I joined the MANABIYA program after seeing excellent research from ICReDD presented at a conference. I joined the groups of Professor Maeda and Professor Mita hoping to learn the AFIR method for reaction discovery. I was immediately impressed with the strength of the AFIR method, and excited to apply it to the research going on in my research group. I was excellently supported during my time at ICReDD by many researchers, and as a result got a thorough grasp of AFIR. The results I garnered in only 5 weeks at ICReDD have already directly contributed to a successful grant application, and a publication based on synthetic work driven by these results is nearing publication.
Being embedded in two research groups, one more synthetically oriented and one more computationally driven was really enjoyable. It was eye-opening to see how these groups work in Japan, and also incredibly impressive to see the science being performed at ICReDD. Chemical reaction discovery has been my area of research for over a decade now, and yet I found the approach at ICReDD of combining machine learning, data science, computational chemistry, and novel synthetic methodologies to be revolutionary. I had the opportunity to chat with researchers from a huge range of backgrounds and disciplines, and found them to be open and excited to discuss their work. I gained a lot of new ideas for research streams beyond the narrower aims of my project whilst at ICReDD from these useful discussions.
Beyond the excellent scientific program, my time in Hokkaido was both convenient and extremely enjoyable. The ICReDD administrative staff were incredibly helpful in arranging travel and accommodation, and the transfer from the airport to Sapporo was easy. I’ve always wanted to visit Japan and this was an excellent opportunity to enjoy so much of what is on offer; local food, sights, festivals. I had lots of suggestions for places to eat, and enjoyed Genghis Khan; Soup Curry; incredible Sushi and many other delicious dishes at restaurants. I also really enjoyed the lunchtime visits to the canteen at ICReDD; excellent food and lovely people to get to know. We also had a delicious group BBQ. My visit was enjoyable and smooth thanks to the incredibly welcoming people I met. Sapporo is also a very interesting city full of landmarks, museums, breweries, bars, shops, and restaurants. It has excellent transport links – I took weekend trips to the spa town of Noboribetsu, and the small harbour city of Otaru
In conclusion, I can highly recommend a visit to ICReDD through the MANABIYA program. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see a new research culture, and to be exposed to excellent science. It offers fantastic training opportunities with experts in an area who are highly motivated to work with you. The visit is made simple and convenient by the excellent administrative support offered, and the chance to spend time in vibrant Sapporo and beautiful Hokkaido must not be missed.
