Peter Ploetner

	Germany
	Peter Ploetner
	Mechanical Engineering

During my search to do a PhD in the USA or Europe I found the IME Graduate Program at UTokyo. I decided to apply because of the high reputation of the UTokyo and the good conditions offered by the program. The IME office support was extraordinarily great and fast. Additionally, a tutor of my laboratory helped me with all the paperwork, apartment, phone contract, and everything else I needed. Japan continuously gave the opportunity for many valuable and unique experiences outside the PhD program, which would have not been possible in the USA or Europe. My research focused on the navigation of medical microrobots in the cardiovascular system. My laboratory gave me a lot of freedom when it came to research, which sometimes made it challenging to get expert opinions on specific decisions. Most university clubs are only for undergraduates and many japanese students are very busy with their research. The language school and IME office organized very nice events and international students are always planning something.