attended seminars at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Howard University, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Department of Energy. In Bethlehem, we visited Lehigh University, attended some discussions, and visited the Da Vinci Science Center. I loved the many museums in Washington D.C because I could visit them for free and learn about U.S history. The most impressive experience was our visit to the Department of Energy. I have never had the chance to ask questions to people who are involved in the field of nuclear energy in Japan, even if I visited a lot of places related to nuclear energy, like Hiroshima, museums exhibiting the tragedy of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru, and Fukushima, and learned a lot about nuclear energy. I have seen the news on TV about the Fukushima nuclear power plant since 2011, read magazines or books, or listened to the lectures about engineers’ ethics at my University. Nuclear energy is what I was interested in before 2011. Nuclear energy is a human-made scientifically cool technology, non reliant to natural resources, but occurs human-made tragedy prolonging the effect to health. Also, I could learn about nuclear energy from other aspects jumping out from the side of victims of nuclear energy we ancestors and people in Japan are.

During this week, I was most surprised by the U.S policy towards nuclear energy. The U.S government is continuing to broaden nuclear energy. The rapid need for access to electricity are business opportunities for both the U.S and Japan, which leads nuclear energy. I hardly believe this policy even if some people ask me whether alternative energy exists. I suffered during the big earthquake in March 11st, 2011. I lived in Sendai at that time. Listening to my friends living in Sendai, they cannot eat fish due to the radioactive contamination. Some people said to me it may theoretically be safe to eat, but also from the statistics of Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan, still in some areas, the fish have radioactive contamination above national radiation limits. The number of children suffering from thyroid cancer is increasing. No matter how much Japanese government insists the nuclear power energy is safe, I hardly believe this opinion. There is no end in this radioactive crisis.

I found the women in STEM seminars at Lehigh University very meaningful. I was able to meet with professors in leadership positions which is different compared to my experience in Japan. Also, they taught us that women in STEM are in the U.S. Listening to their stories, to make women voice bigger, we should increase the number of girls who are interested in engineering rather than ignoring how men behave to us. Still, the women in STEM are minority and I believe more women should have the chance to choose careers in STEM. We should be confident and make efforts to brush up our ability. What was most meaningful for me was meeting with women working within the medical industry. I am proud of majoring mechanical engineering now, because the women I met working in industry told me that mechanical engineering is authentic in engineering and that medical industries welcome students with my background. In bioengineering, she said they learn a bit about every field. It is much better to be a specialist in mechanical engineering and then acquire knowledge about bioengineering. I usually make something by processing materials in my lab. Sometimes I felt that I am not suitable to mechanical engineering because I am not very good with detail. Rather than thinking about my suitability, I decided to train myself to be organized at every moment and also study basics of mechanical engineering again.

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Final Report

The keywords I learned about U.S are leadership, entrepreneurship, and creativity. In the U.S, the role models I learned from this program encouraged me to take leaderships positions, with entrepreneurship in their minds, thinking about the impact for the society, and start up new creative projects. From my prediction I have from the history of the U.S, the U.S history is started by frontier spirit. This spirit may be the reason for entrepreneurship in the U.S. Dr. Khanjan at Lehigh University taught us to see the actual spot in developing countries, and find the place we can lead our entrepreneurship. Getting away from our comfort zones symbolizes the spirit of the U.S. In terms of research, I was surprised by the way they launch the projects in the U.S. The research starts by getting the funds first in the U.S. I heard from one post doc in my lab that she should write proposals to get funds before she start new projects. When we visited NAS, NSF, AAAS, and the Department of Energy, I learned how research funding and objectives is influenced by government policy. The government policy decides the budgets. Like the Trump policy, he is trying to cut off the budgets in scientific research. Also, looking back at history, the Manhattan project, which leads to developing nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was launched by the U.S government. The policy put weight on the consequences they can earn by the research. The government and companies can predict the direct impact they can receive by their funding projects, so they invest in scientific research. I felt the research in the U.S is close to business.

On the other hand, the keywords for Japan are harmony, hierarchical relationship, and unspoken agreements. We put weight on harmony in relationships everywhere from shops to family relationships. I was relived by the kindness of service in Japan. The shop workers are smiling, and willing to help me in trouble. At the shops in the U.S, they turn away from the guests on time the shop closes shouting loudly for clogging announcement and rocking the shop on time. In Japan, shops wait until last guest gets out of the shops to close even if the time is passed the closing time. At the station, I was turned away at the station window even if their vending machine is broken and I had my money all charged in digital ticket. I was surprised how they rudely turn away me and say I cannot understand their service because I am Japanese. In my opinion, it was not my fault that I charged all the money into the ticket vending machine because the machine was broken. Though from the U.S perspective, it is my fault to charge all the money in the machine even if it is broken. I hardly believe this service. In Japan, we have hierarchy everywhere. We have to respect people who are older than ourselves.  I heard the relationship in medical doctors in the U.S is settled in hierarchy. The tasks they do are decided by the hierarchy relationship, and nothing creative is required in physicians task. We have unspoken agreements. We read the atmosphere and decide what we should do to maintain relationships. In research field, we focus on every field no matter the results we can earn from the project. The reason is due to the system we have in University in Japan. We students have to write thesis to graduate from schools in science and engineering fields. Professors have to have research projects no matter whether they have funding or not for students. Even if they don’t have research funding, the students would be assigned to each lab.

After this whole experience in this program, in my career plan, it is still doubtful whether I should go to Ph.D. course or join the company. The opinions about Ph.D. courses in the U.S are different in Rice University and Lehigh University. At Rice University, in my lab, people there are all research lovers, but at Lehigh University, the people are more realistic, the students I talked to at the seminars argue that getting a Ph.D. may make them overqualified and too specialized into very narrow areas and, sometimes, companies hesitate to pay high salary for Ph.D. holders. Both opinions exist in Japan, too. The environment Rice University has for graduate students are blessed, because there are a lot of graduate students who can work together in long Ph.D. courses. Especially for bioengineering, world-class research medical centers surrounding Rice University and seminars, which are held by researchers or bio-related companies foster collaborative research in various areas. The environment is much more different in teaching focused universities like Lehigh University and my home university. For some students, the university is the last place they can learn specific majors, and their learning is practice before joining a company. Students in the U.S are more interested in developing their ability to do lots of things like the fact we can see every student have internship experiences. Thinking about my character, I am experimental learner. I like to experience and decide the next steps rather than thinking the of my plans for life and then pursue the plans. Increasing my experience for pursuing projects in companies may easily let me pursue projects that can drastically change the world problems. I heard whether I like to do research or not can help me decide whether I should go to Ph.D. courses after all. I may too humble but if it is possible I would like to get working experiences in the companies and get the Ph.D. Also, I would like to search for ways I could collaborate with my research areas in Japan, heat transfer in micro level and imaging, I learned in the U.S. that I would like to leave the option open of perhaps entering graduate schools in the U.S as one choice, because I learned the good point of conducting research in Japan. We can conduct research for the advancement the government or companies don’t focus on, or not realized the importance of the research. It is true I can stay in front of the research in the U.S. I would like to find balance in my research focus areas and my future careers. I hope I can come back to the U.S if I have chance, so I would like to continue working for my research projects and for studying English.

I personally changed to embrace others difference, not to criticize how others are different. I have two examples, one from the difference in research environment in university of Japan and of the U.S, and one from cultural backgrounds. Our research environment in Japan is always compared with the U.S. The research environments in the U.S and in Japan are different. We cannot compare more business-like, benefit-focused research to more educational roles in university weighed research in my University. Also, there are many cultural and ethnic differences in the U.S, so that the diversity of research and collaboration happens by the way people solve problems. I respect these differences from culture. I met many Japanese-American in the U.S. Some of them were in trouble to know which is the identity of the person, the U.S or Japan. Also, my mentor is 3^rd generation of Mexican immigrants. For facing those people, I noticed language is key for values and cultures of the country. We use language to express our feelings, and to detail the events. What they admire is different in culture. I felt frustrated when I cannot find the right words to express my feelings. I should tell logically why I felt some way comparing the cultural background. What occasions we face religious difference? Why we have different religious sect in the ways of burying? Why we go to shrine every New Years Day? How do you feel about North Korea? How do you think about President Trump? Those questions were really asked from my mentor. I felt Japanese-Americans feel the different ways because they are living in the U.S, even if they have Japanese blood. I hope every mix races have chance to learn the language and culture of their heritage. Also, I would like to do my best to help international students in my university to become accustomed to Japanese culture through my teaching assistant work from April. I felt how lonely it was staying at a place where nobody knows my culture and my home country. My lab members had never been to Japan, and have never shared values in Japan. It was an adventure for me even if I love traveling.

From my initial reaction when I came back to Japan, I felt Japan is well organized. Looking up at the buildings in Shibuya, there were many lightening advertising signs pedestrians can see even without arriving in front of the buildings. Also, big maps were on the street so I can easily find where I can ride on a taxi with baggage in total weight 140 pounds that time. How relieved I was to find a taxi stop eventually arriving at Shibuya station! I shopped too much in this trip. The maps and advertisements are very thoughtful, though too much advertisements can change the scenery of cities and make them ugly. In Washington or Houston, the signs were very simple, and also have thoughtful designs that match the atmosphere of cities. I was also thankful for the advanced equipment in Japanese bathrooms, I was relived that the bath drain would not get stuck with my hair running in the water. I can take my hair before the hair is running into the drain in Japan. Bath drain in the U.S troubled me a lot. I was most excited to meet with my colleges, professor, and my family. I am staying at same university for graduate school and have just begun my master’s degree, so my college and my professors are my collaborative partners in Japan. My family were delighted about my participation at this program. It was exciting to share my opinions that I learned from this program with them and I can share my experience with people who were not at this program. I miss the diversity of ethnicities and cultures in the U.S, and few people and less noise on the street or on the transportation. I haven’t used English in Japan yet. Also, I haven’t been to the atmosphere where there are three Asians in 20 people like my lab I stayed yet. In my opinion, I can easily say what I am thinking in Japanese, although I hesitate to say all of my ideas in my head in English. Sarah taught us to speak in English sometimes to each other but I hesitate to do so with Japanese. In my school, I sometimes have to speak in English to practice presentations with my colleges, but we all tend to have problems asking questions in English. The reason is because in the Japanese language is more preferred for me to understand others thoroughly. How can we speak or practice English easily in Japanese dominated environment? I miss the environment which has strong needs in speaking English to involve with others. Also, there is quiet and enough space for people in the U.S even in the cities. I like the silence in rural areas in Japan. It may doubtful from the fact I like silence due to my talkative character, but noise like car traffic, music from the displays in cities, commercial music from the drug stores or discount stores give me too much information to my ears! The next day after arriving back to Japan, I went to school for guidance about my coursework and was terrified by rushes on the train. A man’s face watching his cell phone is in front of me just 30 centimeters away. Of course, I don’t know who this is, and this distance is a symbol how we live in Japan. Like I heard from people who knew Japan, they say Japanese cities are compact but too small.

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