From the U.S.A. to Waseda via the U.K.

GITS PhD course 2nd year student Mr. Timothy Bolt

Together with colleague and professors in his laboratory(top row, left to right, Mr. Hario, Mr. Sakamoto, Mr. Bolt, Mr. Tanaka, bottom row, left to right, Associate Professor Kodate, Prof. Kano)

Meeting Professor in Edinburgh made me decide to come to Waseda.

Tim is British, but was born in New Jersey, United States. After graduating from the American University in Washington D.C., he enrolled in the Glasgow University in Scotland to purse the experience to live and study in his motherland. After receiving a Master's Degree, he worked for University of Edinburgh, including at the JETS (Japanese-European Technology Studies) Institute as a researcher. At that time, he met Prof. Sadahiko Kano who was a Visiting Professor at JETS and is now his PhD supervisor. "As my boss at the JETS Institute was working with him on cooperative research, I was influenced by him and became further interested in issues of mobile phone network industry structure and data applications.”

Based on this, he decided to continue his research at Waseda. He came to Japan in 2002 as a visiting researcher at GITI (Global Information and Telecommunication Institute). During the first 2 years as a visiting researcher, he joined an international collaboration research project organized by Prof Kano on the "Socio-economic analysis of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) for the Health & Welfare Sectors". He began writing a doctoral dissertation on this theme and enrolled as a PhD student of GITS (Graduate School of Global Information and Telecommunication Studies) in April, 2004. "Fortunately I have been honoured to be a research fellow of JSPS (Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science) from this year. I am very satisfied with the environment in which I can continue my research under such a support and greatly appreciate it.”

It is important to switch your mind when you are on and when you are off.

There are a variety of colleague in his laboratory and it is good to be able to do cooperative research. "Cooperative research is great practice for me because I am sure that I can improve much more than doing research alone.” Though he works in the laboratory every weekday, treating his research like a job, he tries to keep a balance by doing physical exercises for refreshment like going to his laboratory by bicycle, training at the University sports centre after work, going hiking in the mountains of Chichibu (his favourite place) on weekends. "It is very useful for my research that Waseda University is located in the centre of Tokyo, the centre of economic and cultural activities. However, I sometimes need more green and quietness, as I was used to enjoying in Edinburgh. Then I leave the city and try to keep my balance of my body and mind."

Regarding Japanese language, which he started after coming to Japan, he said, "I am studying regularly at Japanese Language course offered by Bunkyo Ward in the evening, but am improving only slowly because I can communicate in English at my laboratory. However, I do get to practice Japanese a little with colleagues in the lab and Japanese students whom I meet at the University training centre."

What is important is not the country, but being able to continue this research.

From his experience living and studying in three different countries, he said that he was trying to be flexible in mind and enjoys such changes positively. "I think that other international students should take the opportunity to make Japanese friends and not to surround themselves with other foreign students."

His goal at this moment is "Receiving Doctoral Degree". Regarding his life plan after receiving it, he said, "I will try to find a suitable and comfortable environment and position in which I can continue my research on Information Networks. I don't care where (in which country) I am working. My concern is continuing work in this field of research. Both globally and locally, communications and network technologies are important tools and I hope to find good ways to apply them in the health and welfare field."