The joy of finding my specialty of interest through diverse learning

“While firmly learning the fundamentals of science and engineering, I want to pursue materials science in the future”, says Mizuki Silva Hatta, a first-year student in the Green Science Program offered by Department of Material and Life Science originally from Gifu in western Japan. She shares the background of her decision to serve as a leader in the international dormitory during her first year and talks about her future dreams.
Building a broad and interdisciplinary knowledge to pursue a career in science
Motivated to study technology and science in English, I aimed to enroll at Sophia University. While there were many other universities with science and engineering faculties, it seemed that a majority of them required students to focus on a specific major from their first year. In comparison, Sophia’s Faculty of Science and Technology offers a curriculum that allows students to explore various fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, and information technology from the basics before deciding on their specialization. As someone who wanted to solidly learn the fundamentals of science and technology before choosing a major, this curriculum was very appealing, and it influenced my decision to choose Sophia University.
I spent my high school years in Sri Lanka, so my family’s support was crucial when choosing a university. Unable to visit universities in person, I am extremely grateful to my family for helping me gather all the information. I was born and raised in Gifu in western Japan and graduated from a high school in Sri Lanka, and Tokyo was a completely new experience for me. When I started living here, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the towering buildings and the bustling crowds. More recently, I’ve finally started to get used to living in this city, but Tokyo really feels like a place where you can find everything. The convenience of being just a train ride from Yotsuya campus to major terminals and tourist spots is truly an advantage of being a student at Sophia.
Gaining leadership experience as a gateway into becoming a team-leading scientist

At the Sophia University Soshigaya International House (SSIH), where I live, brings together students d who speak different languages from all over the world. With my experience studying abroad and a strong passion for languages, the environment of this dormitory can be described as ideal for me. However, before moving in, I was still worried about whether I would fit in, especially with the language barrier. I also felt nervous about adjusting to life in unfamiliar Tokyo. What made my transition to dorm life seamless was the warm welcome I received from the residents. In the SSIH, it is expected that there will be differences in language and culture. The effort to understand what the other person was really trying to say was ingrained in the culture of SSIH, which ultimately made the dormitory a second home for me.
I serve as a Living Group Leader, known as an LGL, at SSIH. As an LGL, my role is to enrich dormitory life. I make sure to communicate with residents and organize events to strengthen our bonds. Although the title “leader” seemed intimidating at first, I saw it as a valuable opportunity to learn and practice leadership. I aspire to pursue a research career in the future, and I know that scientists are often involved in collaborative projects with different organizations and individuals. I believe that being a member of the LGL is an excellent opportunity for me to gain experience in the management of projects.
Sharing my own opinions with others takes courage, but through my role as an LGL, I’ve gained more opportunities to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, boosting my confidence. Thanks to my LGL experience, expressing myself in class discussions has become easier, and I’ve become adept at leading more vibrant debates. Living in the international dormitory taught me that expressing opinions is not about negating others’ views but rather about embracing and understanding diverse perspectives.
Discovering my path as a scientist through dormitory life
All university classes are interesting, but one that stood out to me in particular was the Critical Thinking class. The class involved reading articles that were assigned each week and engaging in discussions. One day, our class discussed an article with the theme of international students. This served as a reminder that despite being categorized as ‘international students,’ each person had unique backgrounds and reasons for coming to Japan. Through in-depth discussions, I had the opportunity to explore the thoughts of people with different experiences and perspectives, expanding my own horizon.
As a student of the Faculty of Science and Technology, I actively participate in events related to my field of study. Recently, I attended a event organized by SSIH residents on the topic of balancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and office environment improvement. Until then, I had struggled to make a connection between everyday life and the field of science and technology. However, this event truly helped me grasp the concept I had learned in class: solving environmental problems efficiently by constructing buildings that mimic the structure of living organisms. It was a memorable event for me as it served as a catalyst for taking my understanding of the relationship between society and research to another level.
Since high school, I’ve vaguely wanted to invent something and contribute to society, but my interest has evolved into the field of materials science, particular in organic chemistry and nanotechnology. As a first-year student, my focus on undergraduate studies, and I have yet decided on what research lab I join. However, I intend to dedicate myself to studies to identify the specific field I want to pursue. In the second year and beyond, the course content becomes more specialized and I’m really excited to see what I can learn. In the future, I aspire to become a materials scientist and I will work hard to pursue a career in research.
*Please note that the content of this article is current as of July 2023.