What is your current job and what do you like about it?

Senior Researcher in Japanese National Institute. That’s very comfortable. I really like this job.  I get to study cool things like the pollen drone we created to help pollinate plants.  You can read about it here.  It is a combination of nanometer-scale science and engineering and drones which are pretty awesome.

What is a typical day like for you?

My days usually involve discussions with colleagues the experimental results of the day, reading and writing papers, and doing paperwork that is required for me to do my research.

When you were a kid what did you want to be and if it wasn’t a scientist, what was it and why did you change your mind?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a creative movie director like Steven Spielberg or a novelist in addition to a scientist. Indeed, I really like to surprise people by imagination and creation. But, I needed to decide on the course for my career to pursue after graduation when I was a senior high student. Finally, I chose the course to be a scientist because I simply thought it was very cool. Probably, I was really influenced by Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future. Anyhow, I currently feel science job is very creative work and it seems like doing both of jobs as a movie director and writer.

What did you do to get your current job, what kind of education did you need?

I’ve got my current job by passing through very tough interviews. I absolutely needed a PhD in chemical and biochemical engineering to be a researcher.

Tell us something fun about yourself? and it doesn’t have to be about science?

I love jogging. I decide to run “6 km” everyday. I’m sure it makes me feel better and healthy. It’s just a hobby. I don’t have any plan to to participate in competitions.