Personal Story

Published in the RSAA Lunations
Vol1 Issue34 1–30 November 2022

I grew up in Ota city in Gumma Prefecture, where Japan’s first aircraft manufacturer, Nakajima Aircraft Company, was founded (now known as the famous Subaru automobiles after WWII, in which many of my friends and their parents work). Nakajima Aircraft produced the well-known Mitsubishi Zero Fighter aircraft. During WWII, several factories in Ota were damaged by the American bombardments. My grandmother used to share her story about one of the bombardments that damaged her house. Besides its technological aspect, Ota is surrounded by rich natural beauty, including an active volcano, hot spring, and Oze National Park.

In my elementary school days, I spent plenty of time observing plants, reptiles and insects. Also, I was a serious environmental activist. My parents would get angry when I watered the weeds in our garden. I obsessively read archeology books in the library because my favourite anime was about ancient Egypt. In those days, I was building a curiosity about both humanities and nature. 

As I got into higher grades, the focus of my curriculum shifted towards test scores and entering a good university. I forgot all the curiosities developed in elementary school and chose physics just because it seemed like a practical choice for a stable career. However, during my Bachelor’s degree, my childhood curiosities were reignited by encouraging and brilliant friends. 

Taking the opportunity to be a summer student at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), I became interested in radio interferometry. The technique of multiple antennas simultaneously observing the same sky region and working as a single telescope sounded like magic to me, making me eager to understand how it works. So, I decided to pursue a PhD in NAOJ, working with Prof. Satoru Iguchi, former East Asia project manager of ALMA telescope. I finished my PhD in early 2022.

I am delighted to work with my colleagues at RSAA, with whom I share curiosity and passion. My childhood curiosity about nature has matured into asking complex questions about galaxy formation and evolution. In my teenage years, I could not have imagined that I would be fortunate enough to have the opportunity to challenge these big and exciting problems. I am excited to see the direction my child-like curiosity will take in the future as I grow by interacting with amazing people at Mount Stromlo. 

Takafumi Tsukui