182 Conferred Degrees at126th Graduation

Kurita to grant three annual scholarships for five years

Eastern University signs MoU with AIT

Institute Forum has a prescription for AIT, coming from students

Two billion people rely on groundwater

Water is the essence of climate change adaptation

Thailand becomes first country to live telecast Women Asia Cup from AIT

New Heads of Departments

Dr Mongkol Ekpanyapong appointed intERLab Director

Farewell and Felicitation

Photo Gallery

Blast from the Past

Coming up

Follow AIT

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182 Conferred Degrees at 126th Graduation

One-hundred-and-eighty-two students hailing from 14 countries graduated from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on the occasion of its 126th graduation held on 15 December 2016. Vietnam provided the largest cohort of students (70), followed by Myanmar (34), Thailand (30). India (18), Nepal (8), Bangladesh and Pakistan (5 each), Sri Lanka (4), Iran and Indonesia (2 each), and Afghanistan, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore (1 each). With this graduation, the strength of AIT alumni has reached 21,770.

In his graduation address, AIT President Prof. David Carmichael encouraged graduates to embrace sustainability, and social and environmental issues, along with technical and financial matters. The AIT alumni message was delivered by Mr. Tiger Leong King Ho, President, Ellipse Enterprise, Malaysia, who reminisced his days at the Institute. AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai exhorted students to serve as role models of globally responsible citizens.

Kurita to grant three annual scholarships for five years

Mr. Hiroshi Saito

Kurita Water and Environment Foundation (KWEF) will grant three full scholarships to pursue a Master’s degree program at AIT. The scholarship program will run every year for a period of five years. One scholarship each will be granted to a student in Water Engineering and Management (WEM), Environmental Engineering and Management (EEM); and Natural Resource Management (NRM).

Eastern University signs MoU with AIT

Dr. Thangamuthu Jayasingam

Eastern University, Sri Lanka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AIT for furthering academic collaboration. The MoU was signed by the Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, Dr. Thangamuthu Jayasingam, and the AIT President, Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai on 8 December 2016.

Signing the agreement, Dr. Jayasingam remarked that the academic partnership with AIT will focus on curriculum development, faculty and staff exchange, consultancy, capacity building, and academic and research programs. He added that the first batch of participants from Eastern University will join AIT for capacity building in the first quarter of 2017. “We hope to have six batches of training programs at AIT in 2017,” Dr. Jayasingam said.

Institute Forum has a prescription for AIT, coming from students

Modeled as a forum where students can offer their suggestions for betterment, the Institute Forum organized on 1 December 2016 had seven students hailing from differen  countries present their recommendations on how AIT can move ahead.

Describing the event as “historic,” Director of Office of External Relations (OEXR), Mr. Shawn Kelly introduced seven students from AIT’s three schools, who then shared their insight with the audience. Participating students included Clara Elizaga (Philippines), Huno Solomon Kofi Mensah (Ghana), Nikolai Bn (Germany), Adeel Tariq (Pakistan), Piraya Lueprasitsakul (Thailand), Tharika Fernando (Sri Lanka), and Wendy Wuyts (Belgium). AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai described the event as a “role reversal,” where students would talk while everyone else would listen.

Two billion people rely on groundwater

From left: Dr. Jayakumar Ramasamy, Dr. Jariya Boonjawaat, Prof. Worsak Kanok- Nukulchai, and Dr. Sangam Shrestha.

Two billion people rely on groundwater for their daily needs, and groundwater constitutes nearly onethird of the total global drinking water supply. These crucial facts were

discussed at the two-day workshop on “Adapting groundwater of Asian cities to climate change: bridging the science and policy interface” organized at AIT on 13-14 December 2016.

Key speakers included Dr. Jariya Boonjawaat of Chulalongkorn University, Dr. Jayakumar Ramasamy, Chief of Natural Science Sector, UNESCO (Bangkok), and Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, AIT President. Dr. Sangam Shrestha of AIT stated that the project aims to formulate adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability of groundwater resources of Asian cities to climate change in select Asian cities (Bangkok, Bandung, Ho Chi Minh City and Lahore).

Water is the essence of climate change adaptation

Prof Janos J Bogárdi

While carbon may be the key to mitigation, the name and essence of climate change adaptation is water. This was the central theme of the Seventh AIT Distinguished Adjunct Faculty (DAF) Faculty Seminar Series delivered by Prof Janos J Bogárdi at AIT on 2 December 2016. Delivering his talk on the topic “Between Global and Local Challenges: Water Resources and their Management will Shape our Future,” Prof. Bogárdi outlined the ethical dimension of water-related issues, which are intertwined with technical, economic and social solutions.

Thailand becomes first country to live telecast Women Asia Cup from AIT

India and Pakistan teams in the finals.

The lush grounds of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) were host to Women’s Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament played from 25 November-4 December

2016, making history in the cricketing world in Thailand. The final match between India and Pakistan was telecast live, and Thailand became the first country to

live telecast a game of Women’s Asia Cup.

Six Asian teams — Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, participated in the event. Led by Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, India defeated

Pakistan in the finals by 17 runs and remained undefeated in the tournament. Mitali Raj of India was adjudged player of the match. This is India’s sixth consecutive

victory in as many editions of the tournament. AIT students Hadi Hassan Khan was the venue manager.

New Heads of Departments

Six faculty members have been appointed as Heads of newly constituted departments at AIT. This marks a major academic administrative restructuring of AIT schools. Three new departments each have been created at the School of Engineering and Technology (SET) and the School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD). The School of Management (SOM) is in the process of revamping its programs.

More details are available at this link: https://goo.gl/n6EoSk

Prof. Pennung Warnitchai: Head, Department of Civil & Infrastructure Engineering

Dr. Matthew Dailey: Head, Department of Information & Communication Technologies

Dr. Pisut Koomsap: Head, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering

Dr. Anil K Anal: Head,  Department of Food, Agriculture & Bioresources

Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal: Head, Department of Energy, Environment & Climate Change

Prof. Kyoko Kusakabe: Head,  Department of Development & Sustainability

Dr Mongkol Ekpanyapong appointed intERLab Director

Dr. Mongkol Ekpanyapong

Dr. Mongkol Ekpanyapong has been appointed the new Director of the Internet Education & Research Laboratory (intERLab). His appointment, which follows the completion of term of Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut, was announced by AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai in an email to the AIT community.

His appointment is concurrent to his current position as Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering of the School of Engineering & Technology.

Farewell and Felicitation

A farewell and felicitation function was organized at AIT on 15 December 2016 in honor of employees who have reached their age of retirement. The 13 faculty and staff members who retire on 31 December 2016 include Prof. Jayant K. Routray, Mr. Vitoon Nil-Ubol, and Mrs. Lucia Vonny Sukhanenya of SERD; Prof. Gregory L.F. Chiu, Prof. Sumanta Guha, Dr. Bui Than Tam, Mr. Suwan Pungsri and Mr. Winya Panichkul of SET; Dr. Barbara Igel of SOM; Mrs. Korapin Srisuksawadi, Mrs. Pakkamol Dherapongsthada and Divina C. Anatan of AIT Administration; and Mr. Fazle Karim of AIT Extension.

Photo Gallery

Bike + Love = 2nd Breath: 2 December 2016

AIT in partnership with the AIT Alumni Association (AITAA) -Thailand, Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, Industrial Estate Foundation, and the Plastics Institute of Thailand and Thammasat University Hospital jointly organized an event tittled “BIKE + LOVE = 2nd BREATH” on 2 December 2016 at the AIT campus.

AIT Graduation

AIT 126th Graduation: 15 December 2016

Blast from The Past

When AIT researchers designed a ‘Rice Bin’, the Bangkok World published this illustration in their newspaper on August 20, 1984.

Coming up

Orientation Day : 6 January 2017

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Credits

Editor: Bajinder Pal Singh bajinder@ait.asia

Photos: Paitoon Tinnapong

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