WEEK #32, 10 – 16 August 2015
In this issue:
Announcements
China Trip of AIT Delegation
30 July – 6 August 2015
Under the invitation of UNESCO National Commission of China and Guizhou Provincial Education Department, President Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai led a team of AIT to China, consisting of SET Dean Voratas Kachitvichyanukul, SOM Dean Nazrul Islam, Senate Chair Prof. Rajendra Shrestha, Dr. Surachet Pravinvongvuth (Rail Engineering Expert), Gabrielle Glove (AIT's External Relations) and Ms. Wannapa Pliensri (China Coordinator).
Friday 31 July 2015
The AIT delegation participated in the Regional Expert Meeting on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for Higher Education at Chengdu, Sichuan Province, as Special Guests of Dr. Du Yue, Secretary-General of China's National Commission of UNESCO, Prof Wang Li, Deputy Director of UNESCO International Research and Training Center for Rural Education (INRULED) and Mr. Wang Lining, UNESCO's Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Education for Development (APEID).
Monday 3 August 2015
AIT Delegation attended the 8th China ASEAN Education Cooperation Week at Guiyang International Exhibition and Conference Center, where AIT signed an official MOU with Guizhou Provincial Education Department at the Opening Ceremony. This MOU opens a gateway for Chinese students to apply the Guizhou Provincial Scholarships Fund to study at AIT.
Tuesday 4 August 2015
President Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai presented a keynote speech on "A Possible China-ASEAN Talent Cultivation Platform at AIT" at China-ASEAN Rail Transit Talent Cultivation and the Future Development of City Forum. Dr Surachet also presented the details of a possible professional master program with collaboration with interested universities in China.
In the Forum, AIT President Worsak signed MOU on behalf of AIT with Prof Chen Guizhou, President of Guizhou Vocational and Technical College (GVTC) on high-speed rail transit collaboration. AIT Delegation also visited the highspeed rail transit laboratory at GVTC in the afternoon.
Wednesday 5 August 2015
AIT Delegation joined a field visit and experienced the Bullet Intercity Train from Guiyang to Kaiyang.
Thursday 6 August 2015
AIT President Worsak signed an MOU on behalf of AIT with Guizhou Institute of Technology (GIT). The MOU aims to set up an Integrated Bachelor's and Master's Degrees Program as well as faculty visiting under CSC support.
He was also contacted by President Qian Ji Kui of Nanjing Institute of Railway Technology who appeared to be interested by our talks to partner AIT on human resources development in rail transport system. An MOU was then proposed and signed by both parties.
In the evening, AIT President Worsak had the pleasure to meet Prof Yang Lixing, a professional colleague of Dean Voratas, from Beijing Jiaotong University (BJU) to discuss a partnership between the two Institutes to organize Professional Master's Degree Program on Rail System Engineering and Management for international students at AIT. Further details will be finalized after the delegation from BJU visits AIT.
AIT Fund Raising Campaign for Myanmar
AIT President Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai has announced a fundraising campaign for Myanmar in an email to the AIT Community. He said: “AIT is deeply saddened by the many lives lost, large scale displacement of people, and the widespread damage caused by the recent heavy flooding and landslides in Sagaing, Magway, Rakhine and Chin states, which the Government of Myanmar has declared as disaster zones.”
On behalf of all members of the AIT community, he has conveyed his deepest condolences and sympathies to the Government and people of Myanmar. Our thoughts and prayers are with our alumni in Myanmar, former faculty colleagues, friends and institutional partners, the AIT President said.
AIT has started a campaign at the Institute level to collect donations among its community, alumni, partners and friends. An AIT account has now been set up:
Account Name: AIT Fund Raising Campaign for Myanmar
Account Number: 001-8-101475
Bank Address: KASIKORNBANK
Klong Luang Branch
58/1 Moo 9, Paholyothin Road
Klong Nueng, Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120
Thailand
SWIFT: KASITHBK
Prof. Worsak invited the AIT Community, alumni, and friends to consider taking part in this drive, and to jointly as an AIT community show our support and solidarity for Myanmar during this most difficult and challenging period. AIT enjoys a longstanding and close relationship with Government of Myanmar and stands ready to provide any assistance that it can in this time of need.
The fundraising campaign will conclude on 20 August 2015, after which the collection will be transferred to the President of the AIT Alumni Association (AITAA) Myanmar Chapter.
In case any AITAA National Chapter has also organized a similar campaign, donors may also consider making the donation there.
SET welcomes new faculty
Dr. Attaphongse Taparugssanagorn has joined AIT’s School of Engineering and Technology (SET) as an Assistant Professor specializing in Telecommunications.
Dr. Attaphongse Taparugssanagorn was born in Bangkok, Thailand in 1975. He received the Bachelor of Engineering degree from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand in 1997. After working as an engineer for Siemens Ltd, Bangkok in Telecommunications transmission department for two years, he obtained the Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany in 2001. He joined Centre for Wireless Communications, University of Oulu, Finland at the end of 2003, and completed his Doctor of Technology degree there in 2007. In 2009, he worked as a visiting postdoctoral researcher in Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan. He returned home in Bangkok in 2011 and joined Asian Institute of Technology as an adjunct faculty teaching graduate and undergraduate courses until the January semester 2015. His research interest includes future wireless communications, signal processing for wireless communication systems, statistical signal processing, detection and estimation techniques.
Coordinates:
Room: 214, School of Engineering and Technology, Telecommunications (TC) Building
Tel.: 02 524 5739, 088 62 88820
Email: attaphongset@ait.asia
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Campus Updates
Condolences
The AIT Community would like to convey its heartfelt condolences to Professor Kasuo Yamamoto, Vice President for Resources Development (VPRD), whose father passed away in Japan, on Saturday 8 August 2015. Professor Yamamoto's father was 88 years old.
We pray for strength and courage to him and members of the family in this time of grief.
SERD Faculty Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal to serve as a speaker at IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report’s Outreach Event
Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal of Energy Field of Study, School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD) has been invited to be a speaker at the media event of IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report’s Outreach Event on 17 August at United Nations Conference Center, UNESCAP, in Bangkok. He will also serve as a speaker at the main event on 18 August 2015.
Head of UNESCAP as well as two of the IPCC vice-chairs and Working Group I and III co-chairs, will participate in the event.
Two of AIT’s RFCC speakers, Dr. Seree Supratid and Dr. Fredolin Tangang will also be speaking on 18 August.
Google Maps Street View for Capturing the Panoramic Image in AIT Campus
With the strong effort of Dr. Sarawut Ninsawat, Interim Field RS & GIS FoS Coordinator, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Google Maps Street View in Thailand has accepted his proposal of Street View in AIT campus. The Street View will capture the panoramic images in AIT campus on 13 August 2015, from 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon. along the main street by using Street View car. Also, the view along the walkway will be captured with Street View bike or Street View Trakker. After complete the data capturing process, Google Maps Street View will process panoramic images and provide public access to AIT campus.
The program will benefit AIT in promoting the institute. In addition, Google Street View will allow AIT students to capture data along the walkway. They can learn the advanced technology of Google Street View. In the future, RSGIS FoS also plans to purchase a street view camera and provide this skills to the students.
Survival Thai Course for Beginners
The Language Center is pleased to announce the opening of Survival Thai Course for Beginners.
Survival Thai Course for Beginners
Duration: From 24 August to 7 October 2015 (20 hours) on Monday and Wednesday, from 17:00 - 18:30 hrs.
Course Fee: 2,000 baht
Class Size: 15 persons
Interested persons please register and pay at the Language Center, Room 216.
Budget 2016 Preparation Timetable
The AIT Finance Office announced that Budget 2016 preparation is about to start soon. Finance will distribute budget guideline together with the budget template according to the below timetable.
Since AIT has a tight deadline to present the budget to Audit Committee and Excom after the budget has been approved by the AIT management, this timetable might be useful for all units to plan their time for this budget task.
Budget Timetable:
Sept. 1 - 2016 Budget template send out with year-to-date data up to July 2015
Sept. 14 - Return Budget templates to Finance
Sept. 28 - Oct. 2 - AIT Management team review the 1st proposal and with suggestion for the budget revision
Oct. 6 - Schools/centers/units return revised budget to finance
Oct. 13-16 - AIT Management team review and approve the final budget
AIT Bottled Water @ 53 THB/Pack purchase at call center
Please be informed that AIT Bottled Water is now available at the Office of Facilities and Assets Management (OFAM).
Details of ordering and purchasing the AIT Bottled Water (600ml/bottle) are as follows:
1. One (1) Pack of 12 bottles at 53.-THB/pack
2. Order placement at the Call Center in Physical Plant Bldg. or call phone number (02) 254-5800 or email callcenter@ait.asia
3. Delivery at destination point with a minimum order of 5 packs.
4. Payment can be made in advance at the Call Center or upon delivery.
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Events
A Seminar on “Disaster Recovery Mapping Project at Elementary and Junior High Schools"
A seminar on “Disaster Recovery Mapping Project at Elementary and Junior High Schools” will be delivered on 11 August 2015 at Room E117 by Dr. Aiko Sakurai, Associate Professor, International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan) from 1300-1500 hours.
Organized by the Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and Management (DPMM) program, the moderator for the session will be Visiting Associate Professor Dr. Takashi Oda.
Abstract: Dr. Sakurai will talk about post-2011 disaster recovery efforts in schools affected by the tsunami in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi.
About the speaker: Dr. Sakura is a leading scholar and practitioner of disaster recovery and international educational development. She has worked with many organizations internationally including Kobe University, World Bank, and Save the Children Japan. Short profiles of Dr. Sakurai and Dr. Takashi are attached for your information. More information is available at this link: http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2015/events/sakurai.pdf
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Visitors
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Delegation from Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) / 13 August 2015 / Road Show Visit
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Delegation from Indonesia Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD), led by Dr. Agung Hendriadi, Executive Secretary of IAARD / 14 August 2015 / To follow up the plan to send IAARD researchers to AIT for master’s and doctoral programs and to discuss about the draft of the MoA between AIT and IAARD.
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Faculty and Staff Travel
Prof. Nitin K. Tripathi / Delhi, India / 16 – 21 May 2015*
Prof. Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh / Boston, North Carolina, Massachusetts and New York, USA / 16 June – 13 August 2015
Dr. Sangam Shrestha / Vientiane, Lao PDR / 1 – 4 August 2015*
Mr. Osamu Mizuno / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia / 2 – 4 August 2015*
Ms. Thaniya Jirasathipornpong / Bali, Surabaya, Malang and Jamber, Indonesia / 4 – 11 August 2015
Dr. Lal Samarakoon / Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar / 6 – 7 August 2015*
Mr. Upul K. Brahmanage / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 7 August 2015*
Dr. Firman Hadi Darodji / Semarang & Denpasar, Indonesia / 10 – 15 August 2015
Dr. Manzul K. Hazarika / Jakarta, Semarang and Denpasar, Indonesia / 10 – 15 August 2015
Dr. Anil Kumar Anal / Siem Reap, Cambodia / 12 – 15 August 2015
Prof. Nazrul Islam / Hanoi, Vietnam / 12 – 22 August 2015
Dr. P. Abdul Salam / Male, Maldives / 15 – 20 August 2015
Prof. C. Visvanathan / Japan / 15 – 21 August 2015
Dr. Naveed Anwar / Kathmandu, Nepal / 18 – 21 August 2015
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
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Classifieds (Job)
Laboratory Supervisor (School of Environment, Resources & Development)
Ref. No: 29/15
Deadline: 19 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/323
Language Lecturer (Language Center)
Ref. No: 34/15
Deadline: 20 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/332
Media & Communication Officer (Asian Center of Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture Intensification - ACISAI)
Ref. No: 40/15
Deadline: 20 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/331
Research Associate (Asian Center of Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture Intensification - ACISAI)
Ref. No: 41/15
Deadline: 20 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/333
Assistant or Associate Professors Positions (School of Management)
Ref. No: Fac 5/15
Deadline: 31 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/309
Senior Laboratory Supervisor (School of Environment, Resources & Development)
Ref. No: 18/15
Deadline: 31 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/310
Drasftman (AIT Consulting)
Ref. No: 35/15
Deadline: 31 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/327
Structural Engineer (AIT Consulting)
Ref. No: 42/15
Deadline: 31 August 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/334