Professor: Department of Aerospace Engineering Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology (TMIT) Visiting Professor : Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

In Hibiya Lab., senior students and gladuate students do research divided into two or three groups. They study in the field of microgravity science. Prof. Hibiya came to TMIT from NEC Corporation four years ago. He has a great knowledge about magnetic materials. He has developed the way of silicon single crystal growth.
Because his fervor for education, I was able to learn from him a lot of things range from research skill to the way of life. In my graduation research, I was told that writing a report should be done in a "Problem-Solving-Style".
This means that first of all we should define the problems in status-quo and then define the objective. He showed us the example of it. That is, in Mars soil exploration, a problem is that the constituents of Mars soil were unknown. The task of it was taking analytical instrument like EDS to Mars and sending the result of anlysis to the Earth.
He also said that as long as you are invloved in a research activity, there must be orgininality, even if your researhc is small one. Then, you should assert your originality, so that you can show your identity and your own raison d'etre in the laboratory. I learned that these were the most fundamental and essential principles in doing research.
Of all his words, the one that has still strongly impressed on my mind is "You should invest in yourself to get through an age of major change."

Professor: Department of Space Bioloigy & Microgravity Sciences ISAS/JAXA

In Kuribayashi Lab., senior students and gladuate students do research in the field of microgravity science. I undertaked the joint study with his laboratory in my senior year which was forcus of my graduate research.
Personally, I think he has not only deep and wide understanding in the field of space science, but also he has a sense of humor. His humor contirbuted positively around his students and we studied in good atmosphere. In addition, his instruction was short and to the point because he knew well about the part his students found it hard to understand.
Like other professor I have respect for as a scientist, he also has a strong curiosity about science. When I reported discoveries in my research project, he was delighted at it and gave me some advices in proceeding the project such as how the discovery would apply to industry and what another discovery would prove the evidence of new theory , and these counseling always made me feel exhilarating.
Of all his words, the one that has still strongly impressed on my mind is "Signigicant breakthrough in particular field is never happened without breakthrough of principle in that field."

Research Associate: Department of Space Bioloigy & Microgravity Sciences ISAS/JAXA

He is a member of Kuribayashi Lab. His research interest are A) Rapid solidification and B) Crystal growth.
In my graduate research, He instructed me ranging from how to use facilities to how to carry my investigation forward. His instruction was always associated with the detail fundamental principles. For example, how the each step on computer relates to the action in machine body of X-ray Diffractometer, how the three plates which have slits of different width work in XRD, what the principle of quantitative elemental analysis with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer and why Si and InGaAs are used for two color pyrometer.
He has great enthusiasm for his study and also have energy to accomplish his work. He said his vocation was also his avocation, in other words, doing resarch in the field of material science was his favorite pursuit. His enthusiasm is one of the significant factors that make up my mind to pursue my profession in the field of astronomy, because I have burning enthusiasm for astronomy in the same way he has for material science.
He is always quick at work as the old saying goes "make hay while the sun shines." I often had meetings with him including prof. Hibiya and prof. Kuribayashi about my research project. One day, in the meeting, they said I should experiment specimen under the another atmosphere. As soon as the meeting ended, Dr. Kosuke instruct me how to change the atmosphere with Aero Acoustic Levitator. I conduct experiments and report those results the same day the meeting was held. Another day, in the meeting, they said "How about analyzing the thermal property of specimen with image furnace?" After the meetings, because image furnace was not in working, he and I made image furnace in running order installing more cooling water pipes for it. Of all his words, the three words that has still strongly impressed on my mind is "Let's kick it!"