Week Ten- The Final Week!
Sayonara, Japan! – Week 10 (Final Week)
My time in Japan has finally come to an end, and I’m quite sad to leave my new Japanese friends and colleagues. Thankfully, I will keep in contact with Imamura-sensei and his research group while we continue our investigation into the molecular dynamics of primate spermatogenesis. Perhaps in the future I can make it back over the Pacific and visit my Japanese friends again! There’s still a lot of Japan left to see, as well – I didn’t even get to 2 of the 4 main islands, Hokkaido and Shikoku. This is all the more reason to go back to Japan. Regarding my last week, I completed my final research report for JSPS, said farewell to everyone at the PRI, then headed to Tokyo for the EAPSI Closing Ceremony. Much thanks to JSPS and the faculty at SOKENDAI for hosting a wonderful closing ceremony which allowed the EAPSI researchers to come together, talk about our progress, and enjoy a final night in Japan.
There was no better way to send me off from the PRI than a buffet dinner with my friends and colleagues in the Molecular Biology section! We ate a ton, talked a lot, and enjoyed my final stay at the PRI. I will miss these fellow scientists dearly – it’s not often that you get the chance to spend a couple months making international friends who are passionate about the same things as you! Also, much thanks to Imamura-sensei for joining us graduate students on many occasions throughout the summer!
Most of the graduate students, plus Imamura-sensei, from the Molecular Biology section. Left to right: Yan, Kawamoto, Ito, Imamura-sensei, Kitajima, me, Nishiyama, Nishi, Itoigawa, and Kuroki. I’ll miss you guys!
After departing from Inuyama and the PRI, I took a bullet train to Tokyo where the EAPSI closing ceremony was held at the Hotel Grand Palace. JSPS, with SOKENDAI, provided a great opportunity to hear about some EAPSI research from various fellows, acknowledge each researcher for their work this summer, and enjoy a farewell dinner where the EAPSI international cohort could enjoy everyone’s company. Not only did I forge great relationships with my Japanese colleagues, I also created many friendships with other EAPSI fellows. Thankfully, there’s an EAPSI alumni group that I will join which will let us easily stay in contact in the future. Again, much thanks to JSPS, NSF, and the PRI for making this EAPSI opportunity possible; it was a truly memorable 10 weeks in the Land of the Rising Sun. Alas, for one last time, thanks for reading and matane!
This research is funded by the National Science Foundation East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) in collaboration with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
