— My Journey So Far —
Woven by Toyota
Software Engineer, November 2023 - Present
Tokyo, Japan
Woven by Toyota is a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. This cool company handles Toyota's autonomous driving tech and plays a big part in keeping Toyota sexy in the 🚗 market.
My journey to join this company started in my second year of grad school. During that semester, I applied for internships and got turned down by a bunch of companies 🥲. However, I finally landed an internship here because the interviewer was my lab’s alumnus I found a role that somewhat matched my skills. Eventually, I was able to secure a job due to my performance during the internship 💪.
One aspect of this company that really resonates with me is its vision for fostering a mobility society. You can see it in their big projects like automated driving and advanced driver assistance systems (AD/ADAS) 🤖 tech, and Woven City 🏙️ (a lab to test out mobility stuff). Being here means I get to dive into loads of cool info about the latest tech and meet tons of talented folks from all over. I'm super thankful for the opportunity to start my career here 🙇.
Tohoku University
M.S. in Applied Information Science, October 2022 - September 2023
Sendai, Japan
I decided to pursue a master's degree mainly because I found myself at a crossroads after finishing my undergrad. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what my next step 👣 should be. So, while I wasn't entirely certain, the master's program seemed like the best option at the time.
The transition from undergrad to grad school happened pretty quickly and it wasn't exactly an easy ride. Within just a couple of months, I had to wrap up my undergrad thesis, apply for the master's program in the same university, and secure a scholarship to cover my expenses. Everything felt uncertain, and I wasn't exactly brimming with confidence, but thankfully, things worked out in the end 💪.
At Tohoku University, research takes center stage, making my master's years all about delving deep into a variety of research projects. It was intense, to say the least. A lot of days were stressful, especially when I felt like I was just not getting some of the tasks because, well, I didn't feel all that smart 😔. Back then, I was probably wishing I had taken more time to fully equip myself before diving into the master's program (read: I regretted graduating from undergrad prematurely).
But luckily, I found myself in an amazing lab with incredibly supportive professors and talented peers. I managed to finish my grad school journey by completing my research. I even came up with a few conference papers and had the opportunity to travel to some countries 🇭🇰🇳🇿🇺🇸 for free to present them. All in all, it was a whirlwind two years that really taught me the importance of working hard and building my self-confidence 🍀.
B.E. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, October 2018 - September 2021
Sendai, Japan
The story begins back in high school when I was dead set on studying abroad for university. I was hustling hard, hitting the books, and hunting for the right university. Since my family isn't exactly swimming in 💰, I had my sights set on scoring a solid scholarship to cover my expenses. I applied for Tohoku University, knowing they had English-taught Engineering courses and offered full scholarships to some lucky ducks 🐤.
But, fate had other plans. I didn't exactly ace the admission test. I got accepted, but the scholarship they offered was 🥜 compared to what I needed. So, I had to do some serious convincing with my parents to bankroll my early years, promising them I'd hustle hard and secure a better scholarship soon.
Studying in Japan 🇯🇵 felt like living in a dream 😲. Everything was so different – the people, the vibe, the culture. But amidst the awe, I had to stay laser-focused on my studies to up my chances of snagging that scholarship. Over here, it's all about grades or mastering Japanese to score those sweet scholarships. So, I was grinding away at my test scores while simultaneously leveling up my Japanese skills. Pressure was on, especially with the money clock 💸 ticking down.
Finally, come the fourth semester, the university threw me a lifeline with a full scholarship recommendation. It was a game-changer, covering all my expenses and easing the financial strain 😮💨.
In the end, for some unknown reason, I just went ahead and wrapped up my studies in three years. Those last two semesters were pure chaos 💥. I was cramming in courses meant for the seventh and eighth semesters, alongside hustling to finish my thesis. But hey, somehow, I pulled it off with some help from supportive friends and professors. And to top it off, the university even tossed me the President’s Award for my grind 💪.
Check out my CV here.
(I need to update it as the current version was made before my internship.)
— Stuffs To Share —
TODO
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