Two PhD students from the Sayama Laboratory recently completed a short-term research stay in Germany.

The participants, Saisei Uchimura and Seonjun Choi, visited the University of Hamburg through the Strategic Partnership Program. Their primary objective was to conduct collaborative research on flood forecasting under the guidance of Prof. Shabeh ul Hasson.

They shared their experiences from their three-week stay (January 26 – February 13, 2026).

Intensive Discussions with Prof. Hasson

At the University of Hamburg, we were struck by the sociable and friendly atmosphere, where many people we passed greeted us warmly.

Prof. Hasson welcomed us with great hospitality, expressing his wish for us to truly enjoy this opportunity. When it came to research, he was incredibly dedicated, often spending more than two hours engaging in deep discussions with us.

Overcoming Challenges Through Collaboration

During our stay, Prof. Hasson encouraged us to take on new research challenges. Perhaps because of the high expectations placed on us, we were given the opportunity to explore various advanced topics.

In the first half of the program, we felt overwhelmed by the gap between the research requirements and our own current skills, leading to some uncertainty. However, with the support of the professors and colleagues at the lab, we were able to navigate the methodology and move forward with our work.

Life in Hamburg

One of the highlights was enjoying dinner together every evening. We were fortunate to be taken to some truly wonderful restaurants.

Another cherished memory is buying running shoes locally and jogging around the frozen Outer Alster Lake. We had to be extra careful with our footing on the snowy paths, but it was an unforgettable experience.

Conducting research abroad and crossing borders must have been a profoundly rewarding experience—not only as researchers but also as individuals. We believe this experience will become a source of strength for them as they continue their research with a broader perspective!