Messages from Alumni
Graduate School of International Cultural Studies
It was six years ago that I came to Sendai as an undergraduate research student and encountered the world of "Modern Japanese Buddhism." During these six years as a researcher, I experienced firsthand Tohoku University's tradition of "research first" and its "open-door" policy.
Born in China, a "non-religious country," I studied Japanese language and literature as an undergraduate. I entered Tohoku University, which has a long tradition of research on Japanese religion, with the simple motivation of wanting to learn more about "religion," which at the time felt distant from me. As a member of the Modern Japan Seminar in the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, I received intensive guidance from my advisor, Orion Klautau, as well as other professors in the seminar. I learned not only about various issues related to "religion" but also about the very possibility of focusing on "words." Looking back, my time at the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies was not only filled with the tension and satisfaction that research brings, but it was also a valuable period in which my seminar colleagues and I shared our worries and encouraged each other.
Entering the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies also allowed me to develop cross-disciplinary abilities and an international perspective. Every year, I had the opportunity to participate in international symposiums and workshops. I also spent about a year at the University of Heidelberg, interacting with overseas researchers such as Professor Hans Martin Krämer. Thanks to this experience, I received both the Tohoku University Professor Fujino Incentive Award and the Tohoku University President's Award while I was a student.
In the future, I aim to play an active role as a researcher who can discuss and disseminate the results of my work globally. I also aspire to become an educator who respects the individuality of students and makes significant contributions to the field as a whole. Currently, I belong to the World History Department of Shanghai Normal University in China, where I am involved in planning the activities of the newly established Center for the Study of Asian Civilizations. I am determined to take on new challenges with excitement, utilizing the skills I developed at the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies.
During my undergraduate years, I decided to pursue graduate studies in international relations. Driven by a desire to delve deeper into the field, I worked and saved money to attend graduate school. I entered Tohoku University with great enthusiasm, eager to learn about what I loved. However, I struggled with my lack of knowledge and the difference between undergraduate study and graduate-level research. My lack of experience in writing papers as an undergraduate became a significant obstacle, and I often wondered if I would ever be able to succeed. Despite feeling like giving up at times, I persisted in my research. The two years of my Master's program felt like an eternity, but they were two years of relentless effort.
Looking back, the irreplaceable friends I made and the confidence I gained by challenging my own limitations have become lifelong treasures. After graduation, I secured my dream job in an international cooperation and am now working in Bangladesh on a study abroad program for Japanese students. I realize now that the title of Tohoku University graduate was not the only thing I gained; the experiences and growth I underwent were crucial in allowing me to fulfill my dream and work in the world of international cooperation.
At Tohoku University, an institution known for its excellence, I completed my research project and wrote a thesis under the strict guidance and sometimes watchful eye of my academic advisors. I was stimulated daily by my seniors, juniors, and fellow students. Through this experience, I grew significantly as a person. Without this growth, my life would have been completely different.
For those interested in entering graduate school, Tohoku University offers an optimal environment for research and education. More than that, it is a place where you can expand your world view. I hope you will conduct life-changing research in an international environment under the guidance of top-notch researchers.
IGPLS
As an alumnus of the International Graduate Program for Language Sciences (IGPLS) at Tohoku University, I am thrilled to share my experiences and reflect on the valuable opportunities I encountered during my time in the program. The program brought together faculty members from diverse backgrounds, including linguistics, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience.
One aspect of IGPLS that I particularly enjoyed was its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research in language sciences.
From 2015 to 2022, I had the privilege of working on cutting-edge research projects, focusing on topics such as language acquisition, bilingualism, and the neural mechanisms underlying speech processing and production. During these years, I completed both my Master's and Doctoral degrees, focusing on investigating the cognitive mechanisms of socio-pragmatic expressions using a combination of behavioral and fMRI techniques. Building upon the foundation laid during my time at IGPLS, currently, I am working as a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University. Here, I continue to delve into the intricate workings of language and cognitive neuroscience.
In general, IGPLS provided me with an exceptional education and a supportive community that propelled my career in language sciences. The program's commitment to interdisciplinary research, combined with hands-on experience and guidance from renowned faculty members, allowed me to develop valuable skills and make meaningful contributions to the field. I am proud to be an alumnus of IGPLS and remain grateful for the impactful experiences and invaluable knowledge it has provided me.
I am from Costa Rica but currently living in the brisk city of Sendai, located in the northern part of Japan, where I am enrolled in Tohoku University's IGPLS program, an English-conducted Master's course that focuses on the study and research of language (linguistics).
As a 1st year Master's student in my second semester, I have had the opportunity to take on a good variety of courses all taught in English ranging from theoretic subjects, such as generative syntax, history of the Japanese language, lexical semantics, contrastive linguistics, cognitive linguistics and pragmatics, to more applied subjects, such as psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics and second language acquisition.
Thanks to this combination of theoretical and applied subjects, I was able to gain the background necessary to start my research, which attempts to apply pragmatic language issues to second language acquisition for the purpose of looking for solutions in language teaching (basically, the acquisition of pragmatic competence in a second language). For my experience up until now, I believe that the flexibility this program offers can accommodate a large variety of research topics and provide support for future researchers in their chosen areas.
Finally, I also want to mention the strong Japanese language program that Tohoku University offers to its foreign students. The program offers a large variety of courses from the beginner level all the way up to the advanced level, including preparation for the JLPT N2 and N1 and further. Combining these classes with the IGPLS courses has been a fully rewarding student experience for me, and on top of that, sharing my experiences with classmates from all around the world from diverse research backgrounds has been the best university life that I could ask for. I hope that you will consider joining our program too!