WEEK# 49, 2 – 8 December 2019
In this issue:
(i) OPEN INVITATION: AIT-Japan Cooperation 50th Anniversary Celebration Ceremony on 9 December 2019, featuring Dr. Chiaki Mukai, the first female astronaut in Asia from Japan
Email from Office of International Affairs (21 Nov. 2019)
Dear faculty, staff and students,
This year the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Government of Japan mark 50 years of cooperation! To commemorate our half century of partnership, we are pleased to invite you to attend the AIT–Japan 50th Anniversary Celebration Ceremony scheduled on Monday, 9 December 2019 from 10:00 hrs to 12:00 hrs at the Robert B. Banks Auditorium, AIT Conference Center.
The detailed program (also enclosed) is provided below:
10:00 - 10:10 Welcome Speech: Dr. Eden Y. Woon, President of AIT
10:10 - 10:20 Welcome Speech: Mr. Shiro Sadoshima, Japanese Ambassador to Thailand
10:20 - 10:30 Congratulations by Japanese Alumni: Mr. Masahiro Imbe, AITAA Japan Chapter
10:30 - 10:50 Special Remarks: Dr. Chiaki Mukai, Vice President of the Tokyo University of Science and the first female astronaut in Asia, “21st Century Education: Pursuing Diversity”
10:50 – 11:30 On stage dialogue and photo with selected AIT students
11:30 - 11:45 MoU Signing Ceremony
11:45 - 12:00 Presentation: Mr. Sohsuke Nishimura, Kurita Water and Environment Foundation, “Kurita Scholarships: Contribution to the development of new technologies of water conservation and environmental protection”
Please kindly register in the below link to confirm your participation.
https://forms.gle/FQMfHqqBpiqpFsP9A
The registration is open until Monday, 2 December 2019.
(ii) Cautionary Announcement Regarding Tuberculosis (TB)
Email from VPA (1 Dec. 2019)
Dear Members of our AIT Community,
We want to let you know that, in the last few days, a campus resident has been diagnosed with suspected TB. It is not clear whether the infection occurred at AIT or elsewhere, but we want to send you the following cautionary information.
TUBERCULOSIS
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections do not have symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak, or sneeze. People with latent TB do not spread the disease.
OFAM undertook a deep clean of the potentially infected areas on Saturday and we can confirm that the resident has been off campus since early Saturday morning.
Prevention of TB involves screening those at high risk, early detection and treatment of cases, and vaccination with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Those at high risk include household, workplace, and social contacts of people with active TB. Treatment requires the use of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time. General signs and symptoms include fever, chills, night sweats, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue. Significant nail clubbing may also occur.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has symptoms of TB, please immediately seek medical treatment from the nearest hospital.
Alternatively, you can also call the AIT Medical Clinic for a primary medical examination at phone number 02-524-5286 during office hours or through its emergency contact number 02-524-5555.
AIT students can call Ms. Tiparatana at the Student Welfare Unit of OSA, at this number 025246744 (office hours) or 0819320757 during non-working hours. For AIA insurance holders, you may contact AIA call center at 1581 or its Hotline number 023538877 in case of an emergency.
We urge you to please take care.
Mr. Russell B. Rein
Vice President for Administration
(iii) Important Changes on Admissions Requirements
Email from Admissions and Scholarships Office (22 November 2019)
Dear Academic Program Chairs, Department Heads, and School Deans,
Based on the recommendations of the Admissions Committee, which were approved by the AGT, the following important changes have been made in the admissions requirements:
1) No more offering of “certificate leading to Master Program” and “CAS leading to Doctoral program” to avoid confusion and possible misunderstanding with the applicant. Therefore, applicant with the low CPGA (below 2.75) to be admitted to Master program (provided the academic program agrees) with the condition to achieve minimum cPGA of 2.75 in the first two semesters. Similar conditions to be followed for Doctoral applicants but at cGPA of 3.50.
2) Applicants for non-doctoral programs need not submit recommendation letters. For special cases, program /department can ask for the letter of recommendation for authentication;
3) Applicants applying for the full scholarships monitored by AIT are not required to submit nomination form;
4) AIT Fellowship to be termed as "AIT Partial Scholarships" in all internal documents;
5) The term “financial aid” mentioned in the online application system is removed.
6) Applications of applicants who are not able to pay the processing fees are to be processed internally, but reminded in the acknowledgement note to pay the fees. However, if still not paid, a conditional offer letter can be issued mentioning the fee (800 baht/25 US Dollar);
7) Accept good applicants with low English score and provide them an English-bridging course. If they pass, the cost of Bridging Program (BP) is to be supported by the program. The six week BP program should be arranged in June to July to target for the August Intake. The date of BP must be calendared.
(iv) AIT official public holidays and year-end Break for the Year 2020
Director of Academic Administration (8 Oct. 2019)
In line with Institute policies, the AIT Management agreed to designate the following 13 official public holidays, and 6-day year-end break, for the year 2020.
§ 1 January, Wednesday -- New Year's Day
§ 2 January, Thursday -- Year-end Break
§ 6 April, Monday -- Chakri Memorial Day
§ 13 April, Monday -- Songkran Festival
§ 14 April, Tuesday -- Songkran Festival
§ 1 May, Friday -- National Labor Day
§ 4 May, Wednesday -- Coronation Day
§ 6 May, Wednesday -- Visakha Bucha Day
§ 3 June, Wednesday -- H.M. Queen Suthida's Birthday
§ 28 July, Tuesday -- H.M. the King's Birthday
§ 12 August, Wednesday -- H.M. the King's Mother Birthday
§ 13 October, Tuesday -- H.M. late King Bhumibol Memorial Day
§ 23 October, Friday -- Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
§ 7 December, Monday -- Birthday Anniversary of H. M. late King's Bhumibol Adulyadej (substitute for 5 December, Saturday)
§ 25 December, Friday -- Year-end Break
§ 28 December, Monday -- Year-end Break
§ 29 December, Tuesday -- Year-end Break
§ 30 December, Wednesday -- Year-end Break
§ 31 December, Thursday -- Year-end Break
Please be guided accordingly.
(v) AIT Academic Calendar 2020
Email from Office of Student Affairs (17 Oct. 2019)
Kindly be informed that the current AIT desk calendar is being redesigned and will be available before the year ends.
For planning purposes, the file of the AIT Academic Calendar 2020 was emailed to AIT Community to be able to import it to e-calendar (Google Calendar, MS Outlook, etc.). The academic schedules for 2020 can also be accessed in the Students Website at this link.
(vi) Sign up as a Registered User for the AIT Entrepreneurship Center
Email from Entrepreneurship Center (4 Nov. 2019)
You are all invited to sign up as a Registered User for the AIT Entrepreneurship Center (EC), a creative and inclusive environment where students, faculty, staff and alumni with diverse backgrounds and expertise have an opportunity to innovate, collaborate, launch, and grow a business to drive economic and social impact.
As a Registered User, you have access to the facility and equipment available at EC, chance to get seed funding, meet and collaborate with other innovators and entrepreneurs, book the space for your meetings and events, and so much more.
For further details, email entrepreneurship@ait.ac.th
(vii) Customer Satisfaction Survey of OFAM services/facilities ; giveaways to first 16 participants and 16 participants with best suggestions
The objective of this survey is to understand the need of the community and to get your feedback. Your feedback will help us to evaluate the performance of the contracted services and facilities provided by OFAM. The services provided include Technical Maintenance, Janitorial Services, Landscape Maintenance, Security Services, Cafeteria, Snack bar, AITCC, Dining, Call Center, Accommodation, Motor Pool Services, Mail Delivery Services.
Please participate in this survey and express your views on how we could improve and provide better services/facilities to the community.
To fill the survey, please click on the below link
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sbO3YxLFEdNL7lsLskX_2YvQu23cQuCtQuWd-Uz...
Kindly note that the survey can be filled using AIT email only and the closing date of the survey is 15 December 2019 (Sunday)
To encourage participation in this survey, we would like to announce the following giveaways to the first 16 participants and 16 other participants with your best suggestions.
For the first 16 participants*
• Two (2) AIT 60th Anniversary Umbrella @ 350B
• Two (2) AIT 60th Anniversary Tumbler@300B
• Two (2) AIT 60th Anniversary Cap@250B
• Five (5) AIT 60th Anniversary Bag@150B
• Five (5) AIT 60th Anniversary Coffee Mug@120B
* The survey form should be filled in completely.
For the 16 participants with the most appropriate/best suggestions
• Two (2) AIT 60th Anniversary Umbrella @ 350B
• Two (2) AIT 60th Anniversary Tumbler@300B
• Two (2) AIT 60th Anniversary Cap@250B
• Five (5) AIT 60th Anniversary Bag@150B
• Five (5) AIT 60th Anniversary Coffee Mug@120B
(i) EVENTS
(a) Blood Donation: 3 Dec. 2019
Email from AIT Medical Center (2 Dec. 2019)
The Thai Red Cross Society has been working with volunteer students and staff to collect units of blood from the AIT community. The bloodmobile visits AIT every three months, four times a year, hoping to collect enough units to supply the constant demand for blood.
We again would like to ask for your help. The next visit for blood donation is scheduled on Tuesday, 3rd December 2019, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. at the parking lot in front of the AIT Conference Center.
Give blood! You'll experience a fulfilling sense of contribution. And the donation process isn't time-consuming. It only takes about half an hour. For more information about blood donation please see the attached.
On behalf of needy patients whose lives you may save, we would like to thank you very much for your time and support.
(b) 132nd Graduation: 13 Dec.2019
AIT will organize the 132nd Graduation Ceremony on 13 December 2019 at Robert B. Banks Auditorium, AIT Conference Center.
(c) Graduation ball for batch 132: 8 Dec. 2019
Email from SU Gender and Culture (27 Nov. 2019)
Congratulations to all graduands of batch 132.
To celebrate the end of your student life in AIT. The SU Gender and Culture is organizing the final event of this AUG 2019 semester.
We would like to present " Graduation Ball - A Night to Remember ", which will be held on December 8, 2019. Start from 5 PM at AITCC.
We invite you to a night to remember and reminisce your challenging and victorious moments as a graduate student at AIT.
Be your best self as we celebrate your success as graduand, get your dress under the theme Dress to Impress.
FREE to all graduand , 200 THB for visitor/partner.
(ii) LECTURES/ SEMINARS / CONFERENCES
(a) WEM seminar by Dr. Anil Gupta: 4 Dec 2019
Water Engineering and Management Program will organize a seminar on “Integrated Environmental Monitoring and Modelling Framework for Cumulative Effect Assessment” by Dr. Anil Gupta.
Date: Wednesday, 4 December 2019
Time : 10.00-11.30 hrs.
Venue: Room N202, SET Building
Dr. Anil Gupta is an AIT alumni and received his DEng degree in Water Resources Engineering in 1994. He is a professional engineer with more than 25 years of experience in the field of environment in various capacities - educator; engineering consultant; program manager; United Nations advisor; hydrologists; and senior leadership. He is currently working with the Government of Alberta as Director in the Department of Environment and Parks. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary. His research interests include environmental monitoring, integrated environmental modelling, climate change, land use and land cover changes and hydrology.
Kindly register your participation @ yanee@ait.ac.th or 02 524 6146
(b) GNSS for Policy and Decision Makers-Course: T131-24: 6 – 8 Jan. 2020
Geoinformatics Center of AIT (GIC/AIT) together with the Center for Spatial Information Science of The University of Tokyo (CSIS/UT) and International Committee on GNSS (ICG) are taking initiatives to create awareness on GNSS and its applications in Asia and the Pacific region.
They will jointly organize GNSS for Policy and Decision Makers-Course: T131-24 Seminar Workshop Program from 6 – 8 January 2020 at AIT Conference Center.
More details:https://www.facebook.com/events/521762438403473/?active_tab=about
(iii)TRAININGS / COURSES
(a)Training Program on "Sustainable Agriculture, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management in Thailand": 2 – 7 Dec. 2019
AIT Extension will organize a Training Program on “Sustainable Agriculture, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management in Thailand" at AIT.
Program: "Sustainable Agriculture, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management in Thailand"
Duration: 2-7 December 2019
Venue: AIT Conference Center, AIT Campus
The “Sustainable Agriculture, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management in Thailand” is a one-week long professional development program, which has been designed to address the key issues dealing by the agriculturists and development professionals in other countries often with similar or different agro-ecological zones. At the end of this program, participants are expected to widen their views and understandings on modern and sustainable farming practices in different agro-ecological zones including low land or wetland ecosystems.
For more details please visit at www.extension.ait.ac.th/course/948
(b) Biofloc Technology Training Program: 2 – 7 Dec. 2019
A Training Program on Biofloc Technology organized by Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AARM) Program of AIT will be held from 2 - 7 December 2019 at the AIT Conference Center.
The event titled: Biofloc, Biomimicry, and Biological farming will be led by leading international experts on Biofloc, Aquamimicry, and sustainable shrimp farming.
For more details of the program, please email to salinkr@ait.ac.th or aarm@ait.ac.th .
(c) "WINTER CAMP2019": 14 – 16 Dec. 2019
SET’s Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure Management Program will organize a "WINTER CAMP2019" Essential Skills Project Management Training for all engineers and architects who work in construction projects.
Date: 14 - 16 December 2019
Venue: Asian Institute of Technology
Please click to register here:
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeUTiptbMvBEaZcm…/viewform…
Deadline: 29 November 2019
(d) EL course schedule for the January 2020 Semester
Email from AIT Language Center (22 Nov. 2019)
We have updated the English course timetable for the January 2020 Semester. Please see our website here: http://languages.ait.ac.th/english-writing-courses .
Students who are required to take the EL15 or EL19 must select one time from session A and one time from session B.
We are asking for your cooperation during the scheduling of courses in your program to allow room for those students required to attend EL 15 and 19 to attend these courses.
• MoU Signing between AIT and National Academy of Civil Service (Taiwan) / 3 Dec. 2019 / to discuss on collaboration with NACS and TPO
D. Faculty and Staff Travel
Ms. Nisarat Tansakul / Tak, Thailand / 7 – 11 November 2019*
Prof. Dieter Trau / Chiang Mai, Thailand / 17 – 18 November 2019*
Dr. Manzul K. Hazarika / New Delhi and Uttarakhand, India / 17 – 23 November 2019*
Dr. Manzul K. Hazarika / Ankara, Turkey / 22 – 28 November 2019*
Prof. Nitin K. Tripathi / Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam / 24 – 26 November 2019*
Prof. Deepak Sharma / Delhi, India / 25 – 28 November 2019*
Dr. Kavinda G. Hettiarachchige / Nagoya, Japan / 25 November – 4 December 2019
Dr. Vilas Nitivattananon / Luang Prabang, Lao PDR / 26 – 28 November 2019*
Dr. Oleg Shipin / South Africa / 26 November – 13 December 2019
Dr. Roger Levermore / Kathmandu, Nepal / 27 – 29 November 2019*
Mr. Md Zia Islam / Kathmandu, Nepal / 27 – 30 November 2019*
Prof. Joyashree Roy / Kolkata, India / 27 November – 3 December 2019
Dr. Pham Huy Giao / Hanoi, Vietnam / 27 November – 6 December 2019
Dr. Anil Kumar Anal / Kathmandu, Nepal / 29 November – 11 December 2019
Prof. C. Visvanathan / Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam / 30 November – 4 December 2019
Prof. Thammarat Koottatep / Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam / 1 – 2 December 2019
Mr. Voravate Chonlasin / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 1 – 4 December 2019
Ms. Narumon Wangnai / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 1 – 4 December 2019
Ms. Nalinee Kongkred / Phnom Penh, Cambodia / 1 – 4 December 2019
Dr. Wenchao Xue / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 1 – 6 December 2019
Dr. Hayat Ullah / Cambodia / 2 – 4 December 2019
Dr. Sylvia Szabo / Seoul, South Korea / 2 – 6 December 2019
Prof. Thammarat Koottatep / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 2 – 7 December 2019
Dr. Chutiporn Anutariya / 2 – 7 December 2019
Prof. Weerakorn Ongsakul / Mandalay, Myanmar / 3 – 4 December 2019
Dr. Hayat Ullah / Lao PDR / 4 – 7 December 2019
Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe / Colombo, Sri Lanka / 4 – 7 December 2019
Dr. Parmeshwar D. Udmale / Kyoto, Japan / 8 – 14 December 2019
*(Staff or faculty member travelled and returned to AIT prior to documentation received for publication)
Position: Software Developer (IntERLab)
Ref. No. 57/19
Deadline: 15 December 2019
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/633
Position: IT HelpDesk Officer (IntERLab)
Ref. No. 58/19
Deadline: 15 December 2019
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/632
Position: Post-doctoral Research Fellow / Research Associate (School Of Environment Resources and Development)
Ref. No. 49/19
Deadline: 15 December 2019
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/628
Position: Post-doctoral Research Fellow / Research Associate (School of Environment Resources and Development)
Ref. No. 56/19
Deadline: 15 December 2019
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/629
Project Officer (School Of Environment Resources and Development)
Ref. No. 50/19
Deadline: 15 December 2019
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/630
Position: Administrative Staff (IntERLab)
Ref. No. 47/19
Deadline: 20 December 2019
http://www.hro.ait.ac.th/job/show/631