WIAS and ZUKO (Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz, Germany), our partner institute, have started a bilateral exchange program to foster research collaboration. Here is the first report from Assistant Professor HUNG Shao-Min, the second WIAS researcher to utilize the program and visit ZUKO. In this article, he presents his motivation for this program, research activities and daily experiences there so far.
<< To see the articles AY 2023*, please click here.
*by Dr. ROMMESWINKEL Hendrik, now a WIAS former researcher
ZUKO and WIAS Network Research Visits program report AY2024: vol. 1 (Assistant Professor HUNG Shao-Min)
Motivation
I have heard good things about Konstanz from Hendrick. When I searched if there would be a host for me, I found that a faculty member in the Psychology Department at the University of Konstanz, Daniela Mier, used to work in the same lab at Caltech where I completed my postdoctoral training. Our times never overlapped, but this gave me a chance to reach out to her and discuss collaborations. We ended up coming up with a project that synergizes both of our expertise.
The Zukunftskolleg building: look at the words on the window!
Daily Life
My stay here has been more than wonderful. Because of prior communications, when I arrived, the prototypes of the experiments were already ready. I spent the first 2 weeks with my host lab to finalize the details. I am also scheduled to give a talk at the weekly Jour Fixe at Zukunftskolleg at the end of October. Since my arrival, the administrative help from Zukunftskolleg has been perfect, and I am really grateful for everything.
Meanwhile, my research at Waseda continues, and I have regular virtual meetings with other researchers and my students. Lastly, Konstanz has a Taiwanese Student Association (“Taiwanische Studierende in Konstanz”), and they have been tremendously helpful as well. A PhD student in Law drove me from Zurich airport to the guesthouse upon my arrival. Later I found out that the key was not functional and contacted the emergency at the University of Konstanz. This student returned and again drove me to the school to receive a spare key. This was just one of the many things I was generously helped, and I truly thank them for making Konstanz feel like home.
Fall in Konstanz is a foggy season, look at the fog!
Future Plan
My research has become part of a larger collaboration upon discussions with my host lab. We now aim to recruit at least 200 people for a series of seven experiments. So instead of running the experiments myself, my time here is mainly devoted to training the students to execute and understand the experiments. Thus, the data collection and our collaboration will continue even after I return to Waseda.
-
- This is what I see from the balcony of my guesthouse. What a view!
-
- By the river/lake, this is a perfect running trail.
>>Next article: ZUKO and WIAS Network Research Visits program report AY 2024, vol. 2 (Assistant Professor HUNG Shao-Min)
