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Interview with Yan

Yan comes from Chengdu, a city in the Southwestern part of China which is famous for pandas and really spicy food. Before GSC, she was a student at Nankai University.

image01Yan in Nara, Japan.

How would you summarize GSC?

It’s an international, professional and enjoyable program with all of the best resources you can imagine.

How did you first learn about GSC?

The international office at Nankai University posted an advertisement for GSC online. I looked more into it and found it very appealing. At the time, I was studying abroad in Taiwan and I wanted to explore the world more.

What motivated you to join this program?

UTokyo is a great university and the Chemistry Department is especially famous. Mostly, I wanted to explore more and this program provided a perfect chance, as well as a good scholarship and accommodation in a great city.

Was this your first time in Japan?

Yes, actually before GSC I never thought I would study in Japan because all I thought about was going to the states, I didn’t read a lot of manga (or comics), and I didn’t know anything about Japanese.

What is your impression of Japan?

Moving to Japan is one of the best choices I have ever made because I really love this place. Even though I cannot speak Japanese very well, Japanese people are very kind to me and they help me a lot, even strangers on the street!

Have you had much opportunity to travel within Japan?

I’ve been to Okinawa, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hokkaido. The beach and the offshore island of Okinawa, the deer in Nara, and the drift ice in Abashiri, (a city in Hokkaido), were some of my favorite experiences.

How did your family react to your decision to move here?

My parents were kind of worried but I think after I came here, they learned more about Japan from me. When my mother and father came to visit me, they really liked Japan, particularly the food and the air quality. Now they don’t worry anymore.

image02Yan with her father at the University of Tokyo’s Akamon gate

Did you have any goals when you joined GSC?

Besides studying chemistry, my goal was to be more open with different people and experience different challenges. Before GSC, there was a time when I was kind of closed and self-limited. I didn’t like changes and was not open to experiencing new things. I didn’t want to think like that anymore so I joined GSC.

What is unique about the program?

First, the lab rotation is really amazing because not only do you get the chance to learn about new frontier research but also the assistants and associate professors guide you personally. This is a chance you wouldn’t get anywhere else in the world. Here you get the chance to really know the professors and how they approach research. They give you useful advice, both academically and personally, help you with your experiments and talk with you very often. We also get the chance to study with different people in an international environment, not only in the classroom but also in the laboratory. For example, Professor Suga’s laboratory is really global. All of us get along very well.

What support have you received from the GSC faculty?

At first, I was kind of worried because my chemistry background is not that strong and there are many amazing students on this program. In the first semester, we did lab rotations and I had never experienced anything like it before. I talked with several professors and assistant professors and they were very encouraging, sharing their own stories with me and giving me lots of advice.

What is your favorite thing about GSC?

Academically, GSC has helped me to build a solid foundation in chemistry. The education here is really great as we learn different fundamental chemistry topics. We also got the chance to apply that knowledge in the student laboratory course. Even though it was kind of tough when I did it, through endless reports and experiments, I learned a lot. In my previous university, I specialized in chemical biology but here I got the chance to experience other branches of chemistry. I think it’s very useful and a great experience. Also, the life quality here is really high. It’s very safe and people here are polite. I have made a lot of friends and people such as the GSC staff and student lab coordinators are all great. Whenever I think about my time on GSC, I feel that it’s a very memorable experience.

What are your future aspirations and how do you think participating in this program will help you achieve them?

My ultimate aspiration is to develop the next generation of therapeutics. After completing a Masters or Ph.D. degree, I might work at a pharmaceutical company doing research. I am now in Professor Suga’s lab where the research is more about peptide therapeutics. The knowledge I am obtaining in his lab is providing me with a solid foundation in pharmaceutical research. The professors here also have many connections with pharmaceutical companies, which is a great resource.

What sort of person do you think makes an ideal GSC candidate?

You should be open minded because you are going to spend a lot of time with Japanese students. Some of them are kind of shy but they are very nice. If you open yourself to them, you will have a great time here.

What advice would you give to someone applying to GSC?

I would say don’t think too much and just follow your heart. If you want to experience new cultures, you should just come. This program has also just started but I think it will become a famous and well-established program, so in the long-term it’s a big strength.