CROSS LABORATORY 

   Prof. Cross accepts Tokyo Tech undergraduate 4th year students, graduate student applicants and visiting researchers into his lab on the Ookayama campus (in Meguro, Tokyo).  Both Japanese and international students are welcome to apply to join the lab but note that desks are limited. If you are seeking a scholarship, please consider applying for scholarships in your home country offered by the Japanese embassy, Asian Development Bank (ADB), JICA, JASSO, MEXT, JSPS and via foundations. Tokyo Tech also offers financial support, scholarships and tutition waivers for outstanding students with demonstrated academic ability. See the Tokyo Tech scholarships and aid web page for further information. 

    The experimental equipment available in the lab is limited. However, Tokyo Tech has a materials analysis center for materials characterization. Therefore, students doing experimental work often need to contact other faculty at Tokyo Tech and take leadership in order to use other labs research equipment. Students are encouraged to design and build their own experimental equipment in consultation with campus shop which can produce custom-built equipment based on CAD designs.  

    If you are interested in joining the lab for a graduate degree program, please send your resume to Prof. Cross by email and include the answers to the questions in part 1 below. Based upon lab space availability, your intellectual/academic ability, lab diversity, research topic match, your financial situation (self-finance or scholarship potential), English language ability, and research impact potential on society, you will be asked to proceed into Part 2. Regarding IPG (C) program applicants, please contact Prof. in March for October admission and in October for April admission. For IGP(C) applicants, Prof. Cross reviews the candidates' research proposals, resume, transcripts and schedules initial interviews several weeks before the application deadline.  Due to limited student desks/office space in the lab, Prof. Cross gives priority to Japanese graduate student applicants and international doctoral program applicants. 

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Note: Professor Cross will retire in March 2029. Master students will be accepted until Fall 2026 for admissions and doctoral students will be accepted until Fall 2025 admissions. The lab will close in April 2029. (explanation revised Aug. 2024)

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Lab Applications Part 1. 

0. How did you learn about the Cross lab (google search, published paper, facebook, instagram, Tokyo Tech homepage, TSE homepage department faculty list....)?

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1. What are you currently doing (work, research, student)? 

2. Which Tokyo Tech graduate degree program are you applying for i.e. Japan Embassy MEXT scholarship (Master or Doctoral Degree), IPG-C (Master, Doctoral degree, ext. scholarship or self-funded), General (Ippan A or B for Japanese language applicants), Working-adult doctoral program, or other and what degree are you seeking to pursue?

3. When is the deadline for the above application, consent to join the lab, and when do you want to be admitted as a student to Tokyo Tech (Oct./April, Year)?

4. Why do you want to pursue a graduate degree or pursue research in the Cross lab?

5. Why do you feel you are qualified to pursue a degree or undertake research in the Cross lab?

6. What is your intended degree graduate major Energy Science and Informatics, or Global engineering for development, environment and society (GEDES) for Master/Doctoral program or otherwise status at Tokyo Tech? See the Tokyo Tech guide for graduate major/ degrees and international programs page for further information.  

7. What is the topic of your proposed research, what is your research approach to address it, and why is your approach to pursue this research unique, do you expect your approach to lead to any breakthroughs in fundamental knowledge or new technology, and what are the expected tangible outcomes of your intended research?

8. How would you support your education/research stay financially (University recommendation MEXT scholarship, self-financed, other scholarship)? Note: MEXT scholarships are very limited and selection is based in part on GPA e.g. top ranked students in your dept. at your university, with superior demonstrated academic ability. The lab does not provide financial support to students seeking degrees or conducting research. 

9. How would pursuing a graduate degree fit into your career plans? What would you do after graduation and where do you plan to live?

10. International students: are you interested in learning the Japanese language and culture? Have you studied the Japanese language previously? Japanese students: are you interested in learning about overseas cultures and improving your English ability or doing research abroad? Have you traveled overseas previously, if so for how long and where? How would you describe your English language ability?  Please send standardized English test score if available.

11. Are you currently in discussions with any other faculty member at Tokyo Tech or faculty at other institutions in Japan about graduate degree admission? If so, what responses have you received from them?

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12. For doctoral applicants, what is your goal regarding the number of publications you want to publish on your proposed research if you were admitted to Tokyo Tech and what are the journals in which you wish to publish including impact factors? Two published peer-reviewed papers are required for doctoral student graduation.

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13. Do you have a standardized English test score, if you studied English as a foreign language, or do you wish to apply for a  English test score waive due to your prior university degree was taught in English, or you are from a country where English is the national language and are fluent in English? 

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Lab applications Part 2 and admissions procedure. 

0. Review Tokyo Tech degree program description and graduation requirements (click to access). 

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1. Applicant answers questions in part 1 above and sends responses by email to Prof. Cross for further consideration.

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2. Applicant prepares a 3 page summary of the research proposal including references. Applicant prepares original research proposal in Powerpoint for 15 min oral presentation and interview by ZOOM using page numbered slides that include the following

• title slide, reseach title, your name, date, intendedgraduate major, degree program ....

• self-introduction (nationality, education, work experience, why applying to join Tokyo Tech Cross lab)

• research topic or problem as presented in the mass media, research motivation, scale 

• brief research literature review (what is already known on this topic) to identify the knowledge gap

• research questions (objective)/based upon the gap of knowledge in the literature review

• research methodology (equipment, software, simulation, and hardware needed)

• expected research outcome

• research budget or equipment (if needed)

• explain research approach novelty

• targeted journals for publication/impact factor and academic conference presentations

• planned field trips in Japan

• research project schedule for degree - Gantt chart style

• plans after graduation

• references

• personal references (optional)

send the written proposal and slides to Prof. Cross by email.

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3. Exchange research proposal and slides with Prof. Cross and based upon feedback received, revise several times. 

 

4. Schedule and hold interview with Prof. Cross by ZOOM to discuss research proposal, academic ability, application materials, motivation etc. After the interview, Prof. and student jointly confirm student's ability/intent to undertake graduate level research and join the lab.

 

5. Hold 2nd ZOOM interview (if needed) to assess student's academic competence, review transcript, qualifications, research proposal - assessment is pass/fail.   

 

6. Applicant prepares/submits application by program deadline online and submits it to admissions office guidelines. 

 

7. Domestic international doctoral student submits application, prepares oral exam research proposal presentation, rehearse and receive feedback from Prof. Cross. (Students who graduated from a degree program taught in English or are citizens of countries where is English is the national language, Prof. Cross can make a request for an exemption to the dept. for the Standardized English test score requirement.)

 

8. IGP and MEXT scholarship applicants are interviewed by ZOOM by 3-5 dept. faculty members to determine their academic and research ability. Decision is pass or fail. 

 

9. The formal decision about admission is made by dept. at the monthly faculty meeting based upon interview results. The admission office will post information on the institute website about successful applicants based upon their application number.    

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10. Domestic graduate student applicant take TSE written entrance exams Notification of acceptance posted on Tokyo Tech homepage after an interview.  

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11. Successfully accepted candidates then complete fall/spring admission registration, entrance ceremony, and new student orientation typically on Campus then classes begin.  

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12. Tokyo Tech admitted applicant writes their thesis research proposal (5-10 pages for B4, 10 pages for MS and 15-20 pages for doctoral students) within 6 months, prepare plan of work and present it in the lab seminar held weekly during the academic year for credit.