Institute of High Performance Computing

International Attachments - Seiko Instruments Inc.

IHPC Internat ional Project Collaborat ion – Mr Satoshi Watanabe (Seiko Instruments Inc. )

The capricious weather in Singapore with its sudden changes from sunny blue skies to thunderous tropical storms is something locals are used to and prepared for. However, for Satoshi Watanabe-san who is attached at IHPC for 6 weeks, it is an idiosyncrasy he had to get used to, after being soaked by a sudden shower one morning as he made his 20-minute walk to IHPC.

An engineer in the Engineering Chain Management from Seiko Instruments Inc (SII) Japan, Watanabe-san was the key researcher in a collaborative project between SII and IHPC. IHPC’s role was to help SII shorten their product development time through the use of advanced computer simulation software whilst Watanabe-san assisted in speeding the work process by arranging discussions, helping with the simulation models and acting as a liaison between IHPC and the SII headquarters in Chiba, Japan.

While leaving the reassuring familiarity of home is never easy, leaving for a country where the national language is different from one’s own can be even more formidable. However, Watanabesan’s homesickness was allayed by the warm welcome he received from the friendly staff in IHPC, which made him feel very comfortable here. He was also very impressed by the competence of the IHPC researchers and their dedication to their work.

“During our project discussions, I can see the passion the researchers adopt towards their work and it is a heartening experience to see their love for what they’re doing, and that the project is going well.”

The speed of the IHPC servers and their ability to do simultaneous calculations also left Watanabe-san with a deep impression. It reduced the processing time needed for his project and helped complete daily tasks at a much greater pace. He was also very pleased with the number of software licences owned by IHPC as the different programmes allowed him to broaden his own technical knowledge and work proficiency.

Not letting the opportunity of touring around the island slip him by, Watanabe-san explored Singapore during the weekends. He had visited the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Sentosa whilst complementing on the ease and convenience of the public transportation system to get around. Orchard road was his favourite hangout as he enjoyed the vibrancy and the hustle and bustle of the shopping crowd. Watanabe-san also got to taste a great variety of local cuisine when the IHPC staff brought him out for lunch and dinner on several occasions.

Having witnessed firsthand the IHPC ‘can-do’ spirt and the researchers’ passion for deeper knowledge, Watanabe-san found that his time here had greatly benefited him in many ways as he was now more confident that he could overcome difficulties like settling into a new environment.