My time in Japan has been an experience that I will remember for a lifetime and has set the bar high for international travel. As a country, Japan welcomed me with amazing people, outstanding food, and an opportunity to leave my comfort zone as I connected with students and professors from Tsukuba University. I didn’t think that I would make connections with people with the small amount of time I had to visit the University, but I was completely wrong. From the day we entered the University I was greeted with people my age from vast parts of the world such as India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. I was able to make close connections with some students, one being Sudir, a fourth year Materials Science student whom I was able to converse with for many days of my stay in Japan.
As a Materials Science student I came into the trip not knowing much about the coursework and daily life of a Material Scientist, as I have not yet started my coursework in school since I am only a second year. By touring the labs on campus and speaking to PHD students I was able to get a better insight of how much time is dedicated to research as well as the vast possibilities available in the field of Materials. Walking through research facilities and seeing firsthand the work put into the many products that we rely on today made me excited about the future of working with Materials. I look forward to the work I might be doing and will know that Japan was responsible for the red-carpet introduction of this field of study.
