Dear Mr.

Akihiro Munemasa,
Let me introduce myself. My name is M. Samy Baladram. Currently I’m an undergraduate
student in my final year in ITB (Institut Teknologi Bandung) Indonesia. I took Mathematics
major and about to graduate in July 2012. For my final project, I worked with Mr. Djoko
Suprijanto. The topic itself is about the construction of spherical design.
I have a great interest in design. I found it interesting and challenging. When Mr. Suprijanto
offer me the topic about spherical design for my final project, I’m actually quite interested
and accepted it. I’ve read the paper he gave me and I found your name in “Handbook of
Combinatorial Designs”. I found out that your explanation concerning the spherical designs is
amazing. It is not too lengthy and full of information, just everything I need. Before I found
the book, I’ve been searching it for quite some time and the other explanation (mostly I
found it in paper) is not really clear.
I’ve decided to work with spherical design and Mr. Suprijanto gave me some other paper and
guide me through the construction of spherical design. Now, I’m in the end of my research. At
first, we were trying to construct it via association scheme but in the end we use numerical
and analytical approach to make it. Currently, I’ve made the spherical 3-,5,and 7-design. It’s
not a tight one actually (since I’m still a beginner) but Mr. Suprijanto found out that my
spherical 3-design is actually a tight one. But unfortunately, that spherical 3-design is
actually a cross polytope, so we ended in a new non-tight one.
I really wish to continue my study concerning this part. Although, I’ve ended my research, Mr.
Suprjianto suggest me to continue my research in Japan in my future study and try to learn
more about association scheme, Q-polynomial, and Euclidean design.
Currently, I’ve also applied for a scholarship in Japanese embassy in my country (It’s called
Monbukagakusho). The scholarship is for 18-month research student in Japan university. The
research itself will start around October 2013. Mr. Suprijanto suggest me to do research with
you in Tohoku University since he think that you are the right person to share with about this
research and the right person to work with. And actually I’d really love to.
If my application in embassy is accepted, is it possible for me to do research with you? I’d
really love to do some research and explore more about spherical design.
I’m sorry for my English, since it’s not my native language. Thank you very much for your time
and consideration. I wish you could reply me as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
M. Samy Baladram
Dear M. Samy Baladram,
I am happy to accept you as a research student working on spherical designs. I suppose you
mean to enroll as a graduate student. Please check the specification of the scholarship. My
guess is that you come to Japan in
October 2013, spend 6 month as a research student, take an entrance exam in March 2014,
enroll as a regular
student in April 2014. Then you need to ask an extension of the scholarship to cover the two-
year masters program which ends in April 2016. Is it correct?
Best Regards, Akihiro

Itu loncat-loncat dapet emailnya, apalagi ada kata-kata “I am happy to accept you” . Segitu
aja udah cukup, intinya kita udah menghubungi profesor dan udah tau mau ngapain di Jepang.
2. Research Plan
Di lembar format research plan, dikasih space sekitar 1/3 halaman kosong. Tapi, buat nunjukin
keseriusan, disarankan buat di attach research plannya (saya udah kasih contoh yang saya lho).
Itu juga atas instruksi dosen pembimbing saya, katanya mesti jelas. Pokoknya jadi semacem
research proposal lah. Itu bener-bener nunjukin sejauh mana kita ngerti dan sejauh mana kita
pengen belajar di Jepang. Udah saya masukin ya research plan saya (yang saya yakin pasti
pada gak ngerti saya nulis rumus apaan).
3. Study Plan

Nah, bagian ini adalah bagian essay. Anggap aja ini esai dengan judul “Jika saya tiba di
Jepang, maka…”. Jadi nyeritain kita di sana mau ngapain aja sih (mau ngunjungin perusahaan
game Bandai-Namco, Square Enix, Capcom, sama Konami, hehehe becanda). Mau berapa lama
di sana? Kegiatan di sana mau apa aja? Bisa bertahan sama kebudayaan Jepang?

Yah intinya kaya begitu, pasti bisa lah bagian ini, asal 1 halaman aja kata saya sih udah cukup
aman. Ini saya paste yang saya yah (tapi janngan asal copas lho), maapin kalo ada grammar
yang salah ya.

In this study program, for the first two year, I will describe my study plan in 6-month period,
started from the arrival in Japan in April 2013.
From April 2013 to October 2013, I will focus on attending the Japanese Language Course
(JLC) since it is mandatory for me to master Japanese as soon as possible. I am sure it will
help me a lot in adaptation process if the course is held in the university where I will conduct
my research. Also, it will be a great place to generate a network for the social needs and
future study in Japan. In the JLC program, I believe that I am suitable to join Intermediate
Class because I have learned some fundamental Japanese previously.
During the intensive six-month Japanese language course, I will take some time to go to my
research location. As described in research description, I would propose myself to do research
in Graduate School of Informational Science (GSIS), Tohoku University. Though my previous
study is Mathematics, I have already carefully decided why I would like to enroll in GSIS. I
have learned that most Mathematics Department in Japan universities does not provide such
lab that focus on this specialization. In GSIS, I will do my research in Computer and
Mathematical Science Department. For the research, if I am able to enroll as research student
in Tohoku University, I’m planning to join Prof. Akihiro Munemasa’s lab in “Mathematical
Structure I”. I believe the lab would provide me a suitable work environment for my research.
For the early preparation, I have also contacted Prof. Akihiro Munemasa in April 2012 and met
him personally in July 2012 and he said he would gladly accept me to be his future research
student.
From October 2013 to April 2014, I am planning to conduct my research there. During that
time, I will also prepare to take the entrance examination for the graduate school which I
wish to attend in March 2014. This 6-month research time will be greatly useful because I will
be able to know my environment better. Thus, if I pass the entrance examination, I will
continue my research in the same lab as a graduate student. If not, I will continue my
research as research student for the last six month that is from April 2014 until October 2014.
If I am accepted in the graduate school, from April 2014 to April 2016, I will continue my
research as graduate student with the same research theme. If possible, I will also join some
clubs or social community during this period so that I could also learn some soft skills. As a
Moslem, I will surely join the Moslem community. I am also interested in Japanese cultural
club or anime club since I have interest in both of them.
I am planning to finish my Master Program in April 2016 and continue my research for my
Doctoral Program from April 2016 until, approximately, April 2019. It will also be the end of
my study program in Japan.
After all, the ultimate goal of the research itself is to produce some high-quality papers and
results that can be widely use in other fields such as quantum physics, network arrangement,
numerical analysis, and cryptography. After I finished my study in Japan, by my teaching
ability, I will gladly introduce the algebraic combinatorics structures in Indonesia as
academician, especially in my university. I am also interested in writing books concerning the
field since I have a great interest in writing. By my experience in Japan, it is also possible for
me to write some other Mathematics textbook. I wish the books will be able to educate and
motivate students from all around Indonesia.
I think I have carefully planned my study program in Japan. Since I rarely know any other
student (even lecturer) from all around the country that has interest in this field, this
ultimate goal will be one of the important steps of the development of Mathematics in
Indonesia especially in algebraic combinatorics.
Well, yah itu bagian research plan. Jangan lupa, karena kita orang Indonesia, dan bahasa
Inggris nya blableblo, pastiin ini direview sama temen yang bahasa Inggrisnya bagus (thanks to
Anggita Septiani Harahap atas editannya), buat cek grammar dll. Jangan sampe ini dibikin h-1
atau bahkan h-seminggu, karena kita pengen ini sebagus mungkin dan se perfect mungkin lah,
jangan sampe ditolak karena grammarnya salah. Ini saya cek beberapa kali, tanda bacanya
juga saya cek, grammar dan pemilihan bahasanya katanya gak boleh terlalu minta-minta dan
gak boleh kepedeean–harus humble. Contohnya, Gunakan kata “I believe I …” daripada “I think
I …”. Gunakan “I wish” atau “I prefer” daripada “I want”, “I may” daripada “I can”.
Pokoknya dipoles terus ampe bening sebelum dikirim karena ini bagian yang sangat penting.
Kalo kita udah ngehubungin profesornya, bisa kita sebutin tuh nama profesor ama univnya biar
gak terkesan terlalu ngawang-ngawang pengen ke Jepang.

Wah, sepertinya itu saja, kalau mau kembali ke post Seleksi Berkas atau Tes TOEFL juga boleh.
Kembali ke Awal Mula Segalanya + Kronologis

(keyword buat yang nyasar ke sini : beasiswa jepang, monbukagakusho 2014, seleksi dokumen,
monbukagakusho MEXT 2013, research plan, field of study, menulis research proposal, research
program mombusho)