Research facilities and environment

In the first year, we receive lectures from different professors. The lectures are taught in both English and Japanese, thus we do not need to worry if we do not know Japanese when studying in a foreign country. These lectures not only present knowledge of your specific field, but also the general knowledge of fusion science. We will receive the basic background knowledge of fusion plasma through these courses before studying further. In addition, in the first week, when we enter SOKENDAI, we will attend the Freshman course. From this one-week course, we will learn how to be good researchers and how to graduate successfully.

Each graduate student will have at least one main supervisor and two or three sub-supervisors. Every week, we have a small meeting with our supervisors to report our research progress so far and to decide our future plan of what we will do next. Under the guidance of our supervisors, we can go on the correct road to achieve our final goal.

One of the things that I really thank SOKENDAI for is its support tutor system. In the first year of study, we will have a tutor who is our senior. He or she is willing to help us make our life in Japan easy and comfortable with regard to study, research, or daily activities inside and outside the university.

It is a really good opportunity to improve both our English and our Japanese skills since we have both Japanese and foreign students conducting research here. Even though we are working in different research fields, sometimes we can talk and discuss with others to share our progress, our dreams, and our lives. NIFS is an open and safe campus. We can study as long as time permits. In addition, we also have flexible time for study. We can set our working time ourselves if it does not affect others.

Leisure

There are many activities that we can do on-campus and off-campus. Some people play tennis and other people enjoy walking or running around campus. Since my apartment is about five minutes from NIFS, I come to school by bicycle everyday instead of doing physical exercise. Sometimes, we will gather during the weekend to have small parties or to go to karaoke. In addition, we also travel to many beautiful places to enjoy our life in Japan and understand more about Japan culture.

Research environment

Campus of the Fusion Science Program since is the National Institute for Fusion Science(NIFS) that has the excellent study environment. In the first year, SOKENDAI students have some fundamental lectures for leaning the outline of the research at NIFS. Besides that, the NIFS staff s provide the specific courses, that we can choose as needed or interested. This system let us arrange own learning. From the later period of the first year, research activities on begin together with one’s chosen upervisor. Even a student takes part in the big research project in NIFS. Image you were assigned to LHD experiments. You could produce a new detection system, observe impressive plasma phenomena, analyze interesting plasma behaviors, or discuss how to control fusion. Studying with NIFS researchers must lead your research activities to success, and make you mature. Then, I can utilize a pieces of high-performance apparatus, which assists in acquiring good experimental data. The research group meeting is held every week. Sometimes I make a presentation, discuss on results, and get good advice.

Daily life

A student is assigned to a “graduate student room” with a few students who has different supervisors. When taking a break, I make coffee for the room members and chat with them. There is an outdoor training facilities at NIFS. We sometimes play tennis or baseball with students and professors during our free time. On the weekend, I practice tennis with the NIFS staff s. Perhaps, I join the extracurricular activities of tennis team in the neighboring high-school or the Tajimi city.