【長期研修：2023.12.4-2024.5.31】アメリカ，アーバナ：栗 冰冰さん
From December 4, 2023, to May 31, 2024, I participated in a 180-day overseas exchange in Professor Andrew A. Gewirth’s group in the School of Chemical Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in the United States (Fig. 1). I benefited greatly from this experience, both in terms of academic research and in shaping my worldview. UIUC is located in the central United States and is ranked 64th in the QS World University Rankings. Professor Andrew A. Gewirth is an expert in interfaces, CO2 conversion, batteries, and especially electrocatalysis. My research here focused on designing high-durability electrocatalysts for the ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR).
Fig. 1 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
At first, it was a bit challenging for me because this was a new field, different from my master’s and doctoral research. Fortunately, Professor Andy, an enthusiastic and kind advisor, lightened our days with many funny jokes (Fig. 2). My colleagues, who came from multiple countries, were quite friendly. Qi from China helped me understand many jokes and slangs that required a specific understanding of American culture; she also greatly assisted me in operating experimental equipment and improving our research plans. Akhil from India, who is very smart and funny, shares similar research topics with me and provided extensive guidance in data analysis. Heryn from South Korea, a kind and intelligent woman, actively organized many laboratory activities, including a trip to neighboring Indiana to view the total solar eclipse in early April (Fig. 3). Other colleagues, like the locals Alexis, Gavin, and Lauren, often recommended unique dishes and proposed novel games during activities, which deepened my understanding of local culture. I am also grateful to Rick and Mohammad from the Materials Research Laboratory. As I was not trained to operate equipment that uses X-rays, such as XRD and XPS, they were willing to help me measure many samples. When they learned that I was about to leave the United States but still had samples waiting to be measured, they kindly worked overtime to prioritize my samples. This experience underscored the importance of timely communication, and I am once again thankful to the locals for their strong support.
Fig. 2 Welcome party
Fig. 3 Solar eclipse in Indiana
Besides, the School of Chemical Sciences holds 10 to 20 seminars each week, which are among my favorite activities. Every Friday, the coordinator shares information about the upcoming week’s seminars with members of School of Chemical Sciences, including those in biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and doctoral final defenses. Free food is provided after the seminars, which has saved me several lunches. I attend a few seminars every week that interest me, and I have learned a lot from them, both related to my research and other areas of interest.
In addition to research, there are various student activities on campus, such as protests for Gaza, New Year’s parties, and South American-style carnivals and concerts. My favorite activity is the latter, where there are not only South American-style snacks but also dancers in gorgeous costumes (Fig. 4). Students choreograph and design plots under the guidance of dance teachers. In my opinion, this can promote not only multiculturalism but also cultivate students’ vitality and creativity.
Fig. 4 Carnivals!
Outside of campus, I also traveled to several interesting places during the holidays. For example, I went to Florida during the Christmas holidays, which is the southernmost state in the United States, and skydived there. I visited Chicago to see the river dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day, and traveled to Washington, D.C., in the spring to enjoy the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin (Fig. 5). Throughout these travels, I received a lot of help from strangers and was impressed by everyone’s courage to challenge themselves.
Fig. 5 Memorable moments during travel
Of course, when I first arrived in the United States, I experienced many culture shocks due to the differences between the East and the West. One such challenge was adjusting to different measurement units, such as Fahrenheit and Celsius, miles and kilometers, and gallons and liters. I often had to use an app to convert these and compare prices with those in Japan, even though the yen was depreciating during that period and local meat and fruit were somewhat cheaper than in Japan. Another aspect to be cautious of is nighttime safety and marijuana use. During my trip to Florida, likely because it was New Year’s Eve, Miami Beach at night was filled with the smell of marijuana and the sounds of partying. This experience reminded me of advice a friend gave me before my trip: ‘If you want to go out at night, you must be smart about it.’
Overall, I cherished every day of those 180 days. The overseas exchange in the past six months not only broadened my research horizons—my research will be published in the form of a joint research with UIUC colleagues—but also taught me the values of collaboration, optimism, freedom, and innovation. I am very grateful to GP-Chem for its strong support from start to finish, including assistance with visa applications, document preparation, flight bookings, and monthly care. I would like to express my gratitude to GP-Chem for providing me with this valuable opportunity to experience different cultures and gain new perspectives.