Share your passion
with like-minded people

Toya Kitagawa【Career】
Majored in acoustic signal processing at Yamagata University. After graduation, he joined
Panasonic Corporation, where he was engaged in research and development of spatial
acoustics in the Technology Division. At the same time, he entered the doctoral program ofthe same graduate school, and has been conducting research on acoustics as a working
doctor.
【The current research】
At Panasonic, he is engaged in researches on a space where people can relax and work
efficiently along with working for sound approach. At Yamagata University, he isstudying about a navigation system using stereophony for value added to earphones.

What brought you to IEEE?

I became a member when I was a student in order to get a
discount to attend an international conference called GCCE (=IEEEGlobal Conference on Consumer Electronics) . After that, I
participated in IEEE TOWERS, which is an event organized bystudents, and that was when I came to actively participate in IEEEactivities. The TOWERS event was apparently a poster session
which is not that unusual, but I was attracted by the fact that they
were allowed to present their published papers and got awarded. I
thought it was good, for getting feedback to one’ s own research
is precious for students. The atmosphere was congenial andeverybody spoke up; everything was interesting and it was alsomeaningful that I could interact with somebody specializing inother fields. I found it fresh for teachers involved in Towers toenjoy themselves in the activities.

What do you do in IEEE now?

I launched a community of YP (=Young Professionals) , which is agroup of young researchers, in Sendai region and now am theleader. TOWERS is an organization based in Tokyo, and I used tojoin the events there, but I launched such an organization in
Sendai to let students in Tohoku area enjoy an event bypassionate comrades. These days, we have more online events,
which is convenient, but I believe that offline things must be asimportant as online things are. It was because I went to Tokyo
that I could connect with teachers leading the IEEE activities, andit was at a social gathering after an event that the launch of
Sendai YP was mentioned. Chatting face to face should bewelcomed; I want to build a place where it’ s possible and carryover this to the next generation.

What is great about IEEE?

『Support cycle』

In IEEE your challenge will be supported by many people just withyour voice, “I want to try.” I myself could’ ve not been what I am
without such support; the launch of Sendai YP, building a neworganization, was completely new to me, but teachers in Tokyoand members in Sendai assisted me a great deal to make it
happen. I think this environment encouraging new things is one of
the greatest points of IEEE. I’ d like to show my gratitude forteachers I owe a lot to by supporting the young generation, andI’ m now actively working to create such opportunities to support
young researchers. If their opportunities are expanding, it will
enrich the world, leading to a good cycle, I believe.

『A place to find comrades, not of a company, nor ofa university』
I’ m now working for a company and taking a doctoral course as
a postgraduate at the same time, and I feel that I can enjoy
myself at IEEE even in my private time, for there are like-mindedpeople who have brand new projects. It is exciting to meet suchfriends. Thinking about communication with senior and juniorresearchers helps me improve my own skill.

Why you should join IEEE as well

Development of a new technology requires you to keep up withthe trend of the world, not only shut in the lab. Especially those
who are involved in developing a product for consumers, likemyself, should think about the outcome. You can find and talkwith various researchers, including professors and specialists incompanies, at IEEE, and you will find the upshot of your research.
Opinions from other fields than your own one broadens your mind
and allows you to see “what is popular now or what is acceptable
to consumers now”. I’ m always stimulated greatly by thesethings, so I want to be involved in IEEE as long as I am a researcher
and I also want to recommend IEEE to other researchers.

【Message】– IEEE as lingua franca: build a comradeshipwith peersYour dream or vision will not come true just by envisioning it; sharing itwith people and getting like-minded comrades will increase thepossibility of making it true. IEEE is a place to find such people. We havea common background as a member of IEEE and it breaks the ice, andwe often talk about some problems or issues ofour own researches and stimulate one another.
I’ d like to have more young researchers tobuild the future. Please contact us casually andfreely whatever you are now. Get connected!

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