Disclaimer: machine translated by DeepL which may contain errors.

Continuing from the previous May issue, we would like to introduce the Science Student Support Office. In this issue, I, Takahashi, Director of the Student Support Office (a faculty member of Department of Earth and Planetary Environmental Science and Department of Earth and Planetary Physics), will write from the perspective of a faculty member.

In the School of Science and Graduate School of Science, we have students with a variety of backgrounds. I am sure that they all have various problems. At such times, I sometimes think about the 4.6 billion years of the Earth's history. 4.6 billion years can be compared to a year, and the human race was born at 4:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve. If we compare 4.6 billion years to a year, the length of our life is about one second. It is precisely because our lives are so short that we can try to lead a positive, sparkling life without dwelling on the small things. The beauty of science is that it allows us to review our lives from different perspectives and dimensions.

However, if you face problems that are difficult to solve only with such a scientific approach, such as academic and research problems, relationships with faculty, family, and friends, mental and physical problems, and financial problems, please have the courage to contact the Student Support Office. There, a counselor who is a licensed clinical psychologist will give you various hints from a different perspective from that of a physicist. Often, the solution lies in areas that you may not have thought of on your own. Depending on the problem, the consultant may be able to introduce you to one of the many mechanisms available at the university to help you with your problem.

Student Support Office in the Faculty of Science Building 2, Room 101, which opened in April 2021.

I believe that students often have problems in their relationships with faculty members, especially when they enter a laboratory. The faculty members of the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Science and Graduate School of Science are in a position to lead Japan and the world in cutting-edge science, and they are all very busy and, in their own ways, are all striving to create good laboratories and to accomplish and disseminate excellent research. It is a joyful and painful struggle, but in such a situation, there are times when there is a discrepancy between the students' wishes and our own. However, it is clear that what is most important is the life of each student. If you find that there is a gap between the way you think or live and the way the faculty or the laboratory does, please use the Student Support Office. Based on their many experiences, the counselors will work with you to find a solution to your problem from your point of view. Confidentiality is of course maintained, and online consultations via Zoom are available in addition to face-to-face consultations. In the case of face-to-face consultation, the Student Support Office will be located in Room 101 of Bldg. 2 in addition to Room 132 of Bldg. 1 of Science from April 2021, making it even easier to use.

Life is a sin function. It can be positive or negative, but there is always something good waiting after the bad. Therefore, the important thing in life is how you deal with bad things when they happen. If we can overcome them, the derivative coefficient will always go up, and in some cases, the integral value will even become positive. In order to cope with such a situation, please have the courage to consult with the Student Support Office. If you are not comfortable going to the Student Support Office, you can talk to a member of the Student Support Office management committee (see "Counselors" on the Student Support Office website) in your Department or Division. If you are worried about employment or career-related issues, you can also use the Career Support Office in addition to the Student Support Office (search for "Science and Engineering Career Support Office": Mr. Takahashi is also the Director of this office). We hope that you will fully utilize these systems and enjoy your life to the fullest.

Faculty of Science News July 2021

From the Student Support Office for Gender Equality