Active roles in society

System design that plays active roles in society.

• Kidani Shinya
  DMG Mori Seiki/Class of 2009

  Machine tools that I am involved in are also called “Mother Machines”, which is extremely important in supporting a foundation of industries. In this modern society, it is almost impossible to list things that are not related to machine tools, so the performance being expected for machine tools are extremely high. In order to design machines with such high performance, a wide range of knowledge such as electricity, chemistry and thermal fluid is required for a machine designer. It is not uncommon that my job requires to have knowledge out of my expertise. You will find that your special field is rather only a very small part of the society. That’s okay. In System Design Engineering Department, there are faculties and students who do cutting-edge research in various fields, and the department naturally allows students to gain knowledge in various areas. I feel that those small “opportunities” will be a power to explore new areas.

• Sato Hiroshi
  Shimizu Corporation/Class of 2008

  Currently, I work for a department of which the expertise is condominiums, being responsible for structural designs. In recent years, condominiums tend to be built higher and adopt technologies such as seismic isolation and vibration control. What are required for structural designers is not only the knowledge of dynamics but also a wide range of abilities such as vibration control using latest devices and enormous amount of data processing. Also, in addition to “computing”, to “design” for securing high habitability, a wide-ranging problems need to be resolved by taking various approaches. System Design Engineering allows to study, in addition to the architectural field, cross-fields such as control theory, information processing, and fluid dynamics. I feel that this experience is very much utilized to my design work.

• Tsuchimoto, Koji
  Taisei Corporation/Class of 2001

  Currently, I design buildings as a structural designer. When you hear structure, you might have an image that it is uptight, but it actually requires imagination and flexible ways of thinking because buildings’ framework are decided based on discussions with designers who offer various perspectives, not to mention that the buildings are safe against earthquakes and winds. System Design Engineering Department has an ideology to cultivate students to have such free imagination. The Department tries to create new engineers who have various knowledge rather than masters in 1 expertise. I believe that these new engineers are the ones to lead the future of new technology. I make efforts every day, thinking that my knowledge I gained during the past 4 years in the System Design Engineering Department will flourish in the field of structural design in the building industry.

• Hioka, Yusuke
  NTT→Canterbury University/Class of 1999

  Since I entered the college, I have been interested in communication and media processing, but I chose the System Design Engineering Department because I could select my field of study after gaining basic knowledge in a wide range of the engineering field. Through learning about the basics of technology such as machines, electronics and control, I grew my interest in signal processing that can be widely applied, so after I was assigned to the Laboratory, I was involved in a research of acoustic signal processing and took Ph. D. course. After completing graduate school, I worked for NTT Research Institute for about 8 years and involved in a research on signal processing algorithm for audio conference device and product development. Currently, I have a teaching job at a university in New Zealand. While working for NTT, I was involved in designing circuits and components that were developed. At my present job, I am responsible for classes for mechatronics and product design. While having signal processing as my expertise, the wide range of knowledge that I have learned in the System Design Engineering are useful to my every day job in various ways.

• Ebisui, Akira
  Sony Corporation/Class of 2006

  When creating new things, it is essential to have curiosities to challenge yourself to anything and expertise in a wide range of field. The System Design Engineering Department offers an environment where students voluntarily learn about machinery, electricity and information as well as learn from faculties who are experts in their field. Based on the basics of optics, electromagnetism and thermophysical property that I learned after being assigned to the laboratory, I developed a totally new optics MEMS sensor that had never existed before. Since I started from zero, there were various challenges, but by tackling the challenges one by one, I learned how to move forward in the study and a problem-solving process. After joining a company, I started being involved in developing a new device, and I feel that my expertise and problem-solving ability that I gained in college directly relate to the development of the new device.

• Yamamura, Naoko
  Olympus Corporation/Class of 2005

  In college, I was involved in a study that was aiming to “make blood vessels”, spending days and nights taking care of cells. Currently, I am involved in developing a device that is used for regenerative medicine. When making a medical device of which characteristics are combination of Biology and Engineering, the perspective of the SD Department that everything we handle is a “system” and treats it comprehensively are my basis. During production development, I face various challenges that do not belong in 1 particular special field. The challenges are like classes offered in the Department (I have a little regret that, “I should have dedicated myself on those classes”), so I do not have any negative feelings when dealing with challenges that are out of my expertise. I think the reason people around me say that my classmate from the SD Department and I are “well-balanced” is the experience I have gained in the Department.

• Fujimoto, Akiko
  Japan Airline International/Class of 2004

  Since high school years, I wanted to work in the aviation industry, so I was taking classes relating to aerospace in the System Design Engineering Department. While being in school, I presented my study that suggested a method was introduced to the aerospace field. As health monitoring that is to monitor the soundness of structures that are highly concerned, I presented my research that proposed a method to detect/discriminate loosening bolts. After graduation, I joined Japan Airlines and spent a year maintaining cabins in the operation department. Currently, I am involved in cabin maintenance, providing mainly engineering services for First Class Seat and Gallery (kitchen). In order to provide a comfortable environment to customers and improve convenience of the Gallery, I often visit the operation department to understand the actual condition and communicate with vendors and Boeing as necessary. My experience in cabin maintenance in the operation department is a food for my current job.

• Tani, Kota
  Canon Corporation/Class of 2004

  When I first enrolled in System Design Engineering, I was concerned about learning shallowly and widely. At the laboratory, such concern disappeared because I could focus on my specialty. After my graduation (it has not been long since my graduation), I feel glad to have chosen System Design Engineering. It is important to have a deep knowledge about a certain subject, but I feel that there are very few things that can be resolved by having a deep knowledge on a single subject. Things can be resolved by having many choices based on a wide variety of knowledge. Such ability can be obtained in the System Design Engineering Department. As you study hard, try to have 1 thing that you are really good at and, at the same time, have a skill that can be applied to a wide range of things. Good luck.

• Kawasaki, Syutaro
  Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
  Transport and Tourism/Class of 2004

  System Design Engineering is a study to train people in T shape. The definition of people in T shape means people who are specialists as well as generalists, possessing a deep knowledge for their specializations and a wide range of viewpoint. I have also learned that everything in this world can be perceived as a system. I have learned to have a thinking process of understanding a problem as a system and coming up with solutions to the problem. The two, this thinking process and T-shaped person, are extremely important skills in society. Currently, I work for Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, being involved in rebuilding the national roads. I would like to keep the two skills in mind and aim for a better society.

• Mizuochi, Mariko
  Hitachi Corporation/Class of 2003

  In college, I was involved in a study that was related to Control Theory as well as Robot Control in graduate school. Currently, I do research development for construction machineries applying robot technology for much safer and better operability. After joining a company, I felt the importance of ability to adopt things outside my expertise. Although my expertise was Control, I still needed knowledge of strength, circuit and thermal when I handle some systems. There are members of the faculty with various expertise in the System Design Engineering Department so that students can gain a wide variety of knowledge. Of course, it is difficult to be an expert in all fields, but once you learn, you do not feel negative about dealing with things when it they are necessary. There is a word, “Π-type humans”, and I feel that this department was a good place for me to make the foundation.

• Shiosawa, Aiko
  Chiyoda Corporation/Class of 2003

  In college, I researched on machining aluminum alloy in a Laboratory in Production Technology. Now, I work for a company that builds large plants (petroleum refinery and natural gas liquefaction base) in and outside the country, called Chiyoda Corporation. To be exact, I design systems to control machines that are necessary for reactions and chemical process that occurs within a plant. I chose my job that is in a different field from my research, but designing involves in various elements, so I think the wide range of knowledge (material, circuit, electromagnetism and thermo fluid) in addition to the knowledge of control is being helpful. Please enjoy the new world that expands by gaining various knowledge.

• Subo, Takayuki
  Imojima Kazuyo Associates/Class of 2003

  My job is to design buildings. Since building design is for things being used by people every day, I think about many things at the same time in order for those things to be used comfortably. Especially, when I try methods that nobody has used or things that have never been used, I step into the field that we do not know to think. When I think about things I do not know, I automatically assume that things that are not related to building is hard. On the other hand, I often learn that it was not the case once I actually try. When I was in college, I used to wonder what super-conductivity and controlling robot classes are for. Now, I think the fact that I needed to learn these classes is helping to eliminate my fear for unknown fields.

• Kazama, Hiroki
  Nikken/Class of 2002

  Currently, I work as a structural engineer, designing buildings for various purposes such as offices, schools, hotels and airport in all over Japan. Through the System Design Engineering Department, I was able to gain a wide variety of knowledge that a regular Architecture Department would not offer. Also, there was an environment that, in addition to learn a wide variety of knowledge, I was able to learn in depth and thoroughly about a special field of study that I wanted to learn. As a result, in the year of my graduation, I was able to get 1st class Kenchikushi license. At the Laboratory, I studied about vibration dumper arrangements for buildings. Currently, ideas and sufferings I had back then are helping greatly in designing actual buildings.

• Wada, Naoki
  Canon Corporation/Class of 2003

  I chose the System Design Engineering Department because the department allowed me to learn about basics in a wide variety of fields before deepening my knowledge in a particular field I have an interest in. The department offers many exercises and allowed me to learn voluntarily, and I felt that I could gain an ability to resolve problems based on technology. While working for a manufacture for 2 years after graduation, I feel that “things” in this present day tend to be more value-added, complicated and more like a “system” that consist of machines, electronics, and information. For this reason, it is extremely valuable that I learned about a wide variety of field systematically in a department like the System Design Engineering Department. In the future, I would like to apply what I have learned in the department to make “things” that make people happy and adapt to society/environment.

• Umezawa, Ayako
  Kokuyo/Class of 2003

  It was my third year in the System Design Engineering Department when the department started offering classes related to the architectural field. I still vividly remember that I was extremely happy this day because I liked architecture and was patiently awaiting for those classes to start. While I was in school, there are two important things I gained. The first one was my schoolmates whom I work together on first classes, challenges and job hunting through a continuous process of trial and error. The second one is a process that turns the feeling of “like” into a result, which I have learned through getting guidance from my teachers. While keeping the two in mind, currently, I’m involved in office interior design and consulting. On a daily basis, I pursue a space that is comfortable for every single person who uses it. Just like I did, in the System Design Engineering Department, learn the process of turning the feeling of “like” into a result and at the same time, find wonderful classmates who are irreplaceable and make them treasures of your life.

• Tsuji, Toshiaki
  Saitama University/Class of 2000

  While in school, I was involved in gathering research about robotics. The style of the laboratory is for students to search for their research theme, not to expect a theme to be given to them. In order for students to search for their original theme, they have a hard time, but for me, going through the searching process, I got to increase my ability in finding issues and find the research interesting. I guess the laboratory’s style fit me extremely well. In fact, I ended up studying up to the second semester in doctor’s degree, spending every day researching. Currently, I work as an assistant professor at the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, Engineering Division, Saitama University. The research on the robot that I began at the System Design Engineering Department has been my lifework.

• Yoshimoto, Renki
  Mitsubishi Research Institute/Class of 2000

  I do consulting and research/study on risk management of the overall society/risk management. Looking back at the second year since the System Design Engineering Department was established, the curriculum was extremely important for me to learn a wide variety of fields such as electronic/machinery/Thermo fluid/architecture/ environment as basics of science and engineering before deepening my intentionality. In the business world, of which issues are diversified/complicated, a subdivided expertise can do very little to handle issues, so it is desirable to have an ability to exchange ideas with various experts and process these ideas. For this reason, I would say that the System Design Engineering Department is an optimum field for those who want to perform research/do business for a better society in the future. I would like to have my perspectives that are not affected by others and a sense of value (common sense). I would also like to continue perusing customer-specific outputs (particular solutions) by utilizing my curiousity and a sense of mission to improve myself.

• Kido, Yoshihiko
  Kido Patent Office/Class of 1999

  A patent attorney whose main job is to apply for a patent right of an invention on behalf of his/her client is required to first understand the technology. Generally, expertise of patent attorneys are divided into 3 fields that are: “machines”, “electronics” and “chemistry”. Today’s technological invention does not necessary fall into any of the above mentioned fields, and it rather has technological elements that overlaps integrally over one another. For this reason, my experience that I could learn a wide range of fields laterally in the System Design Engineering Department is extremely useful in my work. When graduating from the department, I was doing research on thermal property measurement. Things I have learned such as that, “I find an issue, think about methods to resolve the issue and move forward with my research”, and “discuss with classmates in the laboratory and see things in multiple perspectives”, are valuable to patent attorneys and other various professions.

• Sudo, Ryo
  Biological Engineering Division,
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA/Class of 1999

  The action of designing systems is universal to all academics, so this department covers a wide area of academics. The upside is to be able to learn about many things whereas the downside is that knowledge gained tends to be wide and shallow. However, by deepening your own knowledge in a field that you are interested in, you can gain both a wide range of knowledge and expertise. At my current employer, MIT, my wide range of knowledge and expertise are both utilized. In fact, in the tissue engineering field, new results have been created in the border area of biology and engineering. This type of knowledge system will be more important in the future.

• Miyata, Junichi
  Toshiba Corporation/Class of 1999

  In System Design Engineering Department, I researched on wheelchair-type robot motion control. During my research, I built my original theory on a theme that I had found and validated the efficacy by using an experimental device. I think that the characteristics of the System Design Engineering Department is for students to pursue their original theories and pursue their researches freely without inclining to a certain field. Since graduation, I have been working for Toshiba Corporation and involving in designing a system for the vehicle monitoring system, being responsible for the new N700 series bullet trains. In system design, a wide range of knowledge and ability such as giving a presentation to clients, examining product specifications and the process management within the company are required. I feel that, at my job, I can utilize my experience at the System Design Engineering Department that allowed me to learn about various knowledge.