Ritsumeikan Keisho High School, Yuki Komatsu
Hello. I'm Yuki Komatsu, a second-generation student at UTokyoGSC
I participated in the "2022 IEEE International Conference on Smart Computing (SMARTCOMP)," an international conference held in Helsinki, Finland from June 20th to 24th, 2022. At UTokyoGSC, I have been working on research activities on the theme of measuring conversation volume using wearable devices during periods of self-isolation, and I presented the results to the world under the title "Toward Measuring Conversation Duration Using a Wristwatch-type Wearable Device ~Toward the Construction of a Conversation Time Measurement Method Using a Wristwatch-type Wearable Device~"
At Helsinki Central Library
On the first day of the conference, when I arrived at the venue, Aalto University, with my advisor, Professor Yuki Nishiyama, I was greeted by people of various nationalities and ages. I was the only high school student there, and there were many moments when I felt out of place. However, with my professor's encouragement, I actively spoke in English, asked questions, and approached anyone who was looking at my research poster. Gradually, I began to feel that my English was getting across. The other person also showed interest and asked questions about my research, which boosted my confidence, and as time went on, communication became smoother
Then came the day of my presentation. The event was held in a hybrid format, so there were researchers from all over the world, both in front of me and on the other side of the internet. I was surrounded by many researchers who are active on the world stage, and the only language I could hear was English. I was intimidated. However, I managed to finish my presentation as practiced, and then came the Q&A session. I had a problem where I couldn't understand what one of the three questions I was asked was, but thanks to Professor Nishiyama's help, I managed to get through it
Presentation
I was also worried about whether I would be able to understand presentations in English that were outside my own research field, but by reviewing the distributed materials beforehand and looking up specialized vocabulary in that field in advance, I was able to understand them well. After the presentations, I was able to ask the presenters questions about their research directly, which allowed me to hear more in-depth discussions and topics that connected to my own research field, further deepening my understanding
The conference included a campus tour of Aalto University. We were guided to a research lab on campus, and as we received an explanation of the research being conducted there, participants from the conference raised their opinions on the research, and an impromptu discussion began among researchers from different countries. Through this discussion, I felt that the essence of a researcher lay in their attitude of listening to and improving each other's opinions from different perspectives, and I admired their inquisitive spirit that keeps them asking questions no matter the situation
A pleasant time with Italian researchers
Attending an international conference in a foreign country, where people from all over the world gather, filled me with anxiety beforehand. However, once I participated, it turned out to be a valuable time where I gained many experiences and caught a glimpse of the perspectives of researchers from around the world
My research activities at UTokyoGSC have now concluded, but based on this experience, I would like to forge my own path after entering university and make it my goal to return to this international conference with even more experience and expertise. When that time comes, I hope to be able to engage in discussions with the participants
With Professor Nishiyama in front of the poster