H.E. Dr. Subin Pinkayan becomes the 9th Chairman of AIT Board of Trustees

H.E.Dr. Subin Pinkayan

H.E.Dr. Subin Pinkayan of Thailand was elected as the 9th Chairman of the AIT Board of Trustees at its meeting on 4 October 2013. Dr. Subin is a member of the first AIT graduating class of 1961, and in 2010 he was inducted into the AIT Hall of Fame.

Dr. Subin has served as Minister of the Royal Thai Government in the capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs (August 28 - December 14, 1990), Minister of Commerce (August 10, 1988 - August 27, 1990), Minister of University Affairs (August 12, 1986 - August 9, 1988), and Deputy Minister of Finance (January 15 - August 11, 1986). He was a Member of Parliament from Chiangmai, Thailand. He has also been Member of the House Standing Committee for Sciences, Technology and Energy (1983 - 85) and Vice Chairman of House Standing Committee for Sciences, Technology and Energy (1983 - 85). He has also served as advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives (1984 - 85) and Advisor to the Minister of Industry (1980 - 83).

The new Chairman is also an accomplished academician. He is a former Associate Professor at AIT; former member of the Board of Trustees of AIT, Chiangmai University and Kasetsart University. He has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NTU, Thailand, and a special lecturer in Regional Development at Chiangmai University.

UN ‘Zero Hunger Challenge’ connects AIT and Australia’s RMIT in International Development Conversation

Mr. Clovis Freire (left) and Ms. Yumiko Yamamoto.

AIT along with Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) organized a real-time online International Development Discussion with UN experts on the occasion of World Food Day on 16 October 2013. The discussion was led by Ms. Yumiko Yamamoto, Programme Specialist, UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, and Mr. Clovis Freire, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), which was followed by an

interactive discussion with students of the two universities.

CIRAD President stresses long-term partnership

From left: Dr. Michel Eddi, Dr. Jean-Charles Maillard, and Dr. Philippe Girard.

Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) President Managing Director Dr. Michel Eddi has complimented the two-decade-old partnership with AIT stating the ‘partnership platforms’ are very important for CIRAD.

In his maiden visit to AIT after assuming CIRAD’s top position early this year, Dr. Eddi stated that they had chosen to partner with AIT 20 years ago, and they would continue with this partnership. CIRAD seeks more ambitious agreements with AIT, and desires more visibility for the organization, he added. Visiting AIT on 17 October

2013 along with Dr. Jean-Charles Maillard, Regional Director for Continental Southeast Asia, and Dr. Philippe Girard, CIRAD Representative in Thailand, Dr. Eddi also sought to know more about AIT’s future plans.

Sri Lankan students sweep top awards at AIT Welcome Show 2013

Students singing, dancing, acting and strutting under the flag of Sri Lanka swept the first place awards in all five competitive categories at the annual autumn AIT Welcome Show on 18 October 2013.

Organized by the AIT Student Union under the theme “Share Similarities, Celebrate Differences”, the eight-hour extravaganza attracted a capacity crowd to the AIT Auditorium. AIT Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. S. Kumar, who himself participated in the show as an AIT student, delivered the opening remarks. “This

show epitomizes the wonderful spirit of our students and AITians.

I am happy that this tradition continues,” he said. The performers at the Welcome Show 2013 represented fifteen countries, including: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

60 participants from 8 countries join Expert Workshop on “Managing Water Resources under Climate Uncertainty”

AIT Emeritus Professor Ashim Das Gupta at the inauguration.

Sixty participants drawn from among scientists, students, international organizations and the government participated in the two-day expert workshop on “Managing

Water Resources under Climate Uncertainty: Challenges and Opportunities” on 17-18 October 2013.

The workshop, which was jointly organized by AIT with the Southeast Asia – European Union Network (SEA-EU-NET), discussed issues related to climate change

and its impact on the water sector, uncertainties associated with climate prediction and impact assessment, water management under climate variability and uncertainty,

and adapting climate change in the water sector. Workshop participants included delegates from five ASEAN countries Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and

the Philippines, along with scientists from Italy, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Panya Consultants grants two scholarships

Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai (left) with Mr. Supachai Rakpanichamanee.

Panya Consultants Co. Ltd. has granted scholarships to two students at AIT. The formal handing-over ceremony was held at AIT on 16 October 2013 when Mr.

Supachai Rakpanichamanee, Managing Director of Panya Consultants, handed over a scholarship cheque of Dr. two million Baht to AIT’s Interim President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai.

The delegation from Panya included six officials, all of them being AIT alumni. Besides Mr. Supachai, the delegation included Mr. Prasit Ponvillai, Executive Director; Mr. Sukid Panjatanasak, Managing Director Trasnconsult Col.Ltd; Dr. Siriluck Chumchean, Assistant Executive Director; and Mr. Surachai Laikarnchanapaiboon, Assistant Executive Director.

AIT partners with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, for ICT

Dr. Satoshi Sekiguchi joins the MoU signing ceremony from Japan.

AIT and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Information Technology Research Institute (ITRI/AIST), Japan, have signed a fiveyear

academic and research partnership in the field of information and communications technology (ICT).

The MoU was signed by Dr. Satoshi Itoh, Director, Information Technology Research Institute, and AIT’s Interim President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai on 2 October 2013. Dr. Satoshi Itoh was accompanied by Dr. Yoshio Tanaka, Principal Research Manager, Information Technology Research Institute. Witnessing the event via Skype from the AIST headquarters in Japan, Dr. Satoshi Sekiguchi, Deputy Director General, said the research and academic partnership would enable them to connect with Southeast Asia.

Shivaji University seeks to operationalize programs with AIT

Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai (left) with Dr. A. S. Bhoite.

A 12-member team from Shivaji University, India including members of their management council has sought to operationalize exchange programs, dual-degree programs and training modules with AIT.

Led by Pro Vice Chacellor Dr. A.S. Bhoite, the delegation included Dr. A.B Rajage, Director, Board of College and University Development, Prof. T.D. Shrike, Department

of Statistics; and Dr. S. S. Kulkarni, Dr. Megha Gulavani Visharam, Dr. A. B. Sabale, Dr. P.S. Patankar, Dr. B.N. Gophane, Dr. D. R. More, Mrs. Kadam H. Chitralekha, Mr. V. G. Gholape, and Mr. Mane Pratap, all members of the Management Council, Shivaji University.

Shanghai Jiaotong University delegation visits AIT

Prof. Zongguang Wang (left) with Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai.

A delegation from the Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU), China visited AIT on 15 October 2013 and expressed its desire to engage with AIT in joint academic and

research programs.

SJTU has many famous alumni including former President of the People’s RepublicRepublic of China. H.E. Mr. Jiang Zemin. Led by Prof. Zongguang Wang, Honorary Chairperson of the University Council, the delegation also invited AIT to participate in a conference on Information Technology to be held earlier next year. The delegation from SJTU also included Mr. Dai Lin, Investigator, China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Corporation (CNPIEC); Dr. Han Jianmin, President

of SJTU Press; Dr. Chang Tianwei, Chief Editor of SJTU Press; Dr. Li Guangliang, Assistant President of SJTU Press; and Dr. Guo Liang, Deputy Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Division.

Thailand’s Mitr Phol Group expresses interest in AIT technologies

Prof. Sivanappan Kumar (right) with Ms. Absorn Pliansinchai.

Thailand’s Mitr Phol Group visited AIT on 9 October 2013 to learn how it might introduce advanced technologies to reduce production times and costs across its sugar production business. Prof. Sivanapan Kumar, Vice President for Academic Affairs welcomed the company’s senior administration and research officials who conducted a detailed visit, interacting with AIT experts and visiting laboratories.

The Mitr Phol Group delegation included Ms. Absorn Pliansinchai, Director, Research and Development; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sansanarak Ratchadawong, Senior Manager; Mr. Saravanan Rethinum, Product Evaluation Specialist; and Dr. Woraweerukorn Weerajit, Product Evaluation Specialist.

AIT Welcome Show 2013

Interim Deans appointed from 1 October 2013

Prof. Voratas Kachitvichyanukul

School of Engineering and Technology (SET): Prof. Voratas Kachitvichyanukul is an alumnus of AIT (Industrial Engineering and Management - IEM’76), Prof. Voratas

received his PhD in Industrial Engineering, from Purdue University, USA. He started his teaching career at AIT as an Associate Professor in the Industrial Systems

Engineering Program in 1998.

Prof. C Visvanathan

School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD): Prof. C Visvanathan graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering in 1981.He earned a Master of Engineering in Environmental Engineering from AIT in 1984, and a PhD in Chemical/Environmental Engineering from Institut du Genie Chimique, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France, in 1988. He started his teaching career at as an Assistant Professor in

Environmental Engineering and Management Program in July 1991.

School of Management (SOM): Dr. ‘Donya’ holds a Ph.D. in Telecommunication Technology, Management, and Policy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT). She received her Master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, U.S.A. and her B.S. in Computer Science from Thammasat University, Thailand.

Dr. Donya joined AIT in September 2002 as an Assistant Professor in SOM and was later promoted to an Associate Professor in 2009.

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Turning Education Upside Down

Tina Rosenberg writes in The New York Times about “flipping” the way students are taught:

Three years ago, Clintondale High School, just north of Detroit, became a “flipped school” — one where students watch teachers’ lectures at home and do what we’d otherwise call “homework” in class. Teachers record video lessons, which students watch on their smartphones, home computers or at lunch in the school’s tech lab. In class, they do projects, exercises or lab experiments in small groups while the teacher circulates.

Clintondale was the first school in the United States to flip completely — all of its classes are now taught this way. Now flipped classrooms are popping up all over. …

Read more at this link:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/turning-education-upsidedown/

Coming up: 

AIT Career Fair: 

6 November 2013

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