Job description (entire company, your department, etc.)
Oriental Shiroishi is a company whose strength lies in bridge construction, including not only the superstructure of bridges but also the construction and repair and reinforcement of substructures and foundations. I belong to the Technical Research Institute and am involved in the development of materials and the improvement of technology. The research I am currently conducting covers many topics related to bridges, including analytical studies to verify under what conditions steel materials used in bridges rust, and the development of concrete that meets the conditions required on site.
How does your study at Shibaura Institute of Technology apply to your current profession?
I was a member of the Materials Design Laboratory at the Shibaura Institute of Technology for a total of three years, during my fourth year of undergraduate studies and first and second year of master's studies. I worked on research on concrete used in civil engineering structures and studied the effects of the chemical properties of concrete, which vary depending on the materials used and the mix, on the physical properties of concrete. Currently, I belong to the Technical Research Institute, where I am conducting research on the analysis of corrosion of steel used in bridges and the mixing of concrete placed under high-pressure conditions in pneumatic caisson construction projects. The knowledge about concrete and how to conduct research that I learned in the laboratory at the university are utilized in my current work.
What do we actually do as cross-disciplinary in society, or what is needed to cross-discipline?
In addition to the basic civil engineering field of construction, special equipment is required when applying the company's own unique construction methods, such as the pneumatic caisson method, so it is important to collaborate with the mechanical field. In recent years, with the spread of i-Construction, AI and VR may be used in construction, so it is also important to collaborate with the information, communication, and electronics fields. The field of chemistry is also relevant because concrete hardens through chemical reactions.
I think the most important thing needed to cross disciplines is human relations. I think communication is very important because even within the company alone, you need to work with various teams such as the technical team, the repair and reinforcement team, the mechanical team, the digital team that specializes in AI, and so on.
Message to Shibaura Institute of Technology Students
Do what you want to do and enjoy your student life without regrets. Studying is important, but I think it is also very important to spend time with your friends and cherish your friendships. These friendships will support you even after you go out into the world.