Original text is in Japanese.

After completing his undergraduate studies and working as a software engineer, Mr. Furuya decided to pursue a Ph.D. He had long been interested in applying genetic data to social science research. The U.S. was his preferred destination due to its active interdisciplinary research collaborations.

Rejection from U.S. Ph.D. programs in the previous application cycles motivated Mr. Furuya to apply specifically for the Fulbright Program, rather than other opportunities: “When I applied for graduate school, there was a section for scholarships I had won, with several options to choose from,” he explains. “Fulbright was one of them. Because I believed that an offer from Fulbright might validate my abilities and have a positive impact on admissions decisions, I decided to apply for Fulbright.”

Upon arrival in the U.S., Mr. Furuya was convinced that studying in the U.S. was the right decision. By presenting his interdisciplinary work at academic conferences and in international journals, he realized the steady professional career development: “Being at a hub of researchers in my field has enabled me to expand my network even beyond the U.S.,” he says. “Recently, I consulted with a faculty member at the London School of Economics (LSE) for access to restricted UK datasets. The process went surprisingly smoothly because she was already familiar with my work.”

However, continuing his professional career in the U.S. comes with its challenges, particularly the requirement to spend two years in his home country after completing the Fulbright Program: “I wanted to continue my career in the U.S. to expand my future opportunities,” he shares. “To fulfill my obligation, I returned to Japan and conducted research remotely from there for two years, while remaining enrolled in the Ph.D. program at the UW-Madison.”

After completing his Ph.D., Mr. Furuya is continuing his research at Harvard University and Purdue University: “Building a research career involves many challenges; pursuing it with a half-hearted attitude is not advisable. However, if you are eager to embark on this challenging path, the Fulbright Program may open the door for you.”