How do RARA Student Fellows approach their research on a daily basis? What do they learn by conducting research? How do they overcome the obstacles they encounter in the doctoral program? In the second installment of our interview series to introduce RARA Student Fellows' studies and their envisioned career paths, we sat down with Shi Xiaoyu (who goes by “Toki”), a first-year doctoral student in the Graduate School of Information Science and Engineering who graduated from the Dalian University of Technology–Ritsumeikan University International School of Information Science & Engineering.

Working to realize a childhood dream

―― First off, please tell us why you decided to come to Ritsumeikan from China.

Toki: Many children in China dream of becoming researchers. In China, however, because of the large population of my generation, very few of us can actually become researchers. I still wanted to become a researcher, so when was considering how I could possibly make that happen, I learned about the Dalian University of Technology–Ritsumeikan University International School of Information Science & Engineering. After enrolling in this program, students can transfer to Ritsumeikan University in their third year, opening the path to graduate school. I thought that if I went to Japan and worked hard, I would have a better chance of fulfilling my dream of becoming a researcher. With this in mind, I worked hard and was accepted to the Dalian University of Technology, one of China's top-ranked universities, where it would be possible for me to study abroad in Japan.

―― Did you have any doubts about transferring to a Japanese university?

Toki: I had no issues with transferring to Ritsumeikan University. I have loved Japanese culture, including anime, since I was a child, and I taught myself a little Japanese in junior high school. To begin with, only 40 students per school year are allowed to transfer from Dalian to Japan, and even then, only those who have passed Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test are selected. Moreover, I had to acquire other knowledge in English, programming, and information science and engineering. I was excited about my future because I was able to successfully clear the strict requirements to study in Japan.

Deciding to pursue a doctoral degree after coming to Ritsumeikan

―― What was it like to study in Japan after transferring in your third year of undergraduate studies?

Toki: The first time working on a full-scale research project after joining a laboratory made me realize how difficult research was. I worked on a study to design an artificial intelligence model to comprehensively analyze medical images obtained over a period of time. This project was so difficult that at one point I gave up on my dream of becoming a researcher. I switched gears, however, and devoted myself to finding a solution. After a lot of hard work, I was able to publish my research findings. I remember this being the first time I experienced the joy of research, that is, the incomparable satisfaction that comes from the process of analyzing and solving a problem.

―― Wasn’t it a big decision to pursue a doctoral degree even though you had just advanced to the master’s program?

Toki: I decided to pursue a doctoral degree because I realized how interesting research could be when I was an undergraduate student. Research means finding those questions that no one has answered yet and then seeking a solution. I felt that research was so interesting that it was worth devoting my life to. Therefore, I made up my mind to advance to the doctoral program in the first year of my master’s program. I would say that 70% of my final decision was based on my desire to fulfill my dream of becoming a researcher and to enjoy the challenges of research life. As for the remaining 30%, the support I received from faculty members, older students, and my parents was a strong boost.

―― How is university-level learning different in Japan compared to China?

Toki: At the Dalian University of Technology, I took a variety of lectures. Although the classes were mainly taught in Chinese, some of them were in Japanese or English. After coming to Japan, most of my classes have been in Japanese, but the internationally oriented classes are taught in English. Dr. Chen's lab has an international flavor, with students from India, Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries, so when I interact with them, I basically use English. I have always loved to communicate with others, so I really enjoy the current environment where I can experience various cultures, including Japanese culture. By the way, I love Japanese ramen, and I go out to eat it often (laughs).

Switching gears from video game-related research to medical research

―― What is the research topic in the laboratory you belong to?

Toki: We are working on developing artificial intelligence to support medical diagnosis. To be honest, though, at first, I wanted to join a laboratory that studied video games, which I have loved since childhood. However, I could not get in because there were too many applicants, so I made a drastic change in my thinking and decided to do research on medicine that could contribute to human society.

―― Specifically, can you describe what kind of research you are doing now?

Toki: I am working on the development of an automated diagnostic system for glioma, which is a type of brain tumor. In addition to imaging data from radiology and MRI, the system also uses physician's reports and diagnosis forms to make a comprehensive determination of glioma. The key is not to simply make judgments based on image data alone, but to use text data in combination to improve diagnostic accuracy. I am also using artificial intelligence so the system can read medical papers and make a diagnosis based on academic findings.

―― So, data plays an important role in improving diagnostic accuracy.

Toki: That's right. Increasing the pieces of image data that the system trains on improves the accuracy of diagnosis. For example, the accuracy will be much different when the system is trained on 20,000 pieces of data, compared to when you increase this number to 100,000 pieces of data. In reality, however, it is very difficult to collect medical imaging data. Currently, I am utilizing public data available on the internet in addition to data provided by collaborating medical institutions. However, to collect data from Japanese medical institutions, you must go there in person and satisfy a strict set of rules.

―― What do you pay attention to when conducting research under such difficult circumstances?

Toki: I place value on the fact that I am always trying to improve myself. Whether you’re conducting an experiment or writing a paper, things do not always go right, but I tell myself that these tough times are opportunities to learn and to improve myself. The key is how to overcome the problem right in front of you. If you can find a solution, you are better equipped to handle a problem the next time you encounter it. I feel that this process of raising the bar, even if only gradually, is the essence of research. There are other ways to improve yourself as well, like reading papers and searching for accurate information on the internet. Of course, consulting the faculty member who runs your lab, your classmates, and older students is the most helpful.

Aiming to become a researcher who can assist doctors

―― So, you applied for the RARA Student Fellowship to further your research.

Toki: There are many older students in my lab who are RARA Student Fellows. When I was thinking about advancing to the doctoral program, one of them told me about the RARA Student Fellowship. Dr. Chen also encouraged me to apply, saying that if I could become a student fellow, I could interact with other student fellows and expand my interpersonal relationships. These older students and my professor provided me with relevant information and advice on what to pay attention to when applying, so as soon as the application period opened, I applied immediately.

―― What points did you pay attention to when preparing your RARA Student Fellow application?

Toki: What I focused on the most was how to compellingly convey the feasibility of my research plan and its significance for the advancement of society. I tried to make my explanations easy to understand for people from other fields, while at the same time keeping my research expertise intact. I spent a lot of time revising my application, under the guidance of my lab professor.

―― What are the advantages of becoming a RARA Student Fellow?

Toki: As expected, the biggest advantage is the assistance for research and living expenses. The development of artificial intelligence requires a high-performance computer and a dedicated GPU. The GPU is expensive, so that was a big concern for me. Also, master's and doctoral students in my lab attend international academic conferences once a year, and the travel expenses for those trips are quite expensive. Nevertheless, what you can learn by participating in these international conferences is extremely significant. The support I receive as a RARA Student Fellow is invaluable because of the many expenses involved.

―― Tell us how you envision your future career.

Toki: My immediate goal is to earn my doctoral degree. I have already submitted two papers to specialized journals, and I am now working on compiling my doctoral dissertation. After that, I would like to start my career as a researcher at a Japanese university, with the goal of eventually securing a faculty position at a Japanese university. Of course, in the meantime, I intend to support physicians by working on artificial intelligence related to medicine.