AIT Campus Bulletin

In this issue:

A. Announcements 

B. Workshops/ Conferences

C. Visitors/ MoU/ Agreement Signing 

D. Faculty & Staff Travel

E. Classified (Job)

 

A. Announcement

 

1) Appointment of Professor Manukid Parnichkun as Vice President for Academic and Research (VPAR)

Email by AIT President on 28 February 2025.

 

 

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students, 

 

I am pleased to announce that the AIT Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of Prof. Manukid Parnichkun, as the Vice President for Academic and Research (VPAR), effective 1 March 2025. 

 

Prof. Manukid is currently a Professor and Academic Program Chair of the Mechatronics and Machine Intelligence Program at the School of Engineering and Technology (SET). He has in the past served as Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees, and currently is serving as Chairperson of the AIT Academic Senate. Prof. Manukid holds a B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from Chulalongkorn University (1991) and an M.Eng. and Ph.D. in Precision Machinery Engineering from the University of Tokyo (1993 and 1996, respectively). Since joining AIT as an Assistant Professor in 1996, he has been promoted to Associate Professor (2001) and Professor (2016). Over his tenure, he has supervised and graduated 24 doctoral students and 210 master's students. A founding member of the Thai Robotics Society (TRS), he later served as Editor-in-Chief of its journal and as President (2003–2005). He has organized and chaired several international conferences, including IEEE ICIT 2002 and IEEE ROBIO 2008, and led various robot competitions such as the Thailand Intelligent Vehicle Challenge (2007–2009) and the ABU Robocon Thailand Championship (since 2002). His research interests include Mechatronics, Robotics, Control, and Measurement. A detailed CV of Prof. Manukid is enclosed herewith. 

 

This decision follows a comprehensive selection process, including an Online Public Presentation by the two shortlisted candidates, where they shared their vision, insights on Blueprint implementation, and perspectives on key academic and research issues with faculty and staff. After reviewing the inputs received and the recommendation of the Selection Committee, approval for the appointment of the VPAR was sought through the postal ballot from the Board of Trustees, as agreed in the 6 February 2025 Board meeting. 

 

I look forward to working with Prof. Manukid in his new role and trust that we will all support him in advancing AIT’s academic and research mission. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Prof. Nitin K Tripathi for his leadership and dedication as Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs during this transition.

 

2) Cabinet Approval of AIT-Royal Thai Government (RTG) 12th Plan & AIT Blueprint

 

Email was sent to the faculty & Staff on behalf of Dr. Suwit Khunkitti, Vice Chairman of the Board, and Chairman, of the AIT Strategy Implementation Task Force on 26 February 2025

 

 

3) Invitation for a Special Lecture on "Microbiology & ​Biotechnology for ​Plastic ​Degradation" by Dr. Annika Vaksmaa on Mon, 3 Mar 2025 at 15:00 hrs. Room E222

 

You are cordially invited to attend a special lecture on "Microbiology & Biotechnology for Plastic Degradation" by Dr. Annika Vaksmaa, a VENI Research Fellow at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) as follows. 

 

Date: Monday, 3 March 2025

Time: 15:00 - 16:30 hrs. (BKK Time)

Venue: Classroom E222, Academic Building, AIT

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://ait-ac-th.zoom.us/j/5215527772?pwd=NzEzVzdvaWlESGRYMEVxVUlhT1RxUT09

Meeting ID: 521 552 7772

Passcode: 694454

 

Speaker's short bio:

Dr. Annika Vaksmaa is a VENI research fellow at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ). She earned her PhD in 2018 from Radboud University, where she investigated climate change and methane emission mitigation in paddy fields.

 

Since 2022, her research has focused on marine plastic pollution and the role of marine fungi in degrading plastic polymers. Despite being understudied in marine ecosystems, fungi possess powerful enzymatic machinery that makes them promising candidates for breaking down complex hydrocarbons.

 

Dr. Vaksmaa’s work spans from environmental sampling, with a recent focus on mangrove ecosystems threatened by human activities, to laboratory assays using isotopically labeled polymers. She also explores microbial diversity on plastics in nature using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to better understand microbial interactions with plastic waste.

 

For more information: https://www.shespeaksscience.com/author/annika-vaksmaa/

 

 

4) Call for Open Letters for IWD at AIT

 

Email from SU_Gender_Culture AIT from 2 March 2025

 

Dearest Gentle People of AIT,

 

We love writing and reading heartfelt letters! Transform your thoughts, experiences, and feelings into words.

 

We are delighted to announce that the Student Union (SU) in collaboration with the Gender & Development Studies (GDS), Global Water & Sanitation Center (GWSC), SERD, and Gender Equality Movers Society (GEMS) is celebrating the International Women's Day (IWD) on 12th March 2025 in AIT.

 

One of our activities is Letter Writing. It is also now the time for you to share the story of an empowered woman that you know. Share with us your beautiful and heartfelt letter to an empowered woman of your choice.

 

Three letters will be selected to be read at the event and the authors will win attractive prizes! We will also regularly share other letters to the AIT and public this month.

 

Submit your letter now using this link:

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1j5V2knCB4cEfgzmoPRldvosDtLOzgzrvkKVHwK7...

 

5) Launching of the Accommodation Digital Lease Agreement

 

Email from Director, OFAM on 27 February 2025

 

Dear Residents,

 

In line with the “Smart Administration” and “Sustainability”, we would like to inform the residents that starting on 3 March 2025 the accommodation lease agreements to students, faculty, and staff will now be done online. The digital lease agreement will be issued to new tenants and lease agreements for renewal accordingly.

 

The procedures for the digital lease agreements are as follows:

1. The Accommodation Office will send the digital lease agreement to the tenants.

2. The tenant should review the details of the digital lease agreement.

3. The tenant should review the details of the furniture checklist and edit if needed.

4. The tenant should review the details of the dependents and edit them if needed.

5. The tenant needs to insert a valid ID card.

6. Sign the digital lease agreement using a digital signature.

7. Return the digital lease agreement to the Accommodation Office.

8. The Institute's designated signatories will affix their eSignature.

9. The Accommodation Office will send the final lease agreement to the tenant.

 

More information about the Digital Lease Agreement will be given by the Accommodation Office later.

 

Thank you for your kind cooperation and support.

 

“Save paper, save trees.”

 

Accommodation Office

 

6) [Staff] New and Reassigned Staff at OFIN

 

Email from Finance Department on 24 February 2025

Please be informed that OFIN has the following new and reassigned staff.

1. Ms. Kanokporn Pengmala – She replaced Khun Panthila in the Accounts Payable (AP) Section in OFIN. Her email is kanokpornp@ait.ac.th and her office number is #6335.

2. Mr. Kittipong Wannasiri – He is a new staff and replaced Ms. Kanokporn as Payroll Officer and assists in the Accounts Receivable (AR). His email is kittipong@ait.ac.th and his office number is #5055.

 

7) AIT Career Fair & Student Research Exhibition: 26 March 2025

Warm greetings from the AIT Career Center!

We are pleased to inform you that the annual AIT Career Fair & Student Research Exhibition, now to be held every January Semester, is scheduled on 26 March 2025 (Wednesday) from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the AIT Conference Center. 

You are cordially invited to explore and uncover career opportunities offered by the companies that are joining the event, with five (5) organizations who have confirmed to join so far, namely:

1. Think Blue Data Co., Ltd.

2. Christiani & Nielsen (Thai) PCL

3. TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management PCL

4. Magnecomp Precision Technology PCL 

5. MDPI (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

What to expect:

¤  Long-term career prospects
¤  Job placements
¤  Internship opportunities
¤  Research partners
¤  Networking with company representatives
¤  Food market
¤  Free goodies, Raffle Prizes

¤  Career Talks leading to the Fair

¤ and the Student Union Research Exhibition!

Kindly help us spread the word about the Fair, and let us know if you have any company contacts you would like us to invite. Additionally, please note that the annual August 2025 Semester AIT Career Forum, following the updated format introduced in August 2024 Semester, is scheduled to take place on 29 October 2025.

Mark your calendar! For developments and career opportunities,  please visit: www.careercenter.ait.ac.th or like/follow: FB: www.facebook.com/officialaitcareercenter/  IG: @aitcareercenter or email: careercenter@ait.ac.th or contact us via phone: 662 524-6326. We will keep you posted with all the updates.

Thank you for your continued support!

8) Introducing our New Employees in January 2025

 

We are glad  to welcome the newest members of the AIT family! Let's all wish them a successful journey with us. Welcome aboard!