Students talking about their stories on stage
In Japan, it is thought that there is a lack of familiar role models for women to help them make decisions about their career choices and to envision their careers when they enter a science course. Against this background, the School of Science and Technology held an event, Furatto Science and Technology Panel Session at Ikumei Festival, for junior and senior high school girls on Saturday, November 2 at the Ikuta Campus. The event, which was held in conjunction with the Ikumei Festival, a school festival at the Ikuta Campus, was attended by 61 people, mostly female junior and senior high school girls who are considering a future in a science course and their parents.
In the first half of the panel discussion, two graduates who are active in the front lines of the workforce took the stage. They touched on various topics dealing with questions such as “What are the moments you truly enjoy in your work?” and “What did you struggle with when you decided on your career choice?” They each spoke frankly about the best part of their current jobs and their connection to academia while reflecting on their high school and university days.
NAGAMATSU Hirono , a 2022 graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Informatics, who is in charge of technical design of toys for children at Bandai Co., Ltd., said about her life as a student as follows: “There were not many girls in my department, but there were mixed classes that transcended the boundaries of departments, so there was a lot of interaction between girls. I also met my best friend in one of the mixed classes.”
She designs the mechanism and models the shape of toys in cooperation with the person in charge of planning. She also implemented a unique trick in which you shake a sphere with a character’s face on it, and the body pops out from inside to complete the character (NAGAMATSU Hirono)
AKINO Yuka , who completed her master’s course in the Applied Chemistry Program in the Graduate School of Science and Technology in 2023 and is in charge of quality planning and analysis of raw materials for cosmetics at The Nisshin OilliO Group, Ltd., said about her career choice as follows: “I truly love science, so I had no doubts about choosing a school for a university, but I thought carefully about going to a graduate school and consulted with my parents. The decision to enter the Graduate School of Science and Technology was made because I had a stronger desire to work with my expertise. The deep learning, thinking, and approach I gained in the Graduate School of Science and Technology have become the foundation of my research career.”
Next, seven current students from the School of Science and Technology and the Graduate School of Science and Technology took the stage. Each of them gave the following comments on how they decided to pursue a career in a science course: “I chose Meiji University because I knew that I could study a field in which the medical field (medicine) and manufacturing (engineering), which I had originally been interested in, were merged.” “I chose the Department of Physics because I was good at science subjects and I like simply looking at stars and celestial bodies.” “When I was in high school, I was interested in cosmetics, food, and regenerative medicine, and I thought that my current department (Department of Applied Chemistry) was the only department to connect all of them.”
She really enjoys being able to do experiments daily as a researcher. She also says that when she entered the workforce, she found it reassuring that there are Meiji University graduates in every industry and company (AKINO Yuka)
TABUCHI Tohko, a first-year master’s degree student in the Electrical Engineering Program in the Graduate School of Science and Technology, said, “I visited nearly 30 open campuses and researched thoroughly.”
In the latter half of the panel discussion, discussions were held on a wide range of topics, including science and technology academic fields, student life, ways of working to make use of their study expertise, and worries about career choices, in a relaxed atmosphere unlike usual events.
≪Japanese version≫