The special series to put a spotlight on our international staff, “Eyes, JAPAN Employee Interview” is back! Our interviewee this month is Chen Yiyan from China.

She has been working in Eyes, JAPAN for around 2 months, and we would like to ask her about her experience living in Japan and working in Eyes, JAPAN!

(Interviewer: Angie)

From Changsha to Aizu

What is your favorite thing about your home town?

Yiyan: My hometown is Changsha, Hunan Province, China. It is well known for its vibrant nightlife and for being the birthplace of Xiang cuisine, one of the Eight Great Cuisines of China. I love the local food. I also appreciate the straightforward and passionate personality of the people in Changsha.

Why did you come to Japan and what do you like about Japan?

Yiyan: My first impression of Japan came from Hayao Miyazaki’s animations, which are full of fantasy, wonder, love, and hope. That’s what made me fall in love with Japan.

What do you think about life in Aizu?

Yiyan: For someone like me who doesn’t enjoy crowded cities, life in Aizu is very comfortable. Although it is a bit inconvenient to get around.

What is your hobby and how do you usually spend your free time?

Yiyan: My hobbies are watching movies and spending time in nature. In my free time, I try to make some interesting dishes or desserts. I also like spending the weekend enjoying good food with my friends and exploring food around Aizu. Doing those makes me happy.

What is your academic background and what kind of research are you doing?

Yiyan: I am currently a second-year master’s student at the University of Aizu, specializing in biomedical engineering. My research focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence for disease prediction to improve the efficiency and accuracy of medical diagnostics.

What do you think is the current hottest technology-related topic?

Yiyan: One of the hottest topics in healthcare technology is precision medicine, which uses AI and genetic data to provide personalized treatments tailored to each patient. It is transforming how we diagnose and treat diseases.

The Start of a Journey in Eyes, JAPAN

Yiyan first learned about Eyes, JAPAN through her friend, Weiyu, who introduced her to the company. Her initial real interaction with the company was during an apple-picking event, where she was deeply impressed by Eyes, JAPAN’s unique culture. Even though she just recently joined the company, Yiyan is currently working on two projects: antibody titration app and the spatial understanding component of the Go2 robot project. Among these, the Go2 Robot project stands out as her most memorable experience. The project combines AI with spatial analysis and has given her valuable insights into spatial modeling, API integration, and other advanced technologies. For future projects, she expressed strong interest in AI in healthcare, but is also open to working on projects in other fields to broaden her perspective and skills.

What Yiyan appreciates most about Eyes, JAPAN is its inclusive, innovative, and mistake-tolerant culture. She thinks  the weekly meetings and dinner gatherings offer excellent opportunities for meaningful communication and learning, both in research and everyday life. Yiyan finds her colleagues in Eyes, JAPAN friendly, professional, fun, and always willing to share knowledge. Coming from various countries and cultural backgrounds, she thinks they create a diverse and engaging work environment. And according to her, the workplace itself is free, flexible, and encourages open brainstorming, where everyone is invited to share their ideas.

While she hasn’t faced any major problems or challenges while working, Yiyan have faced smaller technical issues, which she first try to solve independently. If she needs further assistance, she reaches out to her colleagues, ensuring continuous learning and collaboration. And for those who would like to work in Japan, she advises that speaking Japanese is the best for bridging communication. She believes that having a good command of the language helps you integrate more efficiently into the team and work more effectively.

Motivation and Dreams for the Future

How do you balance your working and private time?

Yiyan: At this stage, work and study are my top priorities, so I focus most of my time on them.

What motivates you to keep working or studying?

Yiyan: I’d like to answer this question with a Chinese proverb: “少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲”–“A young idler, an old beggar.”

Lastly, what is your dream?

Yiyan:  World peace, travel around the world.

Thank you!

If you are interested in Eyes, JAPAN and would like to hear other stories, please do not hesitate to contact us at the following contact form.

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Everyone welcome.