WEEK #20: 16 – 22 May 2016
In this issue:
Announcements
Donations Collection for Hosting of Religious Rites by AIT for Former AIT Board Chairman H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman
In follow up to the earlier announcement on the hosting of the religious rites ceremony by AIT on 21 May 2016, please be informed that the former AIT Board Chairman H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman's family are collecting donations which will go towards medical equipment for the new Ramathibodi Hospital (Bang Na). Anyone who would like to make a contribution towards this cause please kindly contact either Khun Nam chotirosm@ait.asia or Khun Pratchanan pratchanan@ait.asia .
Additional Member of Institute Advisory Board
Dear Members of the AIT Community,
It gives me a great pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. Suchitra Punyaratabandhu, Graduate School of Public Administration, National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Thailand, as an additional member of AIT's Institute-level Advisory Board (ILAB).
Dr Suchitra Punyaratabandhu obtained her BA Hons (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) in 1968, and M.A. in 1972 both from Oxford University; and PhD (Political Science) in 1979 from University of California at Berkeley.
Dr. Suchitra is former Vice President for Administration, former Dean of the Graduate School of Public Administration, former President of the Academic Senate, and former Director of the Research Center, National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). She previously served three terms on, including one term as chairperson of the Committee for Development Policy, Economic and Social Council, United Nations.
Her research interests and publications include governance, organizational reform, urban development, and program evaluation. She is currently editor of the Thai Journal of Public Administration, and serves on the councils of other academic institutions, including the Royal Thai Police Cadet Academy.
On behalf of AIT, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Suchitra for having kindly accepted to serve as a Member of the ILAB, and I am confident that AIT will benefit greatly from her wealth of knowledge and experience on the social side of science and technology.
Further details on the ILAB is available at the below link:
Sincerely,
Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
President
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
Individual Contributions to TRF Outcome / Invitation to match TRF Grant of 6 m Baht per discipline
Dear Members of the AIT Community,
I refer to AIT’s success in the latest round of the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) University Rating, in which AIT obtained a perfect score (TRF Rating 5) in five disciplines namely:
1. Civil Engineering
2. Industrial Systems Engineering
3. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
4. Energy
5. Environmental Engineering and Management
Although research is only one function of AIT, it is generally regarded as the most important component of higher education. Only a few years back, when AIT was not visible in the major world rankings, while some local universities were at least in the top 1000, it was already presumed that AIT was not as good as what people used to believe. Even some of our vocal alumni lost their trust.
To me, our impressive performance in the TRF Rating is not at all unexpected even at the time of our rebuilding, as this TRF Rating only applies at a national level. However, taking the top TRF honor helped open the eyes of the higher education community in reassuring our academic standard. Having said that, I trust that we all recognize our weakness as well, which we may not be able to overcome due to our uniqueness. Nevertheless, this benchmark provides us with a clue where we need improvement.
As the outcome of this round of TRF evaluation is based on data collected in the 3-year window of 2011-13, many of the outputs are on account of the momentum of the past. We do not expect young faculty members to be readily productive as those colleagues who have just retired. So we must be prepared for the next round of evaluation. With this reasoning in mind, I have made the raw data of the TRF evaluation, which reveals the contribution of all individuals toward the end results, for your information.
As conveyed earlier, TRF has now invited AIT to submit proposals, one for each of the 5 disciplines that received a TRF Rating of 5, for TRF’s “Three-Year Institutional Research Grant”. The objective of these grants are to support the disciplines with a proven potential to further develop their research capacity, productivity and performance, so they can advance to the global level.
The Research grants aims to fund research activities for a duration of three years (2016-2019). The expected outcomes are accessed every year-end on quantitative and qualitative terms based on the publications in international academic journals. The disciplines, whose proposals are accepted, will receive a research grant from TRF for 3 consecutive years, at 1 million THB per year, thus 3,000,000 THB in total. The recipient institutions are required to match the same amount of fund for the three years. Hence the total research grant for each qualified discipline is 6,000,000 THB for 3 years.
The project proposals would be evaluated by a Selection Committee of reputed experts based on the pros and cons of the proposed research outcomes and the strategy used to attain the objectives. Project Leaders of the proposals will be invited to make a presentation to the Selection Committee. Subsequently the successful projects would then sign the contract agreements with TRF for the award of the grant.
The deadline for the submission of the project proposals is the 20th of May 2016 and need to be submitted online through the following link:
http://academics.trf.or.th/irg
The results are expected to be declared by the 30 June 2016.
In its last meeting, the Management Team has agreed that the matching fund of one million Baht per discipline per year will be shared between the School’s Capital Fund and the Central Administration through the Institute Reserve upon the approval of the Board. Schools short of Capital Fund may take a loan from the Institute Reserve. The relevant Schools have agreed to select the Project Leader, most likely based on his or her contribution to the rating outcomes, who together with a team will prepare a proposal. The Proposal must be endorsed by the School Dean and approved by the Management Team, before it is submitted to TRF before the deadline.
I look forward to the successful proposals prepared by the respective teams of each of the five disciplines and encourage you to strive and make the most of this Research Grant from TRF. This is an excellent opportunity for AIT to showcase its research expertise and reaffirm it position as a Leading Research Institute in these 5 areas for now.
Sincerely,
Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
AIT President
2015 Teaching Awards
Dear AIT Faculty and Staff,
I am pleased to announce the selection of the following faculty for the Teaching Awards:
a. Dr Avishek Datta (ASE/SERD) for ≤15 students category
b. Dr Masahiko Nagai (RSGIS/SET) for >15 students category
Our warmest congratulations to our two colleagues on this recognition, which was entirely based on student evaluation/feedback of the courses taught in 2015.
The awards will be presented during the coming May 2016 graduation ceremony.
The members of the evaluation committee were: Vice President Academic Affairs, Vice President Resource Development, Vice President Research, Dean SERD, Dean SOM and Dean SET.
My sincere thanks to the members of the evaluation committee for their participation, comments and inputs in making this selection.
Prof. S. Kumar
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Project opportunities in climate change related areas (CTCN)
Dear Faculty and Staff,
As many of you already know, AIT is part of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) consortium (https://www.ctc-n.org/). The CTCN is the operational arm of the UNFCCC technological mechanism whose mandate is to assist developing countries adopt technologies to mitigate, and adapt to, climate change (free of cost). The recent Paris Agreement (at COP 21) has further strengthened the CTCN.
The CTCN is led by UNEP and UNIDO and has 11 other members (including AIT) across the globe. The CTCN assistance chiefly covers:
•Technical support/service
•Capacity building
•Knowledge sharing (through networking event).
The ceiling for CTCN support to developing countries is USD 250,000 per request. However, assistance packages rarely exceed USD 100,000. This includes personnel costs and other costs incurred by the service providers and the recipients.The CTCN assistance mechanism works in the following way:
Step 1: Countries submit to the CTCN a 'Request for Assistance' note through their national focal points. This note should provide details of what is requested for, and why it is being requested.
Step-2: CTCN assign stage-1 of the work to one of the consortium members. In stage-1, the work involves developing a response plan to describe how the assistance will be provided (something like a ToR).
Step-3: After the response plan is approved by the country and the CTCN, stage-2 (implementing the response plan) of the work is assigned to either one of the consortium members or some other organization from the network.
At AIT we have a CTCN Steering Committee, comprising of:
• Prof. Mukand Babel (msbabel@ait.asia )
• Prof. Rajendra Shrestha (rajendra@ait.asia )
• Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal (shobhakar@ait.asia )
• Dr. Oleg Shipin (oshipin@ait.aisa )
• Dr. Abdul Salam (salam@ait.asia )
• Dr. Victor R. Shinde (who coordinates the CTCN activities at AIT, victorshinde@ait.asia )
The CTCN has received around 100 requests for assistance so far from all over the world. The Steering Committee at AIT scrutinizes the requests (especially those coming from Asia) and recommend the names of AIT faculty/staff who could be engaged in the response mechanism.
In our last Steering Committee meeting, we thought it may be good to change this model of operation. Henceforth, here is how all of us (faculty and staff) can be engaged in the CTCN assistance mechanism.
1. All faculty and staff will be directly apprised when a request for assistance comes to us from the CTCN. If the subject area matches your expertise, you can communicate with Victor, who will guide you on how to proceed further. If more than one expressions of interest are received from faculty/staff, the Steering Committee will take a call on the best way forward.
2. Instead of waiting for the requests to trickle in, we should also treat this as an opportunity to generate requests. Most of us have good working relationships with public sector agencies in developing countries. Perhaps we can encourage these agencies into submitting a request to CTCN, and help them develop the short 'request for assistance' note. We will then follow up the CTCN Headquarters to ascertain that AIT is selected to work on the response plan.
If you have any queries/questions, please feel free to send an email to Victor (victorshinde@ait.asia ).
Thanks, and I hope we can make good use of this opportunity. You will soon start receiving emails about the CTCN requests.
Mukand Babel
Director, SDCC
Call for Papers for International Journal of Exploration in Science & Technology (iJEST)
International Journal of Exploration in Science & Technology (iJEST)
Call for Papers - Vol. 1 Issue 1 (June - 2016) - Introductory Issue
iJEST is intended to facilitate a forum for academia, technocrats, industrial professionals, researchers and scholars around the globe to share innovative ideas, experiences, practices and research outcomes in science and technology that serves as a catalyst for the academic development. The first issue of Journal will be launched in the month of June. The Journal publishes original research of high quality to attract contributions from the relevant local, regional and international communities. All the accepted papers will be published quarterly, available online.
Research work related to the field of Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Basic and Applied Sciences will be accepted and published.
All the submitted papers will be peer reviewed and checked for plagiarism before publication.
Faculty, students, and researchers are invited to submit your next article of your research/review/study in engineering & science research area for publication FIRST issue of iJEST.
Author Benefits:
- Reliable, easy, transparent & rapid publication process.
- Paper will publish online.
- Indexing of papers will be done in all major online bibliographic journal databases (under process).
- Open Access Journal Database for High visibility and promotion of your article.
- Author Research Guidelines & Support.
You may submit manuscript for review through Email at: chiefeditor.ijest@gmail.com , There is NO PUBLICATION FEE.
Last date of article submission - 31 MAY 2016
Author Notification - Within TWO weeks
Issue Publication - June 2016
For more details visit: http://ijest.webs.com
Extension of the deadline - Erasmus KA1 Mobility for Staff Teaching at UGR Spain
The Call for Applications on Erasmus+ KA1, for Mobility for Teaching and Staff Training with University Granada, Spain is extended until 31 May 2016.
Faculty/Staff who are interested in applying for the grant must submit their application to Carol at ERASMUS Office under External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO).
The mobility will be implemented within the year 2016 ‐2017 (preferably Spring time) and must be used before May 2017.
For any queries/clarifications, please contact Ms. Carol at 02-524-6299, email: carol@ait.asia.
Revised P&Ps on Purchasing
Please be advised that based on the recommendation of the AIT Management, in its 5 November 2015 meeting, the President approved the following revised policy & procedure statements (P&Ps):
FB-3-1-1 Purchasing of Goods and Contracting for Work / Services
Added new sections on (a) methods and (b) authority for purchasing of goods and contracting for works / services; as well as (c) types of purchasing documents.
FB-3-2-3 Summary of Cash Purchases
Administrative restructuring
This P&P is Intranet-published under (FB) Financial and Business Affairs.
Campus Updates
Condolences
The AIT Community would like to express our deepest condolences and sympathies to Dr. Fredric W. Swierczek, AITCV Director, and his family on the passing away of his son, Mr. Benjamin, on Friday night, May13.
Please be informed that the religious rites will be held from May 16 – 18, 2016 at 6.30-8.00 p.m. at Sala 6 Wat Siripongthammanimit, Ram Indra. The Cremation Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 19 at 4.00 p.m.
Mr. Benjamin was a SOM alumnus who graduated in 2002. Dr. Fredric can be contacted by the AITians at his email fred@aitcv.ac.vn to express personal condolences and sympathies.
OFAM Outsourced Services & Facilities Survey
AIT’sOffice of Facilities and Assets Management (OFAM) manages and supervises the operation and maintenance of AIT infrastructure and facilities. AIT Management has outsourced the maintenance services for Technical maintenance, Janitorial services, Landscape Services, Security services, AITCC management.
OFAM asses the performance of the contractors and facilities for the services provided on regular basis, based on various Key Performance Indicators (KPI). One of the key indicators for the assessment of the contractors is customer satisfaction level, which could be obtained through this survey. AIT Community’s feedback will help OFAM to evaluate the performance and as well, will guide the office to improve its services.
The AIT Community is requested to fill the survey questionnaires, that could be accessed through the link below
http://goo.gl/forms/L0sJuMfcb4
The Survey will be open until 22 May 2016.
Halal Food Stall available at the AIT Cafeteria
Food Stall No. 4 at the AIT Cafeteria is available for Halal food providers:
Interested parties are invited to submit your proposals by hand or email to the Purchasing Office (purchasing@ait.ac.th ) not later than 3.30p.m. on Wednesday, 25 May 2016.
Contact person:
- For Bid information and submission: Pakkamol: Tel - 02524 5029, pakkamol@ait.ac.th
- For Space information & requirements: Elizabeth: Tel - 02524 6323, bethc@ait.asia
Pizza Promotion at AITCC
The AIT Conference Center (AITCC) welcomes AITians to join its "Pizza with special more cheese" promotion. Two menus are available for serving - Hawaiian and Chicken Ham. Buy 1 Get 1 Free!
Price: 129 Bht. at the restaurant; 149 Bht. For take away.
Events
AIT’s 125th GRADUATION
19 May 2016
Morning Ceremony
School of Environment, Resources and Development
School of Management
PROGRAM
Academic Procession
* Introduction by the Vice President for Academic Affairs
* Graduation Message by the President
* Graduation Address by Dr. Doulaye Koné, Deputy Director, WASH Program
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
* Installation of Emeritus Professors
* Installation of Professors
* Conferment of Doctoral Degrees
* Message by a Doctoral Graduate
* Intermission
* Conferment of Master Degrees (SERD) and Awarding of Prizes
* Conferment of Master Degrees (SOM) and Awarding of Prizes
* Conferment of Bachelor Degrees (SERD)
* Message by Dr. Tong Ki Woo, Governor of Education, Daegu Metropolitan City, Korea and AIT Prominent Alumnus
* Message by the Most Outstanding Master’s Graduate
* Academic Recession
Afternoon Ceremony
School of Engineering and Technology
PROGRAM
Academic Procession
* Introduction by the Vice President for Academic Affairs
* Graduation Message by the President
* Graduation Address by H.E. Mr. Jesús Miguel Sanz, Ambassador, Head of Delegation European Union, Thailand
* Installation of Emeritus Professor
* Installation of Professor
* Conferment of Doctoral Degrees
* Message by a Doctoral Graduate
* Intermission
* Conferment of Master Degrees and Awarding of Prizes
* Conferment of Bachelor Degrees
* Message by Dr. Suleeporn Choopavang, Director of Foreign Affairs Department
Office of the Chaipattana Foundation and Prominent Alumnus
* Message by the Most Outstanding Master’s Graduate
* Academic Recession
The 125th Graduation ceremonies will be broadcasted live on Internet on 19 May 2016 at 09:30 and 14:00 hrs. from the following URL:
http://www.graduation.ait.asia/live/
Special Talk & Thailand Science Park Site Visit
Thailand Science Park Tenant Club together with Food and Feed Innovation Center, BIOTEC invite interested persons to attend “Special Talk & Thailand Science Park Site Visit” to be held on 31 May 2016 from 10 a.m. – 12 noon., at Room 127 BIOTEC, Thailand Science Park.
The participants will have the opportunity to attend a special talk on “Meat Quality Issues in Modern Chicken Broilers” by Dr. Massimiliano Petracci, Associate Professor, Department of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Bologna, Italy. Later, there will be the visit of Betagro Science Center Col., Ltd. and Air Products Asia (Technology Center) Co., Ltd. which are located at Thailand Science Park.
For registration, please contact: ffic@biotec.or.th by 23 May 2016.
Visitors
- Delegation from the Embassy of France to Thailand, led by H.E. Ambassador Gilles Garachon / 18 May 2016 / to make a maiden visit to AIT to learn about the institute and its latest developments
Faculty and Staff Travel
Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo / Vietnam / 25 – 27 March 2016*
Prof. Kyoko Kusakabe / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 22 – 25 April 2016*
Ms. Kluaymai Thongkham / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 1 – 4 May 2016*
Prof. Voratas Kachitvichyanukul / Beijing, P.R. China / 4 – 8 May 2016*
Dr. Djoen San Santoso / Myanmar / 6 – 9 May 2016*
Prof. Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh / Hanoi, Vietnam / 7 – 13 May 2016*
Dr. Indrajit Pal / Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Thailand / 8 – 11 May 2016*
Prof. Nitin Kumar Tripathi / Yilan City, Taiwan / 10 – 13 May 2016*
Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo / Vietnam / 11 – 18 May 2016*
Mr. Syed Muntasir Husain Bokhari / Denpasar Bali, Surabaya, Indonesia / 14 – 28 May 2016*
Dr. Faiz Shah / Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Australia / 15 – 20 May 2016
Mr. Faisal Alih / Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Australia / 15 – 21 May 2016
Dr. Joyee S. Chaterjee / Mumbai, India / 18 – 27 May 2016
Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe / Taipei, Taiwan / 19 – 22 May 2016
Mr. Voravate Chonlasin / Phuket, Thailand / 20 – 22 May 2016
Ms. Worawan Sumroetrum / Phuket, Thailand / 20 – 22 May 2016
Dr. Yuosre Badir / Hanoi, Vietnam / 20 – 28 May 2016
Prof. Ajit P. Annachatre / Delft, The Netherlands / 22 May – 5 June 2016
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
Classifieds (Jobs)
Position: Program Officer, Australian AID research project, GDS (short term)
Ref. No. 15/16
Deadline: 25 May 2016
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/371
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