Kengo Araki joined Prof. Michael De Volder's group at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in May 2026 as a Student Visitor. He is currently pursuing his Master's degree at the Kajihara Laboratory, University of Tokyo, where he is investigating the mechanisms of direct joining between metals and resins, particularly in Injection Molded Direct Joining. Previously, he received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Tokyo (Morita Laboratory), where he conducted research on ultrasonic technology. At the IfM, his current project investigates the contact resistance between battery current collectors and active battery materials, specifically exploring the application of laser surface processing on aluminum foil.