WEEK #25: 20 – 26 June 2016
In this issue:
Announcements
PASSING AWAY OF PROF HIROYOSHI SHIIGAI
Email from AIT President:
14 June 2016
Dear Members of AIT Community
We have learned today with deep sorrow the passing away of AIT's first Japanese seconded faculty member and former Vice President and Provost, Prof. Hiroyoshi Shiigai on 30 May 2016. A funeral ceremony was already held on June 5th exclusively by his family.
An alumnus of the University of Tokyo (B.E. 1959; M.E. 1961; D.Eng. 1965), Professor Shiigai, in fulfilling his personal passion to help developing countries, has spent his long career helping foreign students both at AIT and Japan, and transferring flood control technology to developing nations.
In the course of his lifetime’s work, Professor Shiigai has built a long and rewarding involvement with AIT. Whilst working at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, he was seconded twice to AIT as a visiting professor of coastal engineering, first from 1969 to 1971 and later from 1973 to 1974. In April 1977, he was seconded for a third time, succeeding Professor Robert Banks as Vice President and Provost. From 1981 until 2000, Professor Shiigai also served as Vice Chairman of AIT's Board of Trustees.
Personally, I have had very high regards for Professor Shiigai, as a mentor and the Provost who approved my recruitment as Assistant Professor in 1978. In 1985, during my sabbatical leave at University of Tokyo, I had a chance to pay a personal visit to Prof Shiigai who was President of Tsukuba University.
On behalf of the AIT Community, we would like to express our sincere condolences on the loss of a great leader in the field of international education and a true supporter of AIT.
An official website to post condolence messages to the family of Professor Hiroyoshi Shiigai is: http://condolences.ait.asia/2016/06/15/passing-away-of-professor-hiroyoshi-shiigai/
Yours Sincerely,
Prof Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
AIT President
AIT Alumni Association (Thailand Chapter) visits AIT
AIT alumni led by Dr. Verapong Chaiperm, Governor, Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (I-EA-T), visited AIT on 14 June 2016 and interacted with senior AIT officials. They were briefed about various aspects about AIT including the Future Role of AIT - AIT's R&D for Mankind, Financial Situation of AIT, Progress of Infrastructure Renovation, Progress of Library Modernization, Front Gate and AIT Student Mall, and Fundraising Campaign for Equipment and Korea House. Later they also visited the AIT Library.
See more details: https://www.facebook.com/AITasia/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10154226935929709
Call for Abstracts for a Conference on "Water Security and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in Asia"
AIT (through one of its Asia Pacific Network (APN) on Global Change Research project) in association with Exceed centers CNRD (Cologne) and SWINDON (Braunschweig) in Germany will organize a conference on "Water Security and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in Asia". The relevant details of the conference are:
When? 29 November - 01 December, 2016
Where? AIT Conference Center, Bangkok, Thailand
Who can Attend? Academicians, practitioners, development workers, public sector officials, policy makers, private sector delegates, and students.
Please visit the conference website (http://sea.exceed-swindon.org/water security conference/ ) for additional details.
The 2015 Stockholm Prize (the world's most prestigious water award) Laureate, Rajendra Singh, will make a special keynote address in the conference.
The call for abstracts is now open. Limited financial support is available for participants from Asian universities. Participation as observers is also welcome.
For further details, please contact Ms. Aakanchya Budhathoki (Conference Coordinator) at watersecurityconf@ait.asia .
Kinldy pass on the information pertaining to this conference to interested persons within your networks.
Project Opportunities in Nepal, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, and Myanmar
As part of the CTCN project, there are requests for technical assistance received from:
- Nepal titled “Developing policy framework and business model to promote sustainable use of biomass briquettes in Nepal" (contact deadline 23 Jun. 2016)
- Ethiopia titled “Financing strategy for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) - Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit (LRT) " (contact deadline 23 Jun. 2016)
- Azerbaijan titled “Strengthening Capacities to Assess Climate Change Vulnerability and Impacts to Shape Investments in Adaptation Technology for Azerbaijan’s Mountain Region" (contact deadline 27 Jun. 2016)
- Myanmar titled “Promoting data for climate change, drought and flood management in Myanmar" (contact deadline 27 Jun. 2016)
If the subject areas fit your expertise well, and if you would like to be involved in providing 'technical services' towards the implementation of this request, please contact Victor Shinde (victorshinde@ait.asia ). He will help you in preparing a small application package (2-3 pages) that will be submitted to the CTCN Headquarters in Copenhagen. He will also explain to you the CTCN assistance mechanism. The application package will essentially contain information on:
Capacity to work in the language used by the country requesting assistance.
Work conducted on related topic/technology, if any (optional: provide relevant documents).
Previous work in the country or region, if any (optional: provide relevant documents).
Relationships and partnerships you may have in the country, if any.
Please note that submission of an application package does not guarantee an award. The CTCN Headquarters receives a number of applications from different organizations and it is their prerogative to choose the one they deem appropriate.
Campus Updates
Driverless car program broadcasted on Voice TV
A program on driverless car developed by Dr. Manukid Parnichkun and his team was broadcast by Voice TV (channel 21) on 19 June 2016. A part of the program was taped at the Mechatronics lab of AIT.
http://shows.voicetv.co.th/global-village/379014.html
SCB’s New Service Time at AIT
Please be informed that SCB would like to change its service time from 9 to 10 a.m.
Representatives of The Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) will be at the Finance Office every day from 10 to 10.30 a.m., mainly to collect deposits from AIT units (Finance, OFAM, outsourced units), and extends its deposit service (cheque / cash / bank draft) to AIT faculty, staff, and students from 10.15 a.m. onwards or soon after SCB handles AIT transactions.
Events
A Seminar on “Implementation of EIAs: Lessons Learned from JICA Experience”
Organized by: Urban Environmental Management (UEM), School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD)
Speaker: Professor Tetsuya Kamijo
Date: 23rd June 2016
Time: 13:30 to 16:30 hrs.
Venue: S101 (SERD Meeting Room)
Structural Engineering Seminar on “Lesson Learned from Kumamoto Earthquake
The AIT Community is invited to attend the Structural Engineering Seminar on “Lesson Learned from Kumamoto Earthquake” on Friday, 24 June 2016, 10:00 - 12:00 hrs. in the Auditorium at AIT Conference Center.
Background:
On April 14, 2016, a foreshock M-6.2 shallow depth (9 km) earthquake struck the area, 3 km to the West of Kumamoto city. The M-7.0 main shock occurred on April 16 just 3 km to the right of the city causing devastative damage to buildings and infrastructures over Kumamoto and Oita prefectures. The death toll was 44 and more than a thousand people were injured. Approximately 110,000 people were relocated into temporary shelters. A Japanese-Thai team, funded by Urgent Collaborative research/survey program J-RAPID, conducted a reconnaissance survey in Kumamoto prefecture during June 6 and 7, 2016. Lesson learned from Kumamoto earthquake survey trip in remote sensing and structural engineering perspectives will be presented in this seminar as follows:
(i) Overview and Seismic Monitoring of Kumamoto Earthquake
By Professor Fumio Yamazaki, Chiba University
(ii) An Overview on Lessons Learned from Recent Earthquake in Nepal,
Thailand, Taiwan and Japan
By Professor Pennung Warnitchai, Asian Institute of Technology
(iii) Satellite Remote Sensing Analysis for the Kumamoto Earthquake
By Assoc. Professor Masahiko Nagai, The University of Tokyo
(iv) Building and Infrastructure Damages from Kumamoto Earthquake
By Dr. Punchet Thammarak, Asian Institute of Technology
Invitation to 2nd UN International Yoga Day
The Embassy of India in association with all partners and stakeholders, will be hosting a mass Yoga event in the morning of Sunday, 26 June, 2016 to commemorate the 2nd UN International Day of Yoga in Bangkok. The Venue of the Event is : Chulalongkorn University Playground (Opp: Main Auditorium). The Event starts at 6:30 A.M. and ends at 8:00 A.M. All participants will be presented with a T-Shirt, refreshments & water free of cost. Yoga Mats will be pre-placed at the Venue.
In this regard, Indian Embassy has arranged three buses especially for AITians. Buses will start by 5:30 AM from AIT Lawson 108. We request everyone to be on time in this regard to reach the venue before 6:30 AM.
Interested participants can fill-in the below google form to confirm their participation at the soonest.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EHrXfyxO28wIUbyr3ED_YH3y-naTWPeqCnrJb70GFgI/viewform
5th AIT Distinguished Adjunct Faculty (DAF) Seminar
The 5th AIT Distinguished Adjunct Faculty (DAF) Seminar will be delivered by Professor Sudip K. Rakshit entitled, "Transition to a Sustainable Bio-economy: Global Perspectives"
Date : Tuesday, 5th July 2016
Time : 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Main Auditorium, AIT Conference Center
Prof. Sudip K. Rakshit is a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Biorefining and Bioenergy Processes at Lakehead University (LU) . He is associated with the Biorefining Research Institute (BRI) and the Department of Chemical Engineering at LU. Professor Rakshit served as the AIT Vice President for Research from September 2005 to March 2012 and Professor in the Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology (FEBT) program from January 1995. His first employment was in the Chemical Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, India. Prof. Rakshit obtained his Master and PhD in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology from IIT, Delhi, India and B.Tech from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. His first degree was Chemistry Honours from the Loyola College, Chennai, India.
Interested persons please kindly confirm your participation by registering through the following link or by emailing Ms. Chotiros (Nam) at chotirosm@ait.asia , Tel. 02-524 6319.
There will be also be a live broadcast of the talk (link will be communicated closer to the date of the event).
Further details on the DAF initiative is available at the below link:
https://sites.google.com/a/ait.asia/ait-distinguished-adjunct-faculty/home
VISITORS
- A delegation from China University of Geoscience (Wuhan), led by Mr. SU Hongtao, Vice Dean of International Education College / 21 June 2016 / to build a long-term partnership with AIT and to seek opportunity for student exchange programs and to collaborate in scientific research with AIT.
Faculty and Staff Travel
Mr. Sanjeet Amatya / Yangon, Myanmar / 11 – 14 March 2016*
Dr. Vilas Nittivattananon / Trat, Koh Mak, Koh Chang, Thailand / 25 – 27 May 2016*
Dr. Damlen Jourdain / Yangon, Maubin / Myanmar / 1 – 4 June 2016*
Mr. Chatuphol Pholwan / Chonburi, Thailand / 4 – 5 June 2016*
Mr. Sasanka Madawalagama / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 10 – 22 June 2016
Dr. Jagath K. Rajapaksha / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 11 – 20 June 2016
Dr. Peeyush Soni / Mumbai, India / 12 – 16 June 2016*
Ms. Sopida Khamyai / Khon Kaen / 12 – 17 June 2016*
Dr. G. Louis Hornyak / Hong Kong and China / 13 – 16 June 2016*
Dr. Apichon Witayangkurn / Dhaka, Bangladesh / 15 – 17 June 2016*
Prof. C. Visvanathan / Songkla, Thailand / 17 June 2016*
Mrs. Lucena d. Talaid / Singapore / 17 – 21 June 2016
Ms. Worawan Sumroetrum / Pattaya, Chonburi / 18 – 20 June 2016*
Mrs. Chalita Lertwinyu / Singapore / 18 – 21 June 2016
Ms. Chotiros Mongkolchotirat / Singapore / 18 – 21 June 2016
Ms. Sitahng Puttha / Singapore / 18 – 21 June 2016
Prof. Pennung Warnitchai / Potsdam, Germany / 18 – 22 June 2016
Mr. Syed Muntasir Husain Bokhari / Denpasar Bali, Surabaya, Indonesia / 18 June – 2 July 2016
Dr. Kannawee Kanitpong / Tsukuba and Tokyo, Japan / 18 June – 4 July 2016
Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe / Yangon, Myanmar / 19 – 21 June 2016
Dr. Nitin K. Tripathi / Czech Republic / 19 – 23 June 2016
Dr. K. R. Salin / Vienna, Austria and Chzech Republic / 19 – 25 June 2016
Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo / Vietnam / 19 June – 6 July 2016
Dr. Naveed Anwar / Kathmandu, Nepal / 20 – 24 June 2016
Dr. Anil Kumar Anal / Hanoi, Vietnam / 21 – 24 June 2016
Dr. Loc Thai Nguyen / Hanoi, Vietnam / 21 – 26 June 2016
Dr. Chotchai Charoenngam / Vietnam / 22 – 24 June 2016
Dr. Prabhat Kumar / Ubon Ratchathani and Surin Provinces, Thailand / 22 – 24 June 2016
Dr. Abha Mishra / Ubon Ratchathani and Surin Provinces, Thailand / 22 – 24 June 2016
Mr. Miltesh Vishwas Sawant / Surin Province, Thailand / 22 – 24 June 2016
Ms. Amornpan Koysungeon / Surin Province / 22 – 24 June 2016
Prof. Rajendra P. Shrestha / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 23 – 25 June 2016
Dr. Than Lin / Vancouver, BC, Canada / 23 June – 6 July 2016
Dr. Donna L. Doane and Ms. Kanokphon Jongjarb / Vientiane, Lao PDR / 24 – 26 June. 2016
Dr. Djoen San Santoso / Hungary / 25 June – 3 July 2016
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
Classifieds (Jobs)
Position: Head, Human Resources Office (Human Resources Office)
Ref. No. 7/16
Deadline: 30 June 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/363
Position: Development Officer (President's Office)
Ref. No. 24/16
Deadline: 30 June 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/381
Position: Administrative Officer (Government Relations Unit)
Ref. No. 26/16
Deadline: 30 June 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/383
Position: Head of Waste Management Cluster (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No. 27/16
Deadline: 30 June 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/384
Position: IT Officer (AIT Library)
Ref. No. 16/16
Deadline: 14 July 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/372
Library Assistant (AIT Library )
Ref. No. 17/16
Deadline: 14 July 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/373
Position: Assistant / Associate Professor (School of Environment, Resources & Development)
Ref. No. Fac 01/16
Deadline: 30 September 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/380