Gavin is originally from Montgomery, New Jersey. He studied at Purdue University before becoming a GSC student.

How did you hear about GSC?

I heard about GSC over the winter break of my second year in university. My father mentioned that a friend of his, a former post-doc at the University of Tokyo, had told him about it. I wasn’t studying chemistry at the time. I was a biomedical engineering student, but it seemed like a great opportunity. Chemistry is such a broad subject, you can do so much with it when it comes to graduate school and finding a job.

How did you feel when you found out you were accepted into the program?

It was very exciting. The opportunity to do a paid scholarship program in Japan that is taught in English isn’t common. There were a few pros for staying at my previous university, but the opportunity here seemed much better-rounded.

What was the reaction of your family?

My family was all for it! My father works for a Japanese pharmaceutical company and understands the strength of chemistry in Japan. My mother was excited but also a little worried.

Was this your first time coming to Japan?

I actually first came to Japan a year ago just for a short visit, but my first extended exposure was last summer when I conducted research at Kyoto University as an AMGEN scholar. Before coming here, I didn’t have much interest in Japan. I think that there’s a Western conception about what Japan is and having gone to Kyoto first, that impression was validated for me. However, coming to Tokyo has made me realize the natural beauty of Japan and its abundant cultural richness, but also the underlying complexity of modern Japanese culture.

This program has allowed me to understand life in Japan in a way that you can’t unless you actually come and live here.

Have you experienced any culture shock while living here?

Not really, Japan is very user-friendly and super safe. A lot of things are in English or basic Japanese, and the food is good, so there is nothing overtly shocking.

Why is GSC a unique program?

Well the program is in Japan, and everything is taught in English. In the globalizing world the latter is really important. Furthermore, GSC provides a way to study at an internationally renowned university. Being in a class of just five students during the first semester was also very welcoming and enriching. It was an unintimidating way to start life in Japan.

Did you have any goals in mind when applying for this program?

Honestly, one of my biggest goals was developing a really thorough understanding of organic chemistry. Organic chemistry explains the biochemical mechanisms behind all of life, and as my research interests are focused on the development of more advanced human therapeutics, understanding organic chemistry is a necessity to developing such new technologies. Organic chemistry is so diverse that it opens up a lot of doors later on in all different fields, from medicine to engineering, and is integral to almost all graduate research specialties I am interested in. So that’s been my biggest goal.

What has been your main highlight of the program?

I guess working in each of the labs. Seeing the diversity in chemistry through the lab rotations was very impressive. Experiencing chemistry has provided me with a brand new perspective on life. That sounds cliché but the basic science focus of the classes coupled to the translational nature of the research labs has provided me with a more profound understanding of the natural world and how it can be modified. All in all, I’m pretty excited for the next semester.

What is your favorite memory in Japan so far?

Just being able to spend time with the other GSC students. Going places with them and discovering Japan has been a learning experience for all of us. I hiked a couple of mountains with one of the other GSC students and in the process got lost, an amusing turn of events. We got to see a different side of Japan because we ended up in a small town that was much less developed than Tokyo, and that was cool.

Would you recommend this program to others?

Yes, the program allows you to experience a very different style of education from that in the West. Through this program you experience so many different things in so many different fields. The classes and labs here teach you to become a better scientist, and I can see that in the master’s students who seem to know everything.

What advice would you give to GSC applicants?

You have to very much want to learn chemistry and experience a new culture because it won’t be easy. But if you’re an adaptable person, someone who is willing to go on an adventure, be that in the lab or atop a mountain, or learn something new about the world or about yourself, you definitely won’t have regrets.

What makes a good GSC candidate?

Very hard-working and self-driven because the opportunities provided by GSC are exceptionally valuable and shouldn’t be wasted. If you devote your time and interest into the classes and research, you can get so much out of the program.

How does participating in GSC help you achieve your long term aspirations?

Aside from what I’m learning outside of the classroom, about life in Japan, life in general, and people, both myself and others, what I’ve learned so far in the classroom has taught me a great deal about the natural world in a way that has helped me refine my scientific interests. I’ve gained valuable lab experience, and look forward to experiencing much more. I feel it is these aspects of GSC combined that will help me develop into a knowledgeable young scientist who is ready to take on challenges every day.