WEEK #31: 31 July – 6 August 2017
In this issue:
(i) AIT SECURES ITS LARGEST INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT OF 50 MILLION BAHT (USD 1.5M) FROM BANGCHAK CORPORATION
Message from President: 25 July 2017
Today, on behalf of AIT, I signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Mr. Chaiwat Kovavisarach, President and CEO the Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited (BCP), by which a total of 14 Scholarships will be granted over a span of 5 years, and a joint research center will be established at AIT. This is the one-time largest grant that AIT has ever received from the private sector.
Since 2013 when AIT's Office of Advancement started the campaign to raise fund from the private sector, up to now a total number of 16 private entities have donated grants to AIT with a total value of 92 million Baht (USD 2.6m) including the 50 million Baht today. This is in addition to another separate campaign that successfully raised 80 million Baht (USD 2.3m) for the modernization of AIT Library last year.
Inclusive in the 50 million Baht (USD 1.5m) Agreement, BCP will provide 10 master's scholarships for 5 Thai and 5 International students, 3 doctoral and 1 post-doctoral scholarships for Thai or International candidates.
On the joint research center, BCP and AIT will establish "Bangchak Initiative and Innovation Centre at AIT" or BIIC@AIT. Under BIIC@AIT, BCP and AIT will work together towards its objective to inculcate entrepreneurship on knowledge based innovation with focus on sustainable Green Technologies. Mr. Chaiwat Kovavisarach, President and CEO of BCP, who is an alumnus of AIT, stated that the BIIC@AIT would act as a living laboratory and technology business incubator.
I would like to thank H.E. Dr. Subin Pinkayan, Chairman of AIT Board of Trustees for presiding over this event which he described as "another historic milestone of AIT".
At this moment of celebration, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dean Rajendra Shrestha, Prof. Weerakorn Ongsakul and Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe for the detailed follow-up after my first meeting with Mr. Chaiwat 3 years ago, leading the finalization of this MOA today.
In particular, I would like to express our gratitude, on behalf of the AIT Community, to Mr. Chaiwat Kovavisarach and his team for their vision leading to this great initiative. I took this opportunity today to assure our patron that I will give my fullest supports to make this initiative another success story.
(ii) AIT AUDITORIUM TO BE NAMED "ROBERT B. BANKS AUDITORIUM" IN HONOR OF AIT THIRD PRESIDENT
Email from President: 20 July 2017
In its meeting on 20 July 2017, the AIT Board of Trustees has approved my proposal to honor the late AIT Former President Professor Robert B. Banks by naming the AIT Auditorium "Robert B. Banks Auditorium". A naming ceremony will be organized sometime later this year, perhaps to be witnessed by his family members who now live in the US.
Prof. Robert B. Banks is the third President in the history of AIT. In the early days, he had served briefly as Professor of Water Resources Engineering under the secondment of the US Government. When AIT suffered its first major financial crisis in 1974-5, AIT’s Founding President Professor Milton E Bender Jr. had to return for a year, to control the precarious situation. Professor Robert B Banks was called back to serve as the President-Designate, and subsequently became the next President of AIT in 1976.
Among Professor Bank’s many accomplishments, his major contributions include the expansion of AIT academic programs, the wider involvement of donor countries, the greater increase of faculty strength and student population, and the improvement of AIT's infrastructure. All these have set a solid foundation for the next 25-year period of continued expansion and financial stability for AIT.
By the way, I myself was recruited to AIT in 1978 as a fresh Ph.D. graduate from University of California at Berkeley by President Banks. One week after my arrival, I had an opportunity to be welcomed by President Robert "Bob" Banks in his office. Since then, I was well acquainted with President Bob Banks as we share the same alma mater, although he was from the Hydraulics Division, while I was from Structural Engineering Division.
After President Banks left AIT in 1984, the last time I heard about him was in 1997 when he published a most interesting applied mathematic book (and one more in 1998). Then I heard from the late Prof John Hugh Jones, also his good colleague, that President Banks passed away in 2002.
President Bob Banks, aside from being an established academician, was an a true gentleman, and an accomplished diplomat. Together with Mrs. Gunta Banks, they have represented AIT magnificently and helped built the proud legacy of AIT today.
(iii) Appointment of AIT Strategic Taskforce on Admission and Recruitment of Students (AIT-STARS)
Email from President: 30 July 2017
I am pleased to inform the community of the recent appointment of the AIT Strategic Taskforce on Admission and Recruitment of Students (AIT-STARS). I will serve as Advisor to this Taskforce. Other members include: Dr. Nophea Sasaki (Chair); Dr. Tenzin Rabgyal (Secretary); Dr. Agus Harianto; Representatives of SET, SERD, SOM (to be recommended by the respective School Deans); Mr. Bajinder Pal Singh; Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe; Ms. Chalita Lertwinyu; and Ms. Laarni Roa.
AIT-STARS will have the following Terms of Reference:
(1) To coordinate with Admissions Office and the Schools on the simplification of AIT Admission and Online Application processes, which shall include these 3 separate stages:
(a) Study Seat Application.
A new application form of two (2) pages and minimal documents will enable a decision to be made in two (2) weeks. A provisional admission can also be offered at this stage, pending submission of the complete GPA, references and English score.
(b) Financial Aids Application.
Additional form and documents shall be submitted after the candidates are offered a study seat, but before the deadlines for application of Scholarships and Fellowships.
(c) Provision of other information that may not be required for the decisions of (1) and (2).
This set of information may be submitted before the orientation.
(2) To develop strategies for promotion of AIT brand, activities, student applications, scholarship, fellowship, digital internet marketing using online information technology to AIT and its Schools.
(3) To develop strategies to exploit the use of social media for the just-in-time student recruitment campaign with tracking technology and data analysis
Any inputs on the work of AIT-STARS may be sent to any of its members.
Thank you.
Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
President
Asian Institute of Technology
(iv) Appointments of PhD/DBA and MBA/EMBA Faculty Directors for SOM
AIT School of Management (SOM) is pleased to announce the appointments of Dr. Yuosre Badir as PhD/DBA Faculty Director and Dr. Vimolwan Yukongdi as MBA/EMBA Faculty Director respectively.
PhD/DBA Faculty Director
Dr. Yuosre Badir joined the School of Management (SOM), at AIT in September 2008. Prior to AIT, Dr. Badir has worked as a Research Fellow at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo-Tech), Research Associate at the College of Management of Technology at EPFL, Visiting Scholar at New York University (NYU), and a Lecturer at the European University in Geneva.
Dr. Badir earned his Ph.D. in Management of Technology (2006) and M.S. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (2000) from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). He also received the degree of Master of Science in Project Management (1998) from University of Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (1993) from the University of Benghazi.
His research and teaching interests focus on new product development and innovation management. He has published his research in the Research Policy, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, Journal of Intellectual Capital, International Journal of Technology Management, and several other journals. Dr. Badir is the co-recipient of the best paper award in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from ANZMAC, New Zealand, 2016, and another best paper award from the international conference on Emerging Trends in Business and Economy: Mapping the Way Ahead, India, 2014.
Dr. Badir can be contacted at room SOM-214, tel. ext. 6017, email: badir@ait.asia
Website: http://www.som.ait.ac.th/about-us/faculty-profiles/dr-yuosre-badir/
MBA/EMBA Faculty Director
Dr. Vimolwan Yukongdi joined AIT in August 2015 as Assistant Professor in the School of Management. She is the recipient of AIT’s Distinguished Teacher Award 2016 which recognizes “outstanding achievement in teaching and pedagogical development.” She is also the co-author of a research paper that won Best Paper Award in 2015 (SIBR 2015).
Dr. Vimolwan holds a Ph.D. degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of Melbourne, Australia. She has held academic appointments in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. She relocated to Australia in 1993 and was teaching overseas, initially in New Zealand and subsequently in Australia where she remained until 2012. She has held full-time academic appointments at several universities, including Griffith University, Massey University, University of Melbourne, University of Newcastle, among others, and has been adjunct DBA supervisor at University of South Australia.
Her research work has appeared in books, journals, and conference proceedings. She is the joint editor of research-based books, The Changing Face of Women Managers in Asia and Women in Asian Management. Her research interests are in leadership, participative decision-making, teams, cross-cultural management, entrepreneurship, diversity management and women in management in Asia. She currently serves on the Editorial Board of Asia Pacific Business Review. Dr. Vimolwan has worked at ExxonMobil and as consulting manager in the consulting industry. She has lived in nine countries, including Australia, Denmark, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, and USA.
Dr. Vimolwan can be contacted at room SOM-209, tel. ext. 8319, email: vyukongdi@ait.asia
Website: http://www.som.ait.ac.th/vimolwan-yukongdi/
(v) Online Performance Appraisal 2017 (covering the period from 1 July 2016-30 June 2017)
Please be informed that the online performance appraisal for this year 2017, covering the period from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 is now open. The annual online performance appraisal process was implemented since July 2014 following the approval of the AIT Management.
The online system can be accessed through the “PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL” link in the HRIS menu (https://hris.ait.ac.th ). The immediate supervisors can complete the individual Performance Appraisal Reports for all the employees under their supervision, and individually (electronically) submit them. The Unit Heads shall then review and endorse all completed Performance Appraisal Reports not later than 23 August 2017.
The online / web-based system archived the appraisal results since year 2014 (“Appraisal History” link in the HRIS menu) and will build up annual data that will be available to unit heads / immediate supervisors and AIT Management. The process will be carried out in conjunction with the annual budget process. Based on the annual performance appraisal results, which will be used for the purpose of determining the annual salary adjustment and staff training and development needs, financial implications can be taken into consideration in the following fiscal year’s budgets. Please note that those with no performance evaluations will not be considered for any performance-based merit payments and/or salary increments.
Should you encounter technical problems, please report them to Helpdesk (helpdesk@ait.asia ). Please convey other feedback to OHRS (hro@ait.asia ).
(vi) New Locations of the Offices in the Administration Building
The Administration Building will be renovated from Jan 2017. Most offices in the building have started moving to AIT Conference Center and other buildings. Below is the list of the new location of Administration Offices:
President: Presidential Lounge, AITCC
VP Administration: Room B138
VP Academic Affairs: Room B136
VP Development: Room B130
Office of the President and Office of the Institute Secretary: Room B144B
Office of Academic Administration: Room B144A
Office of Human Resource Services: Room B109
Office of Internal Auditor: Room B113
Office of External Relation and Office of Host Country Relation: B115
Office of Special Degree Program: B115
Office of Advancement: Admin, near the cashier.
Office of Finance: Admin (No Change)
Office of Purchasing and Inventory Procurement: Admin (No Change)
Office of Student and Affairs: Admin (No Change)
Office of GRU: Admin, located between Financial Dept. and Purchasing Office.
(i) EVENTS
(a) Institute-Wide Registration/Orientation for August 2017 Intake:
4 Aug. 2017
AITCC Auditorium
8:00 am – 9:45 am: REGISTRATION (Venue: AITCC Lobby)
Morning Session
I. 10:00 am – 10:45 am: Welcome to New Students
(Facilitator: Ms. Laarni Roa, Director, Office of Student Affairs)
• Welcome Remarks by the President
• Welcome Remarks by the Vice Presidents (VPAA, VPA and VPD)
• Welcome Remarks by the School Deans and Introduction of School Faculty
(SERD, SET and SOM)
• Welcome Remarks by the Student Union President
10:45 am: Open Forum and Group Photo at the AIT Landmark
LUNCH BREAK
Afternoon Session
II. 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Orientation on Academic Regulations, Services and Facilities
(Facilitator: Dr. Tenzin Rabgyal, Coordinator, Admissions, Scholarships/Invoicing Unit,
Office of Student Affairs)
• Language Center Services and English Language Requirements
by Mr. Freek Olaf de Groot, Director, Language Center
• Innovation and Startup Opportunities
by Dr. Naveed Anwar, Director, AIT Solutions
• Academic Requirements and Practices
by Ms. Laarni Roa, Director, Office of Student Affairs
• Career Center and Student Welfare
by Ms. Carla Gonzales, Coordinator, Career Center and Student Welfare Unit, Office of Student Affairs
• IT Services, Visa and Institute Facilities - Campus-wide IT Services and Policies
by Dr. Harianto, IT Consultant - Facilities Management/Accommodation Policies by Khun Wanchai Sophonsakulrat, Director, Office of Facilities & Assets Management
• Educational Visa and Government Relations Services
by Khun Suda Inta, Sr. Government Officer, Government Relations Unit, Office of Host Country Relations
(b) OBIKE - "Thailand's First Station Less Bike Sharing Service"
"OBIKE" has launched "Thailand's First Station Less Bike Sharing Service" at AIT campus as follows:
Date: 1 to 7 August 2017
Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Location: Cafeteria Entrance
Promotion: Free Trip Code
Regular Price 10 THB/15 minutes
Regular Deposit 899 THB (refundable)
Student Deposit 499 THB (refundable)
For more updated promotion, please check it out from oBike APP or oBike Thailand FB
(c) Hackathon: Sensors Challenge with the theme “To enable a smart, safe, and sustainable world using sensors”: 2 – 5 August 2017
AIT Solutions will organize The Hackathon: Sensors Challenge with the theme “To enable a smart, safe, and sustainable world using sensors” on 02-03 August 2017 at the AIT Conference Center. This Hackathon is a brainstorming session organized to capture innovative ideas that can use sensor technology to creatively solve local and global issues and benefit the society in long-term.
Online registration is required to attend this event.
Click https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSde9losEPEpKMfX0FxMeZIoccHOXSqToXmII4h3-QiQ4k0VHw/viewform to register
Please email AIT Solutions at solutions@ait.asia for further details.
Exciting prizes will be revealed at the event. See you at the Hackathon!
(ii) LECTURES / SEMINARS / CONFERENCE
(a) AIT Tiger Leong Innovation and Leadership Camp: 24 July – 4 August 2017
The Second AIT-Tiger Leong Innovation and Leadership Camp will be organized from 24 July-4 August2017 at AIT campus.
It is an interactive camp designed to contribute to the nurturing of young minds on a unique mix of innovation, leadership, multi-disciplinary, and cross-cultural attributes. Bright and talented undergraduate students from top universities are encouraged to attend the AIT-Tiger Leong International Innovation and Leadership Camp II co-sponsored by AIT and AIT Alumnus Mr. Tiger Leong.
More details at this link: http://innov-camp.solutions.ait.asia/index.html
(b) Reminder: Foundation English Program for intake January 2018
Please be reminded that the AIT Language Center is offering an extra Foundation English Program from 28 August – 17 November 2017. This program aims at those applicants with high academic skills potential who were unable to meet the English language entry requirements for admission in August 2017, but who would like to apply for admission in January 2018 instead and need an extra hand in developing their English skills.
In some cases, half fee scholarships are available for applicants with high academic potential. Please contact the Schools and relevant departments for more information.
For more information, please contact the Language Center: Languages@ait.asia
(c) International Expert Forum: Mainstreaming Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in Education: 1 – 2 Dec. 2017
An International Expert Forum on "Mainstreaming Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in Education" will be organized at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 1-2 December 2017.
Call for ABSTRACTS Open: 23 May 2017
Abstract Submission Close: 15 July 2017
Registration Open: 15 August 2017
Full Paper Submission: 30 September 2017
• Delegation from The Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Thailand, led by H.E. Ambassador Joaquim Amaral / 31 July 2017 / to mark the cordial relationship between AIT and the Government of Timo-Leste under the four-year Scholarship Agreement (MoA) signed with the Timor-Leste Ministry of Education in 2016; to meet scholarship recipients from Timor-Leste; and to discuss aspects of the partnership for 2018.
• Mr. David L. Michaels, Managing Director of GMS Power Public Company Limited and Mr. Somchai Chaisuparakul, Director of White Group Public Company Limited, and Dr. Subin Pinkayan, Honorary Advisor / GMS Power Public Company Limited / 1 August 2017 / to attend cheque handover ceremony by GMS Power and White Group in support of the Solar Energy Project at AIT.
(i) Renovation work at AIT Extension Building
Please be informed that Office of Facilities and Asset Management (OFAM) is now renovating the AIT Extension Building with the following schedule.
1. Replacement of floor tile of the walk way on the 2nd floor (18 Jul - 16 Aug'17)
2. Replacement of the office wooden doors to glass doors (8 - 16 Aug'17)
(ii) Dorm F Renovation
Please be informed that Office of Facilities and Asset Management (OFAM)
has started the renovation of dorm F and is scheduled to be complete by end of August 2017.
During this renovation period, there might be loud noise and also some disturbance on the pathway near to dorm F.
OFAM apologizes for any inconveniences that may cause and requests kind understanding from the AIT Community.
(iii) Temporary Relocation of Photo Vending Machine from Administration to Cafeteria
Please be informed that due to the renovation of the ground floor of the Administration Building, the photo vending machine has been moved temporarily to Cafeteria (entrance opposite Korea House).
Prof. Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh / San Francisco, California, USA / 1 June – 7 August 2017
Ms. Colleen Curran / Manila, Philippines / 4 July – 2 August 2017
Mr. Surendra Shrestha / Manila, Philippines / 5 – 7 July 2017*
Dr. Sangam Shrestha / Da Nang, Vietnam / 18 – 20 July 2017*
Mr. Bayasgalan Sanduijav / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / 18 July – 14 August 2017
Dr. B.H.W. Hadikusumo / Vietnam / 20 July – 2 August 2017
Mr. Syed Muntasir Husain Bokhari / Denpasar Bali, Indonesia / 22 July – 3 August 2017
Mrs. Mahboobha Admin / Denpasar Bali and Surabaya, Indonesia / 22 July – 3 August 2017
Dr. Matthew Dailey / Yangon, Myanmar / 24 – 25 July 2017*
Dr. Attaphonse Taparugssanagorn / Yangon, Myanmar / 24 – 25 July 2017*
Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal / Belgium / 27 – 31 July 2017
Prof. Rajendra P. Shrestha / Guiyang and Guizhou, P.R. China / 27 July – 1 August 2017
Dr. Apichon Witayangkurn / Tokyo, Japan / 27 July – 2 August 2017
Mr. Fazle Karim / Denpasar Bali, Indonesia / 29 July – 3 August 2017
Mr. Sanjeev Pradeep Jayasinghe / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 29 July – 5 August 2017
Mr. Sasanka Madawalagama / Tokyo, Japan / 30 July – 6 August 2017
Mr. Md. Anishur Rahman / Chonburi and Chantaburi / Thailand / 31 July – 2 August 2017
Mr. Chatuphol Pholwan / Chonburi and Chantaburi, Thailand / 31 July – 2 August 2017
Dr. Anil Kumar Anal / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 1 – 4 August 2017
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
Position: Head, Strategy & Coordination Cluster (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No. 22/17
Deadline: 31 July 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/454
Administrative Staff (Executive Administrative Secretary) (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No. 26/17
Deadline: 31 July 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/458
Position: Administrative Staff (Program Officer) (Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
Ref. No. 27/17
Deadline: 15 August 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/459
Position: Technical Staff (Laboratory Supervisor) (School of Environment, Resources & Development)
Ref. No. 23/17
Deadline: 20 August 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/455
Faculty Position: Assistant or Associate Professors Positions (School of Management)
Ref. No. Fac 2/17
Deadline: 30 September 2017
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/451