WEEK #42, 19 - 25 October 2015
In this issue:
Announcements
Registration for 2015 Year End Party
Human Resources Office is sounding the trumpets to all AIT employees to participate in the AIT 2015 Year End Party to be held on 4th December 2015.
Register now and be counted for t-shirt, buffet lunch, gifts and be eligible for raffle draw. Big prizes are at stake!
Please complete and submit the form on or before 22 October 2015.
If you trouble viewing or submitting this form, you can fill it out in Google Forms.
Grant opportunities from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is inviting applications that address specific challenges defined in the grant programs below. For details and application instructions, please visit the new Grand Challenges website. Please note that descriptions of the challenges are available on the website in Chinese, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
1) Grand Challenges Explorations is seeking innovative global health and development solutions and is now accepting proposals for its latest application round. Applicants can be at any experience level; in any discipline; and from any organization, including colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations, and for-profit companies. Initial grants will be US $100,000 each, and projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive additional funding of up to US $1 million.
Proposals are being accepted online until November 11, 2015 for the following challenges:
• Novel Approaches to Characterizing and Tracking the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance
• Explore New Solutions in Global Health Priority Areas
Addressing Newborn and Infant Gut Health Through Bacteriophage-Mediated Microbiome Engineering
• Explore New Ways to Measure Delivery and Use of Digital Financial Services Data
2) New Interventions for Global Health: Vaccine Manufacturing. This challenge focuses on innovations in vaccine manufacturing platforms designed to lower production cost for vaccines that target diseases of great global burden and that are among the most costly to produce with current technologies.
Letters of Intent will be accepted until November 5, 2015.
3) The Global Innovation Fund is accepting application on a rolling basis. Please visit the website for more information http://globalinnovation.fund/apply-to-gif
4) An Interactive Biostatistics Course will be held from 16-20 November 2015 at the KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for TB and HIV (K-RITH), based at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine in Durban, South Africa. The primary goal of this course is to give participants an overview of the various biostatistical methods used in medical research so that they can both employ these techniques in their own research and better understand the results presented in medical literature. Lori Chibnik, PhD, MPH, a Biostatistician at Harvard University, will run an inspiring and hands-on training course on biostatistics where students will work with data from their own projects to understand basic statistical concepts and methods used in medical research. Travel Scholarships are available to allow trainees for across Africa to attend. For more information and to apply please visit www.k-rith.org . Deadline for applications: 1 October 2015.
5) In addition, the African Academy of Sciences and the New Partnership for African Development have launched Grand Challenges Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. This program joins others within the Grand Challenges family of grant programs supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its partners. Grand Challenges Africa will build on the global success of Grand Challenges programs in India, Brazil, and South Africa, as well as the strong base of Africa Grand Challenges grantees already funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, and USAID. Please read our latest blogs including one from the Global Health President. For more information please visit AAS.
Furthermore, as a forum for sharing ideas, pursuing new opportunities and keeping abreast of new developments in the field of global health, The Gates Foundation together with Grand Challenges Canada has set-up a LinkedIn group. All you need to join is a free LinkedIn account - go to Global Health Innovations and click “Join”.
We look forward to receiving innovative ideas from around the world and from all disciplines. If you have a great idea, please apply. If you know someone else who may have a great idea, please forward this message.
Thank you for your commitment to solving the world's greatest health and development challenges.
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
Interested persons please visit: www.grandchallenges.org
Emerald Online Quiz 2015
Emerald has launched and online Quiz 2015 for all universities in Thailand who subscribe to Emerald.
To join activities please click to https://goo.gl/lWvr5i
The online quiz starts now and lasts until 31st October 2015.
1st place winner: iPad Mini 1 prize
2nd place winners: Emerald Backpack 2 prizes
3rd place winners: Emerald Power Bank 3 prizes
4th place winners: Emerald Sheep Bag 5 prizes
5th place winners: Emerald keychain 10 prizes
Emerald will announce all winners on Instragram @emeraldthailand on 5 November 2015.
Follow up Call for a Proposal due in Oct.
Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut, Vice President for Research, would like to remind the AIT Community regarding the following call for a proposal due in October 2015:
- Regional Forum on Climate Change grant of 143, 000 EUR for 3 projects (adaptation/mitigation/cross-cutting studies). Teams must involve 3 research centers: 1 AIT, 1 French, 1 other Asian. http://www.rfcc2015.ait.asia/Presentation/CallForTermsOfReferece (English)
Deadline: October 31
ABU Asia Pacific Robot Contest
Thailand will host ABU Asia Pacific Robot Contest next year under the theme “Clean Energy Recharging the World,” organized by Thailand’s Channel 9 (MCOT)
The contest’s rules were announced on 23 August 2015 in Indonesia. The rules are specified by an academic committee chaired by Dr. Manukid Parnichkun of Mechatronics Program, School of Engineering and Technology.
Please see the contest introduction VDO from the following links:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/137036433
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-AhJHUBuNk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Ma9yKFsjY
Further information is available at: www.aburobocon2016.com
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Campus Updates
Training Session Oct. 20: “Guide to Getting Published”
Emerald is organizing a training on this coming Tuesday, 20 October 2015. The content consists of platform training and Guide to Getting Published (GGP). The speaker will introduce what is available in the Emerald database available at the AIT Library. The “Guide to Getting Published” will be useful for postgraduate students and faculty. This session will provide the following.
• How to get started
• How to target your work more effectively
• The essentials of a research paper
• What editors and reviewers actually look for
• How to peer-review your own work
• The secrets of revision
The training will be held at AIT Conference Center, Room B108. Interested persons can register via e-mail at library@ait.asia. Documents will be provided.
Bangchak Scholarships Awarding Ceremony
On 2 November 2015, there will be Bangchak Scholarships Awarding Ceremony at Bangchak’s Head Office. Two scholarships will be awarded to following students: Mr. Danupol Wetchasirikul, Energy FoS, SERD; Ms. Nattaphan Suksri, Environmental Engineering and Management FoS, SERD. Associate Prof. Dr. Weerakorn Ongsakul, Ms. Chalita Lertwinyu, Assistant to the President, and Dr. Tenzin Rabgyal, Coordinator, Admission and Scholarships Officer, will be representatives from AIT to attend the ceremony.
Condolences
The AIT community would like to express our deepest sorrow over the passing away of Regional and Rural Planning (RRDP) alumnus Dr. Sohail Akram, Lecturer of Balochistan University, Quetta, Pakistan on 13 October 2015.
RRDP organized a condolence meeting on October 15 at Milton Bender Auditorium, which was attended by faculty members, staff and AIT students.
About Dr Sohail Akram:
Dr. Sohail Akram was born on 31st December 1974. He completed his M.Sc in Statistics from University of Balochistan in 1999 and started his career as Lecturer in the Education Department of the Government of Balochistan in December 2000. He also got Scholarship from Government of Balochistan and successfully completed Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad in 2002. In 2005, he joined University of Balochistan as a lecturer in the Department of Statistics, University of Balochistan Quetta, Pakistan. In 2008 he got a scholarship for higher studies in the Asian Institute of Technology, Pathum Thani Thailand. He completed his master in 2010 and continued his studies for earning PhD. In the year 2014, he completed his PhD. He worked as an active fellow, along with other fellow PhDs from RRDP and DPMM in the establishment of a new department, “Department of Disaster Management and Development Studies” at University of Baluchistan Pakistan. This is the first ever department of this kind in Pakistan. He was popular for his critical thinking among his fellow friends and colleagues. He was a good of badminton player. Lastly, Dr. Sohail was a great fellow having a nice personality.
He passed away after suffering a massive heart attack on 13 October 2015 in Quetta, Pakistan.
Dr. Sohail who graduated with a doctorate from AIT in 2014 was one of the pioneers for establishing the new department of disaster management at UOB.
Request for Information: Fulbright Alumni
In early November a delegation from the Institute of International Education (IIE) will visit AIT to explore possible areas of collaboration. IIE is interested to know if there are any Fulbright Alumni among the AIT Faculty and Staff.
As External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO) will be coordinating the visit of IIE, the Fulbright Alumni are requested to contact Dr. Gabrielle Groves Punyaratabandhu, Head of ERCO, tel. 524 6024 or email: gabrielle@ait.asia, head-erco@ait.asia, and provide the following details:
1. Full Name
2. Current Position at AIT
3. Fulbright Alumni at which Institution and dates
Dr. Groves Punyaratabandhu will follow up directly with you about your possible interest in participating in a meeting with the delegation.
TOEIC test at AIT
The AIT Career Center is organizing a TOEIC test on 29 October 2015 from 08:00 - 12:00 hrs. at the Milton Bender Auditorium, AIT Extension Building, AIT.
The TOEIC test questions are based on real-life work settings in an international environment (meetings, travel, telephone conversations, etc). The Test is used by organizations to determine whether an employee is suitable for a particular task. If you work or want to work for a large organization, particularly in Asia, then the TOEIC test will be useful to you.
The schedule of registration, payment method, confirmation of payment and TOEIC preparation course are given below:
12- 21 October 2015 Online Registration and Payment for TOEIC Test.
Payment (by cash) at Career Center Office through Ms. Chatchata, AIT Admin Building (beside Registry) during office hours.
29 October 2015: TOEIC Test at the Milton Bender Auditorium from 08:00 - 12:00 hrs.
The price for students is 700 baht and for current AIT staff is 1,000 Thai Baht.
Lastly, please note that a minimum of 25 students is needed for this test to be administered in AIT.
To register for the test: https://docs.google.com/a/ait.asia/forms/d/1HApPdHyNa1JUQifE0JTNJ3WTayImp7bYGrXWfBDSgPY/viewform
For more information and questions, please visit our Career Center Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/aitcareercenter or e-mail: careercenter@ait.asia
We are thankful to the Center for Professional Assessment (TOEIC Test Center), the only TOEIC test conductor in Thailand, for conducting the standardized test.
Deletion of old mails in the old email server
As announced on 12 September 2014 (http://itserv.ait.ac.th/helpdesk/announce/MigrationGmail.html ), old emails in the old email server can be accessed only until 15 September 2015. If any of the AIT faculty, staff, and students still have important old emails there, AIT Helpdesk would like to give you one more opportunity to save/copy your old emails until 20 October 2015. To get access to the old mail server, please use following URL: https://web-mail.ait.ac.th/implogin.php
All old emails will be completely deleted in the old mail server on 21 October 2015.
Reading and Writing Thai for Beginners
The Language Center is pleased to announce the opening of Reading and Writing Thai for Beginners.
Reading and Writing Thai for Beginners:
From 26 October to 9 December 2015 (20 hours)
On Monday and Wednesday, from 17:00 - 18:30 hrs.
Course Fee: 2,000 baht
Class Size: 15 persons
Register now at the Language Center, Room 216.
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Events
Seminar on ‘Green Mega Urban for Transit Oriented Development’
A seminar on “Green Mega Urban for Transit Oriented Development” will be delivered at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 21 October 2015 at Room S101 from 1300-1630 hours.
Jointly organized by the University of Indonesia (UI) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), the seminar will be addressed by Dr. Raldi Hendro Koestoer and Dr. Hayati Sari Hasibuan of UI, and Dr. Vilas Nitivattananon, Dr. Surachet Pravinvongvuth, and Dr. Duangporn Prasertsubpakij of AIT. The seminar will include mixed sessions of presentations and discussion.
See more details: http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2015/events/seminar-on-green-mega-urban-for-transit-oriented-development/#.ViB3p-Ghe00
DPMM Seminars for Asia Pacific Initiative for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance
Disaster Preparedness Mitigation and Management (DPMM) program shall be conducting a seminar series from August-December 2015 as a part of the Asia Pacific Initiative for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance. The seminars will be delivered from JICA Room, Second Floor, School of Engineering and Technology (SET).
To reserve a seat, kindly contact
Email: dpmm@ait.asia , dpmm.ait@gmail.com
Website: www.dpmm.ait.asia
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DPMM.AIT
See more details: http://www.ait.ac.th/news-and-events/2015/events/dpmm-seminars-for-asia-pacific-initiative-for-disaster-management-and-humanitarian-assistance/#.Ve-rSMv-IdV
AIT Career Fair
35 ORGANIZATIONS TO MEET @ THE AIT CAREER FAIR
4 November 2015, AIT Conference Center
35 organizations have confirmed so far to join the Career Fair on 4 November 2015! You are cordially invited to explore and uncover opportunities offered by the companies that are joining the event.
A brief profile of the companies that are attending our Fair for the very first time are given below:
- Agoda Services Co. Ltd. - one of the fastest-growing online hotel platforms worldwide, listing hundreds of thousands of hotels and providing services in 38 different languages
- Asian Disaster PreparednessCenter (ADPC) - an independent non-governmental organization that deploys disaster risk management (DRM) information and systems to reduce local, national and regional risk across Asia-Pacific
- East West Seed ROH Ltd. - market leader by selling premium quality hybrid and open pollinated seeds for all major tropical vegetable crops
- aCommerce Co. Ltd. - provider of full service end-to-end ecommerce solutions with specialized teams
- FDI Recruitment (Thailand) Co. Ltd. – premier recruitment agency
- Thunder Oilfield Services (Thailand) Ltd. – provider of superior services for customized offshore crane management in the oil & gas industry
- Decathlon Production (Thailand) Ltd. – outdoor gear/sporting goods distributor
- King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi – a leading technology academy in Thailand
- INTEQC Feed Co., Ltd. - livestock agricultural business provider
- DSG International (Thailand) PCL - manufacturer and distributor of baby products/diapers
- Spring Professional Recruitment (Thailand) Ltd. - international recruitment firm for engineering, IT, property & construction, and supply fields
- MFEC PCL - Thailand's fastest growing IT Services enterprise
- Bluescope Steel PCL - leading international supplier of steel products and solutions and a flat steel producer
- Saraff Global - started with diamond business and diversified to real estate, trading, IT, power sector, plastics fields
The above companies are now joining the list with:
- Bangkok Glass PCL - manufacturer of glass containers in Asia
- Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited - petroleum services provider
- TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management Co. Ltd. - engineering consulting services
- Kasikorn Bank - leading universal banking group in Thailand
- Siam Cement Group - business conglomerate focused on chemicals, paper, cement, building materials and distribution
- Christiani and Nielsen PCL - construction contractor
- Tipco Asphalt PCL - manufacturer and distributor of asphalt products
- SDV Logistics (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - total logistics solutions
- Pylon PCL - specialty foundation contractor company
- Siam MakroCo. Ltd. - wholesale center for professional business operators
- Maxim Integrated Product (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - analog semiconductor company
- AMATA Corporation PCL - world’s leading industrial city developer
- ERM-Siam Co., Ltd. (Head Office - world’s leading sustainability consultancy
- Black & Veatch (Thailand) Ltd. - leading global engineering, consulting and construction company
- TOA Paint (Thailand) Co., Ltd. - leading paint manufacturer in Thailand
- GEMCITY Engineering and Manufacturing Thailand - designers and manufacturers of electrical / mechanical assemblies
- Panya Consultants - multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary professional consulting and management service provider
- AIT Consulting - offers solutions in technology, engineering, environment, development, and management
- Dutch Mill Co. Ltd. - one of the largest dairy manufacturing and distribution companies in Thailand
- Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods PCL - one of the world's top food providers
- Nawarat Patanakarn PCL - one of Thailand's largest construction and engineering firms
WEBSITE LOGO SPONSORS:
- Siambrator Co. Ltd. - leading manufacturer of steel shot, steel grit and wear resistant alloy castings
- Bangkok Glass PCL
- Thunder Oilfield Services Co. Ltd.
CAREER TALK SCHEDULE:
Cowan Intl Co. Ltd. - 21 October 2015 (Wed), 4 pm, AITCC
MFEC PCL. - 28 October 2015 (Wed), 4 pm, AITCC
World Bank Grp Info Session, aCommerce and Thunder Oilfield Services (to be announced later)
Career Fair companies who joined last year and this April 2015 who have placed AIT alumni/students for jobs and internships are as follows:
Bangkok Glass PCL, Black and Veatch (Thailand) Ltd. , Boon Rawd Brewery Co., Ltd, Bombardier Transportation Signal (Thailand) Ltd., Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Eureka Design Public Co., Limited, Gemcity Engineering and Mfg. Co., Ltd., Fircroft (Thailand) Ltd., Magnecomp Precision Technology PCL, Meinhardt (Thailand) Ltd., NSF Asia-Pacific Co., Ltd., Planet T&S Co., Ltd, PPS PCL, Schlumberger Overseas SA, Thai Beverage PCL, THAI O.P.P PCL, Thaicom PCL, ThaiGerTec Co., Ltd, and Tipco Asphalt Co., Ltd.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FAIR:
• Long-term career prospects
• Job placements
• Internship opportunities
• On-the-job training
• Research partners
• Networking with company representatives
• Free Goodies
AND
• AIT Student Union sponsored Research Exhibition showcasing prototypes and posters related to students’ research!
Mark your calendar! For developments and career opportunities, drop by at: www.careercenter.ait.asia
or check: http://www.facebook.com/aitcareercenter
or email: careercenter@ait.asia
or contact AIT Career Center via phone: 662 524-6744, 662 524-6326
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Visitors
• Delegation from Jonkoping University, Sweden, led by Dr. Anita Hansbo, President of Jonkoping University / 2 November 2015 / to focus on future common research and students exchange at Master’s and Doctoral levels.
• Delegation from Technological University (Thanlyin) and (Hmawbi), Yangon, Myanmar, led by Dr. Kay Thi Lwin, Rector of TU / 4 November 2015 / to learn about AIT and possible areas of collaboration.
Faculty and Staff Travel
Mrs. Warindhorn Wachirasiri / Ubon Ratchathani / 5 – 6 August 2015*
Mr. Syed Muntasir Husain Bokhari / Dhaka, Bangladesh / 18 September – 1 October 2015*
Dr. Naveed Anwar / Geneva, Switzerland / 21 September – 3 October 2015*
Miss Aye Sandar Phyo / Mandalay & Yezin, Myanmar / 30 September – 20 October 2015
Mr. Norman Del Mundo Alcoba / Manila, Philippines / 3 – 25 October 2015
Prof. C. Visvanathan / Moscow, Russia / 5 – 8 October 2015*
Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo / Vietnam / 8 – 12 October 2015*
Dr. Masahiko Nagai / Chiang Mai Province / 9 October 2015*
Dr. Chotchai Charoenngam / Vietnam / 10 – 11 October 2015*
Prof. Gopal B. Thapa / Kathmandu, Nepal / 10 - 22 October 2015
Miss Soe Soe Htway / Mandalay, Myanmar / 11 – 20 October 2015
Prof. Nazrul Islam / Boston, USA / 11 – 25 October 2015
Dr. Sangam Shrestha / Manila, Philippines / 12 – 15 October 2015*
Dr. Lal Samarakoon / Jakarta, Indonesia / 14 – 16 October 2015*
Dr. Naveed Anwar / Kathmandu, Nepal / 14 – 17 October 2015*
Dr. Anil Kumar Anal / Hanoi, Vietnam / 15 – 17 October 2015*
Prof. Pennung Warnitchai / Singapore / 16 – 17 October 2015*
Mr. Manish Shrestha / Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand / 16 – 18 October 2015*
Dr. Vishnu P. Pandey / Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand / 17 – 18 October 2015*
Ms. Lucena D. Talaid / Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand / 17 – 18 October 2015*
Dr. Sangam Shrestha / Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand / 17 – 18 October 2015*
Mr. Sanjeev Pradeep Jayasinghe / Sakon Nakhon Province / 17 – 18 October 2015*
Dr. Faiz Shah / Manila, Philippines / 17 – 22 October 2015
Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut / Dublin, Ireland / 17 – 25 October 2015
Dr. Noppadol Phienwej / Tainan, Taiwan / 18 – 20 October 2015
Dr. Thammarat Koottatep / Jakarta, Indonesia / 18 – 20 October 2015
Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal / Jakarta, Indonesia / 18 – 21 October 2015
Dr. Manzul K. Hazarika / Manila, Philippines / 18 – 21 October 2015
Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai / Daejoen and Gwanju, South Korea / 18 – 22 October 2015
Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto / Seoul, Korea (Daejeon, Gwangju) / 18 – 22 October 2015
Prof. Mukand Singh Babel / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 18 – 23 October 2015
Dr. Victor Shinde / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 18 – 23 October 2015
Mr. Nawarathnage L. Deshapriya / Manila, Philippines / 18 – 23 October 2015
Ms. Hiromi Inagaki / Jakarta, Indonesia / 19 – 22 October 2015
Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe / Seoul, South Korea / 20 – 22 October 2015
Dr. Theo Ebbers / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 20 – 24 October 2015
Dr. A. Yakupitiyage / Ho Chi Minh and Can Tho, Vietnam / 21 – 25 October 2015
Dr. K. R. Salin / Ho Chi Minh and Can Tho, Vietnam / 21 – 25 October 2015
Dr. Naveed Anwar / New York, USA / 25 – 28 October 2015
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
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Classified Jobs
Senior Administrative Officer (Finance Office)
Ref. No: 52/15
Deadline: 20 October 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/343
Information, Quality & Document Management Officer (AIT Consulting)
Ref. No: 47/15
Deadline: 23 October 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/339
Programme Officer (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No: 49/15
Deadline: 30 October 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/344
Senior Programme Specialist (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No: 50/15
Deadline: 30 October 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/345
Administrative Officer (School of Engineering & Technology)
Ref. No: 48/15
Deadline: 31 October 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/341
Head, Human Resources Office (Human Resources Office)
Ref. No: 2/15
Deadline: 31 October 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/283
Assistant or Associate Professor Position (School of Engineering & Technology)
Ref. No. 8/15
Deadline: 8 November 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/340
Assistant or Associate Professors Positions (School of Management)
Ref. Fac 5/15
Deadline: 31 December 2015
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/309
Assistant or Associate Professor, SERD (School of Environment, Resources & Development)
Ref. No: Fac 4/15
Deadline: 15 July 2016