A Transformative PhD Exchange Experience in Japan: Bridging Cultures and Advancing Research

When I heard about the Young Researchers’ Exchange Programme with Japan, I was excited about the opportunity to undertake an academic exchange mid-PhD in a foreign research lab. Three years into my PhD studies, I had settled into the comfort zone of my research niche. With this exchange, I could gain valuable skills and techniques in the same discipline but in a different research area.

Also, during the pandemic, there were few chances for exchange and networking. This further motivated me to embrace this chance and embark on a journey across the globe to experience a different scientific and cultural environment. Japan had specifically interested me for some time, and I was excited to see what living in this country would be like. It did not take long to decide on the host group since I had followed the work of the Nakao group at Kyoto University for some time. I liked their previous work and was curious to learn firsthand how they approach chemistry problems. I also knew that the group had seen many foreign exchange students, which should make it easy to integrate there.

Around that time, I had just finished a major project within my PhD studies and thought about applying my gained knowledge to problems within the field of catalysis. I saw an opportunity to employ the catalyst system of the host group to tackle a challenge I faced and built a proposal around that. With support from colleague Elliott Denton, who went to Korea with the same programme, my supervisor, and the host, I came up with a proposal that, fortunately, was funded. The project was great for a short-term exchange but would have been too close to my current work for a Postdoc, so it was a perfect match.

My exchange took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it a challenging but nonetheless fulfilling experience. On the research side, I enjoyed working on a new project within a different environment. With the experience from my PhD studies so far, it was easy to start off in an unfamiliar environment. I just had to adapt to many small differences in the lab in the first month. Seeing firsthand how another group approaches chemistry, both in an intellectual and a practical way, helps to broaden one’s view as a scientist, I think. The fact that the large majority of the lab members were Japanese limited the times English was used in conversations, which was something I struggled with at times. On the other hand, everyone I met was incredibly kind, patient, and willing to listen to what I had to say. Of course, all of this is subject to the culture and composition of the individual research group.

The Leading House Asia and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) facilitated my exchange and covered the airfare and living expenses. They also kindly put me in contact with the Science and Technology Office of the Embassy in Tokyo. Also, thanks to them, I could write about my experience on the ETH Ambassadors blog and on this outlet. I am incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity to come to Japan for an exchange. The combined effort of my collaborators in the host group and I allowed us to tackle ambitious projects in the field of organometallic chemistry. Combining the expertise of the host group and my own, we investigated the synthesis and reactivity of exotic bimetallic complexes to make value-added molecules from simple building blocks. Not everything worked out as planned in the proposal, but we learned a lot about the chemistry of these complexes on the way. The project I was involved in is still ongoing, and I look forward to writing up the publication.

Besides science, the host group and I profited from bilateral cultural exchange, and we learned a lot from each other. I was impressed by the drive and discipline of my Japanese colleagues and hope that they could also learn something from me. My exchange motivated me to return to Japan as a postdoctoral researcher. After graduation, I will research innovative ways to recycle plastic waste. During my stay in Kyoto, I could improve my Japanese significantly, which will be very useful in the future. My time in Kyoto was just fantastic. The city is rich in cultural heritage, full of greenery, and has a charm that other cities of this size lack. Every day I discovered a new aspect of Kyoto, be it a traditional machiya house that was converted into a trendy bar or a small shrine in a back alley. On the weekends, I could explore the area and visit places outside Kyoto, too. I had visited Japan before, so I was familiar with the local customs and cuisine. Japanese people are kind and considerate, which makes living here easy. On the other hand, some things can be complicated for foreign visitors, be it the lack of English signs and speaking ability or the inflexibility to change established procedures. Overall, Japan is a very livable country, and everyone I know enjoyed coming here.

Researching and living abroad during the PhD is a tremendous experience that I can highly recommend to everyone at this stage of their career. Living in Japan is an enriching experience and makes you appreciate another culture. Take this opportunity and enrich your PhD with a stay abroad!