The new academic year has finally begun… It’s starting. Since I am no longer responsible for the Faculty of Arts and Science this year, it’s quite refreshing to face a new academic year without any educational duties. However, there is still a lot to be done, including research groups and activities aimed at creating a digital society, so I need to consider many things. This is quite a challenge, albeit in a different way from teaching. But since there are also enjoyable aspects, I want to broaden my channels and explore various areas that pique my interest. For this reason, I have taken over as the head of the Division of Digital Society Research from this year onward. I will do my best to fulfill this role.

In our lab, Ms. Hirata has graduated, but we’ve welcomed a new student and a research student. One of them, who joined through the adult entrance examination, is Mr. Kohei Ozaki, a high school teacher. We’ve already had various discussions, and from now on, we’ll be delving into the details of his research. We’re aiming to develop a solid research plan by the JSET National Convention in September, and it would be great if we could present some concrete data analysis at that time.

The other new member is Mr. Hongyi Chu, an international student from China. He obtained his master’s degree at another graduate school in Japan and has now joined us as a research student for one year, aiming to enter the doctoral program. Mr. Chu’s research will likely focus on data science, involving intensive data analysis and application development. Entering the doctoral program will be quite challenging, as he will need to overcome many rigorous hurdles. I hope he becomes mentally resilient, develops strong skills, and successfully gains admission to the doctoral program.

Additionally, Mr. Higuchi, a first-year master’s student who had been working as an ICT support staff member at an elementary school, is returning! I’m excited about this. During his undergraduate years, he conducted research related to education, but he wanted to gain more on-the-ground experience, so he spent a year working at an elementary school as an ICT support staff member before coming back. I’m looking forward to having various research meetings with him and seeing his research results being presented.

With that said, Yamada Lab will continue its research with new members on board.

We look forward to another productive year. Thank you for your continued support.