From Hong Kong
- Name
MAN Ping Kwan - Country/ Region of Citizenship
Hong Kong - Graduated from
The University of Hong Kong - Department
Department of Pure and Applied Physics （Master’s）
How did you find out about Waseda University?
I used internet. I searched my research topic on the internet and I found a supervisor in Waseda who does researches on the field I am interested in.
Why did you choose Waseda University?
Though my research topic is very rare, I found that I could work on my research in this University. My supervisor has strong research background and network both inside and outside of Japan.
How did you get information for our program?
I read the website and I also asked many questions to admissions office.
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan?
Before coming to Japan I didn’t have great concerns but I had a small concern whether I can enter Japanese culture and society. My parents also had a little concern about the radiation from Fukushima but I did not worry about it too much because people are living here and everything is fine. I think it doesn’t matter.
Have you had any difficulties when you started a new life here?
Yes. I experienced culture shock because in Hong Kong, everything is so quick and fast but not in here. For example, I had to wait for 2 weeks to open my bank account here but it would probably take only 3 days in Hong Kong. I was also surprised to know that in Japan you have to pay extra ATM fees for after-hour withdrawal.
How is your life in Japan and Waseda?
This semester I did not have to take favorable courses so I just used my time to do my own study rather than taking lectures. I usually stay in our lab to do my research everyday until late at night.
What do you do in your free time?
Studying and sightseeing. The other day I went to Ebina in Kanagawa prefecture to see an exhibition of Odakyu trains. I also went to Iruma Base to see an exhibition of self-defense force. I usually get information on those activities and events from electric banner at railway stations because you can always get useful information there.
How are the relationships with your supervisor and lab members?
I think the relationship with my supervisor is good. When I have problems on research, I talk to him and he is very patient to answer my questions and he always directs me to suitable reference resources so that I can get to the necessary research background quickly. I think he is a good supervisor for me. My lab is combined with 2 groups. There are only 2 international students in my lab. I am the only international student in my group. I usually chat in Japanese with my lab members but I use English for my research. One of my SENPAI (senior) lab members, who is a Japanese, said to me “Please use English for research presentations because it is a good practice for the lab members, too”. That is true. At international conferences we use English. I can follow research discussions only a little bit in Japanese because terminology is too difficult to translate.
Outline of the research
My research focuses on AdS/CFT Correspondence in theoretical particle physics and gravity. So far, the complete understanding of gravity has only been based on Einstein General relativity. Many researchers think that string theory and superstring theory are the prime candidates for describing properties of quantum gravity. Another approach is solving the effects of microscopic states of a black hole by statistical mechanics. AdS/CFT correspondence, which states that the black hole entropy suggests that a black hole can be described by the usual statistical system whose spatial dimension is one dimension lower that gravitational theory. AdS/CFT claims that this statistical system is a gauge theory, which is called holographic principle. So now, I am going to study the partition functions of AdS and that in gauge theory of CFT.
What is your career goal after your degree completion?
If I have a chance I want to stay here for PhD and want to follow the same supervisor. It is difficult to find a right research topic and right person to follow.
Short message to the prospective students
in English
Always follow your dreams even if they appear hard to achieve. by Friedmann
in Cantonese
學海無涯勤是岸，雲程有路志為梯。
