Tokyo University, Segawa Lab

As the research on Dye-sensitized Solar cell is approaching an end in Waki lab, the only way for me to continue my research is to find another lab. Unfortunately, this seems to be the trend of DSSC in Japan as more and more labs are closing down their researches. I have been looking in the past for a lab and ended up with Kyoto University and Tokyo University, but could not make any decision for many reasons.

First, I didn't want to leave Tokyo because I have a very good church here and there is a girl I like residing in Tokyo. Second, the lab I found in Tokyo University doesn't do exactly what I am doing although they research in very close proximity of my field. Besides, Professor Segawa from Tokyo University never EVER replied my email. On the other hand, Kyoto has allowed me to enter, under the condition that I pass the entrance exam as a Japanese student, which is next to impossible.

My professor was willing to help me, but she wanted me to make a firm decision before her intervention, because once her recommendation goes out, there is no recourse. So, I emailed a researcher in Segawa lab in Tokyo University. She replied with great honesty and talked about things that might be taboo for the local students to talk about. The researcher, Joanne Dy told me that the lab facilities are excellent and the funding is next to none. The atmosphere is friendly but indepedent. She also mentioned that she knows about Kyoto University Yoshikawa lab from the past conferences. She thought their research is more closely related to mine, but she could not understand why I am asked to be able t do everything in Japanese. She mentioned that there is a visiting professor that's very good at my field in the lab in Tokyo University, but there's no certain period of time that he'll stay there for.

I had given myself a deadline until the end of this month to decide on where to go. I felt a bit depressed talking to my Korean senpai about it. The situation with Yurie has been confusing to me, but I had made peace with God and decided to follow my research, the reason why I came to Japan for, even if it means I have to leave the girl I like, leave my church and head to somewhere else in Japan. I thought if I were to go away, I might as well find the best there is and try my chances. So I went to Uchida-sensei's website. Uchida-sensei is the most famous person in this field in Japan. Unfortunately he is located all the way in Sendai, 4 hours north of Tokyo.

In the past I would often browse his page for reference, and this time I went to his Japanese page. That's when I saw the chance for a lab demonstration. "Contact me if you if you would like to see our lab facilities to learn" The location of this demo is at Segawa lab in Tokyo University! I rubbed my eyes. It was not my imagination, he is the visiting professor at Segawa lab right now and he is the well-versed professor the researcher, Joanne was talking about.

I emailed him right away for a chance to meet him. He replied within 6 hours and asked me to choose a time-slot to visit. On January 8th, 2009, the beginning of the new year, I will get to meet the most famous professor in myy field in Japan and try my chances in getting into the lab he is in.

I think I will tell my professor which lab I am trying right now.