From Alumni

Voice From Alumni

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Ms. Subramanian Parimalam Sangamithirai

Degree

2nd year of doctoral course, Dept. of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University

Message

Please give a short introduction of yourself.

I am Sangamithirai Subramanian from India. I did my masters in Bio-pharmaceutical technology from Anna University, Chennai, after which I worked in two biotechnology companies for 4 years as a process development researcher for purification of therapeutic proteins. I then decided to do PhD to broaden my horizon and also to have a global perspective of research. I am now a doctoral (D1) student in the micro-engineering department of Kyoto University.

What is your favorite thing about Kyoto?

My favorite thing about Kyoto is its beautiful blend of old and new. The shrines and temples sing about the old cultural richness of the city and the technological developments show us the modern side of the city. Kyoto also has a well preserved natural environment which is only a bi-cycle ride away in many places. Last but not the least the always smiling, polite and friendly people.

In what way has your impression of Kyoto or Japan changed since coming here?

The image we have of Japan before coming here is about its technological advancements. I have only heard that Japan is a safe country, but after coming here and when I experienced it firsthand I was very impressed. Japan is indeed a very safe country.

What attracted you to choose Kyoto University as a place to study?

Kyoto University has excellent infra-structure for advanced research. There are many professors who are pioneers in their fields. Several cutting edge technologies have been developed in Kyoto University. All this attracted me to choose Kyoto University. This is the best place for people who want to excel in research, science and technology.

In what way did you adjust yourself to Japanese culture?

Japan and India have many cultural similarities which may not seem so apparent on the surface but deep within they are very similar. In that aspect it is easy to understand Japanese culture. Indian and Japanese food are very different and I had to adjust to that, but now I have developed taste for Japanese food and started enjoying it. Since the research studies are completely in English, Japanese language is not required inside the campus, but it will be helpful for daily life outside. So I had learnt some Japanese to communicate with people.

Please give a message to students or researchers in your home country who may be thinking about studying in Japan?

For people who are passionate about research Japan is really the place. So if you get an opportunity to study in Japan do consider it. If you are thinking about where and how to start then first choose your field of interest, look into the lab websites, do a little bit of search about the kind of research that is going on in those labs (reading published journals will give you a better understanding of the research trend in the labs), check for the availability of scholarships in the lab websites and contact the professors. The Japanese government also offers MEXT scholarship for Indian students every year for various studies, for more details please check the embassy of Japan in India website. It will not only be studies and research there are so many wonderful things that you can experience in Japan. I will leave that to you for exploring!
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