My first taste of what the NIG Internship program would be came during dinner when I first met Prof. Kawakami. He came in to the cafeteria and sat down across from me. The first words out of his mouth were “Are you having fun in Japan yet?” I most certainly did. My time in Japan encompassed two cutting edge research projects and no less than six journeys into the beautiful surrounding country. The Kawakami lab works on uses transgenesis techniques with zebrafish to answer basic questions about all aspects of biology, from neuroscience to organ system development. This was fertile ground for my introduction into molecular biology, and gave me a thorough grounding in current techniques and methods while also giving me the chance to contribute to an impressive ongoing project on learning and memory. However, even more impressive to me was the freedom that interns are given to pursue their own interests. Professor Kawakami truly opened the resources of his lab to me, and allowed me to perform some absolutely fascinating physiological experiments on visual processing. Equally fascinating was the country itself and the people I was with. I had ample opportunities to meet and spend time with the other interns, and we found occasions to explore many of the surrounding areas of Japan, including amusement parks, temples, parks, and even go to the top Mt. Fuji itself. These experiences were stand equally with the research opportunities in my mind when I think back to my time as an intern. I’d like to thank the NIG Intern Committee and Professor Kawakami for allowing me the chance to come and experience Japan, and participate in cutting-edge research projects, and to interact with and learn from the knowledgeable and talented researchers there.  |
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Eric Stout