Yamaguchi Junichiro
Department of Applied Chemistry, Waseda University.
Yakugaku Zasshi. 2019;139(2):229-233. doi: 10.1248/yakushi.18-00169-5.
Ten years ago, in April 2007, I went abroad to study at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in San Diego, USA. As an overseas researcher with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), I worked with Professor Phil S. Baran (an associate professor at the time), who was a distinguished young researcher in synthetic organic chemistry. Working abroad had been my dream ever since I had decided to work at a university as a researcher. Through my study of organic chemistry, I hoped to spread my wings and explore the world. Fortunately, the research projects at TSRI went well, and a year and a half later, I returned to Japan, to Nagoya University as an assistant professor (under the guidance of Professor Kenichiro Itami). During my time abroad, I certainly gained a lot of experience in chemistry, but as I look back to 10 years ago, I feel that the personal interactions remain much more important to me. Numerous Japanese researchers who studied overseas around the same period, and many TSRI graduate students I encountered, are currently faculty members at top universities around the world. At this memorable and nostalgic phase of my life, I am sharing here a personal account of the research I conducted and the researchers I met during my stay in San Diego.
十年前，也就是2007年4月，我前往美国圣地亚哥的斯克里普斯研究所（TSRI）留学。作为日本学术振兴会（JSPS）的海外研究员，我与当时还是副教授的菲尔·S·巴兰教授合作，他是合成有机化学领域杰出的青年研究员。自从我决定在大学从事研究工作以来，出国工作就一直是我的梦想。通过对有机化学的研究，我希望能够展翅高飞，探索世界。幸运的是，TSRI的研究项目进展顺利，一年半后，我回到日本，在名古屋大学担任助理教授（在板东健一郎教授的指导下）。在国外期间，我确实在化学方面积累了很多经验，但回首十年前，我觉得人际交往对我来说更为重要。许多同期在海外留学的日本研究人员，以及我在TSRI遇到的许多研究生，目前都是世界顶尖大学的教员。在我人生这个难忘而怀旧的阶段，我在此分享我在圣地亚哥期间所做研究以及所结识研究人员的个人经历。
