NAME OF GRANTEE ..... 		Yuki D. Takahashi 
UK HOST INSTITUTION ..... 	University of Glasgow
US INSTITUTION ..... 		California Institute of Technology
FIELD ..... 			Astronomy & Physics
PERIOD OF AWARD ..... 		1 year

My research project is about making it possible for us to gain a new view of the Universe by
making use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory site.  I have investigated the
advantages of the lunar surface for observing the Universe at a new window in the
electromagnetic spectrum -- the very-low-frequency radio window.  This is the very low end
of the radio frequencies where observation from Earth is impossible because of the
ionosphere.  Even from space, all the radio noise prevents such study.  For this reason, It
remains the only unexplored part of the electromagnetic spectrum and therefore full of
potentials for discoveries about our Universe.  I conducted several simulation studies to
assess how well the Moon will allow us to study the Universe at these very low frequencies.  
Toward the end of this study, I have begun to propose a new concept for an observatory on
the Moon that would be inexpensive enough to be realistic.
	Because of many new findings and new ideas near the end of the year, I have not
quite finished writing everything into my thesis.  I expect to complete it by the end of
August.  I have already presented some of my results at several conferences including the
"New Views of the Moon, Europe" workshop in Berlin and the Lunar Exploration Symposium at
the European Geophysical Society General Assembly in Nice.  In October, I am excited to be
presenting my paper "New Astronomy from the Moon: A Lunar Based Very-Low-Frequency Radio
Array" at the largest gathering of space explorers in 10 years: the World Space Congress in
Houston.  I am working very hard now to prepare a paper that could be published in the
conference proceedings.  Finally, my adviser Graham Woan and I are planning to write a paper
on my simulation results for a journal.
	When I return to the US, I would like to use my experience in the UK to help promote
increasing exchange of ideas between the British and the Americans, starting from the
astronomy and the space communities.  My advisor Graham Woan is one of the only two
individuals who participated in both of the two major proposals of very low frequency
observatories on each side of the Atlantic: a design study through ESA (European Space
Agency) and a proposal to NASA.  Through my experience in working with him, I would like to
strengthen this link.  I think the proposed project toward the Moon will be an excellent
international collaborative effort involving wide range of disciplines.  By working together
toward this peaceful ambition, people from the UK and the US and other nations will learn
from and about each other.

At the University of Glasgow, the astronomy group received me with friendliness, but in a
language that was unfamiliar to me.  They invited me to many of their activities including
lunches, football, squash, pool, and of course the pubs.  Besides the funny accents,
honestly I had difficulty keeping up with the conversations especially when the topic went
local.  Outside of the astronomy group, the overseas students had a fantastic warm welcome
to Scotland by a local Christian group.  Throughout the year they organised many events to
add to our lives socially, culturally, and spiritually.  They exposed me to the traditions,
the warmth, and the friendliness of the Scottish people, as well as the beauty of its lands.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and am grateful of their service.  I would recommend the University
of Glasgow as a place where being friendly and humble is the standard, and where overseas
students have many enjoyable opportunities to learn about Scotland and its people.
	To those coming here, I recommend living in a large shared flat near the university
(more chance to interact with more people), instead of in a smaller flat designed for
overseas postgraduate students (while cleaner, each flat of 5 occupants is fairly isolated
from each other).  I also highly recommend joining and becoming active in many of the clubs. 
For me, experiences through these clubs have been the best way to meet the locals and learn
their way of life.  In particular, I guarantee the excellence of the Sub-Aqua Club and the
Shorinji Kempo Club.  Also, the Postgraduate Club is a nice facility to relax after or
in-between work and chat with people.  Finally, I recommend joining discussion groups of
religious groups (most active here are Christians); this was a big and valuable part of my
life here, both spiritually and socially.  Also a friend of mine started a Hindu Society not
long ago, which I recommend considering how much I have already learned from it.  Outside the
university, I recommend exploring the city for health or ethnic food stores -- it took me a
while to realise that I don't have to be stuck with British food here.

With my supervisor Graham, I was very happy with his availability and his smartness.  I just 
should have consulted him more often to benefit more from him.  We did not schedule any 
regular meetings because he was usually available and I was very motivated on my own.  At the 
beginning, he may have overestimated my knowledge and independent research ability partly 
because I was with the Fulbright award.  I am happy that he was very open to my preference 
about my research, letting me do what I wanted to do at my own pace.  However, looking back, 
I really should have gone over the background of my research topic more comprehensively by 
writing the beginning of my thesis much earlier.  Although Graham told me from time to time 
to begin writing, I did not realise the importance of it until much later.  Otherwise, each 
time I talked to him, he gave me new insights and valuable ideas that I had not thought of 
before.
 
Here are some of my cultural experiences:
 
8/25		Edinburgh (yoga meeting)
9/14		Edinburgh (castle)
10/14		Mugdock (hiking with the locals)
10/28		Loch Long (diving: wrote a report for the club webpage)
11/3-4		Trossachs (hiking, sleep over with a Scottish family)
11/8		Loch Long (diving: wrote a report for the club webpage)
11/10-12	Newcastle (Annual Conference for UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space [UK-SEDS], UK Space Generation Forum)
11/15		Loch Long (diving)
11/16-18	Garvallachs (diving, near the Isle of Mull)
11/22		Edinburgh (Edinburgh lecture)
12/1-2		Leicester (UK-SEDS Committee Meeting and Strategy Meeting)
12/11		London / Cambridge (SpacePub Xmas Curry)
1/11		Cambridge (Stephen Hawking Symposium)
1/28		Burn's Supper
3/8-10		Cambridge (PhD admission visit/interview)
3/16-21		London, Oxford, Wedgwood (with my sister)
4/29		Edinburgh (Scottish astronomy meeting @ Royal Society Edinburgh)
5/4		Meeting of Association in Scotland to Research Astronautics (ASTRA)
5/17		Gave a presentation about my project at a local ASTRA meeting
5/18		Loch Long (diving)
5/24-27		Lairig Ghru (astronaut training trip in the Scottish highlands)
6/21-23		Eaton, Bath, Windsor, Wales (road trip)

Also, I gave planetarium presentations to local school children on occasions.

After spending a year in the UK, my perception of the UK changed from "just another country 
in Europe" to a country that not only sees itself distinct from the rest of Europe but also 
is seen that way by the Europeans.  Also I was surprised by the difference between Scotland 
and England.  The UK is more similar to the US than I had expected, and has a stronger and 
more friendly relationship with the US than I thought.  I also learned that the British space 
program is not as active as I had hoped.  Overall, I really feel that I will have more clear 
views about these when I return to the US and have a chance to compare again.

I would like to thank the Commission for the smooth grant administration and for making the 
effort to really help us gain as much as possible out of our time in the UK.  It was very 
encouraging to see that the people administrating the grant trust our potentials and 
actually care about our learning experience for the future.  The orientation and the forum 
made this grant much more than a financial support.  I also appreciate the support toward our 
participation in the Berlin seminar.  Thank you.
 
While I understand that the contributions come from the US and the UK, often I felt the 
focus was too strictly on these two countries only.  I feel it will not hurt to encourage 
interactions with people from other countries and travels outside of the UK.  These 
experiences could give us an even wider perspective to look at the US-UK relationship from.
	Anyhow, I'm really grateful of the Fulbright experience.  Coming to the UK through
the Fulbright program gave me additional objectives for my stay here and definitely expanded
the benefit from my experience.  Thank you very much for allowing me to have this opportunity.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Yuki (rushed to leave for the airport in 8 hours...  If you'd like, I could provide a 
better feedback once I'm back in the US and a little more settled after some sleep.)