From The United States of America
- Name
HIGHTMAN Alison Karinen - Country/ Region of Citizenship
The United States of America - Graduated from
Rice University - Department
Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience （Master’s）
Privately-financed student
How did you find out about Waseda University?
I have one friend who graduated from Waseda about 8 years ago and I have another friend who was doing a one year exchange at Waseda. I heard about the university from them and when I decided to go back to grad school, I looked into the university and what programs were offered.
Why did you choose Waseda University?
I had a job offer for an IT company here right after I graduated university, and I have always wanted to come, live and work in Asia. It was just one of those great opportunities to explore and work in Asia, and it was also interesting to learn telecommunications and IT work.
I decided after working there that my real passion was in renewable energy, and to pursue that, I wanted to go back and get a master’s. I really loved living in Tokyo and felt that if I want to work in Japan or in Asia in the future, going to a Japanese university would be a very good opportunity. As it would give me the chance to learn more about the different culture, way of thinking for problem solving, and also get to see what problems Japan faces with its energy demands.
My friends who went here told me that they enjoyed their time here, that there was a very strong school spirit, and Waseda was one of the really good schools in Tokyo. This made me interested to look in more detail about Waseda. I went through the Waseda website and read the different research backgrounds for the different professors and contacted the professor whose research seemed interesting. He emailed me a couple of the papers he published so that I could read through them more and I decided I was interested in his research and working with him.
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan?
When I first came here to work, I spoke no Japanese at all. That was kind of a concern coming here with absolutely no language ability. I lived in Shanghai, China for 2 and half years before, so I was used to living in a different culture and so the language barrier was a greater concern.
Have you had any difficulties when you started a new life here?
When I first came here to work meeting people of my own age was a bit difficult, but I got really lucky and made a great group of Japanese friends. However, after entering Waseda it was really nice because immediately I had a group of people from my lab to hang out and work with. I also joined 2 circles here and met a lot of people that way. It was difficult at the beginning but Tokyo is a great city to meet people. If you are little bit outgoing and try to meet people and try to speak Japanese, even if you are terrible at Japanese, you will make friends.
How is your life in Japan and Waseda?
I think it is a really good balance of social and academic life.It is really busy but I really like it. I joined 2 martial arts (Kendo and Aikido) circles, so I have about 4 practices a week. I have always wanted to study a martial art but I never really had the opportunity in the US, and I really enjoy it. It is a great language practice as well and also a great social network.It did take a little bit of getting used to because the style of classes is very different from American universities because classes meet once a week for an hour and half where in the US they meet 3 times a week for an hour each usually. It is a different style of lecture and arrangement of course schedule, so that was interesting to get used to. Also, grades here are based more on final exams, and there are not as many homework assignments. The system is slightly different, but after a few weeks you get used to it.I have a large group of Japanese friends from the area I used to live in. We met through a neighborhood pub. It is one of those Japanese Izakayas (Japanese pubs) where it is always the same people that go. We have Sakura-viewing parties, barbeques, and camping trips.
I think there is a really good foreign network in Japan as well, once you meet one foreigner, you meet a lot of others just through different outings and events.
I think that the standard of living here is close to that of the US, it is not too strange of a leap. The culture is still very different, but I think that the Japanese people are very welcoming, very polite, so if you try to respect them, they will respect you, and you can get along pretty well.
What do you do in your free time?
I mostly spend free time going to Kendo and Aikido practices. I also like to go jogging if I have time in the morning, and just exploring Tokyo with friends. I love Japanese food so it is always fun to find good restaurants and different social events with the circles such as dinner parties or going to the Waseda-Keio baseball game. Also depending on the season I enjoy going to Sakura viewing or different matsuris (festivals) that happen throughout Tokyo. One thing I find really interesting about Japan is that they have continued such a very old traditional custom into such a modern life style. It is very interesting to see them carry traditional Mikoshi (float) through a city filled with skyscrapers. I think it is really interesting to have that mix of tradition and modernity in one place.
How are the relationships with your supervisor and lab members?
I think they are good. My supervisor was very welcoming and understanding with language barriers and also starting the research. Most of the students in my lab started their research in their 4th year at Waseda, so they already knew how the lab worked and I entered with no prior knowledge of how the lab operates. So I think he has been very welcoming with that, and helping me decide what specifically I want to research and to narrow down my research topic.My lab mates have also been very welcoming as well. They had a little welcome dinner after I came here, so that was really fun. I have lunch together in lab with my different lab mates and we talk about our week.They also have been really helping teach me some of the background research for the lab that are in specific programs that we use for simulations.
Outline of the research
My research is focused on optimizing renewable energy systems, specifically photovoltaic (PV) systems. One of the greatest issues facing PV systems is stable and efficient integration with the existing power systems which transmit and distribute power. The variability of PV generation can cause voltage and frequency fluctuations which the current power system cannot handle in an optimal way, thus resulting in wasted electric power. There are several approaches to balance this generation and demand relationship such as weather forecasting and system operation optimization. For my research I am focusing on the system side and using computational modeling to analyze how the incorporation of storage devices in a system can limit the impacts of PV generation variability. My research aims to improve the flexibility in power systems so that they can more efficiently, economically handle increased use of PV sources.
What is your career goal after your degree completion?
Ideally, I would like to work here in Tokyo, but again it depends really on what career opportunities I get back in the US versus here in Tokyo. It also depends on how proficient my Japanese language is after the 2 years. Potentially, I might be interested in getting a PhD in the future, but right now most likely I would want to work in Japan after graduation.
Aside from having friends here and enjoying the city, I think there is an opportunity for renewable energy here. A lot of electronics manufacturing and design happens in Asia, in China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea. So having working experience in Japan would be really useful even if it is just working for a couple of more years in Japan and then moving back to the US.
Short message to the prospective students
While living abroad and moving half way across the world can be intimidating, it is one of the best decisions I have made. Aside from good academics and research, I believe you should also follow your passions and interests and have a good life balance. Living in a foreign country is an eye opening experience that exposes you to many new thoughts, people, and cultures. While it can sometimes be challenging, it is a very enriching experience that more people should experience. I think that if you have an open mind and a positive, adventurous spirit you will be fine in adjusting to life here. I have met so many wonderful people and have had a great experience thus far. One recommendation, study Japanese before you come if you can because it opens many more doors and helps you connect with more people. Though even if you don’t speak any Japanese if you put in some effort and study while you are here, you will work up to conversational level, just keep trying. Also, keep an open mind and positive outlook for new experiences. The culture is different but one that is very interesting and if you can have that positive outlook you can really appreciate all that Japan has to offer. Waseda is a very welcoming community, just try new things and put yourself out there and you will be amazed with all the connections you can make.
