AIT Newsletter December 2016
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The document summarizes an event where AIT co-hosted the 15th General Conference of the International Association of Universities from November 13-16, 2016 in Thailand. The conference, which commemorated 100 years of the university system in Thailand, focused on how higher education institutions can contribute to innovation and sustainability. It was presided over by Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and included presentations from presidents of AIT, IAU, Chulalongkorn University, Siam University, and Suranaree University of Technology.
AIT Newsletter December 2016
- 1. 1DECEMBER 2016 Asian Institute of Technology DECEMBER 2016 A sian Institute of Technology (AIT) cohosted the 15th General Conference of the Interna- tional Association of Universities (IAU), an event that was presided over by Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The Conference, which was jointly organized along with Chulalongkorn University, Siam University and Suranaree University of Technol- ogy from 13-16 November 2016, also commemorated 100 years of the University System in Thailand. This year, the IAU General Assembly focussed on sharing strategies and practices that demonstrate how higher education institutions contribute to innovation and sustainability. The Conference also sought to INSIDE ISSUE.. . Recent News / Happenings at AIT...................................................2, 4 Alumni / Seminar / Conferences.....................................................3 Books/ Publications / Awards..........................................................5 Backpage........................................................................................6 determine how higher education institutions and IAU can emerge as true catalysts for change. The theme this year was “ Higher Education: A catalyst for innovative and sustainable societies.” Key participants in the inaugural session included Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President, AIT; Dr. Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, President, IAU; Prof. Bundhit Eua-arporn, President, Chulalongkorn University; Prof. Pornchai Mongkhonvanit, President, Siam University, and IAU Vice-president; Prof. Charas Suwanwela, Former President, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand; and Prof. Prasart Suebka, Rector, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand. AIT cohosts 15th General Conference of International Association of Universities
- 2. 2DECEMBER 2016 RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT Urban infrastructure can reduce emissions by half, says study by AIT author in Nature Climate Change Prof Kanchana honored with prestigious Jonathan B Postel Service Award AIT’s Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut has been honored with the prestigious Jonathan B. Postel Service Award for pioneering the spread of internet across SoutheastAsia.Prof.Kanchanareceived the award at Seoul, South Korea, on 16 November 2016 on the occasion of the 97th Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Meeting. The award was instituted in 1999, and Prof. Kanchana is the first from SoutheastAsia toreceive the honor.The Jonathan B. Postel award is presented to an individual or an organization that The design of today’s transportation systems, build- ings and other infrastructure will largely determine tomorrow’s CO2 emissions. Climate smart urban infrastructure and buildings could cut future emis- sions in half or about 10 Gt CO2 per year from 2040 onwards. These core findings have emerged from a new study that has been jointly published by Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal of AIT in the prestigious journal “Nature Climate Change.” The study is led by Felix Creutzig from the Merca- Asia signs MoU with Lusaka Agreement Task Force Bonaventure Ebayi (left) and Surendra Shrestha. tor Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) and other international colleagues. Published on 24 November 2016, the journal article titled “Urban infrastructure choices structure climate solutions” adds that urban planning is key to achieving the two-degree target. Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut receiving the award. Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) and AIT have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) in Africa and Asia. Signing the MoU on 16 November 2016, Bonaventure Ebayi, Director, Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) stated that the adoption of WEMS in Asia is a positive development for wildlife conservation. “We are happy that AIT will champion the implementation of WEMS,” the LATF Director remarked, while adding that he was confident that with Asia possessing a strong base in Science and Technology, it will be easier for Asian countries to embrace the system. has made outstanding contributions in service to the data communications community. “Dr. Kanchana’s devotion and pioneering work has helped extend the Internet to people both in Thailand and across Southeast Asia,” said Gonzalo Camarillo, Chair of the Internet Society Board of Trustees.
- 3. 3DECEMBER 2016 ALUMNI / SEMINAR / CONFERENCES Structural solutions for tall buildings: AIT shows the way When buildings become taller, the challenges for engineers and ar- chitects skyrocket. Higher build- ings bring more challenges for all experts involved in this profession. These were the issues deliberated at the tall building seminar organized by AIT from 7-9 November 2016. “We need structural solutions to architectural challenges,” Execu- tive Director of AIT Solutions, Eminent water conservationist and Stockholm Water Prize winner Rajendra Singh sought a return to basics and made an impassioned plea for inculcating a love towards nature. While delivering the key- note address at the Water Security and Climate Change Conference organized at AIT from 28 Novem- ber-1 December 2016, Rajendra Singh pointed towards an immense chasm that had emerged between Back to the basics, says water conservation expert HRH Prince Khaled Bin Sultan, HE Ban Ki-moon, and Prof. Tissa Illangasekare. Rajendra Singh Prominent AIT Alumnus and Member of AIT’s Institute-Level Advisory Board (ILAB), Prof.Tissa H Illangasekare was honored with the 7th Prince Sultan BinAbdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) at an award ceremony organized at the United Nations Headquarters on 2 November 2016. The ceremony was presided over by the UN Secretary General H.E. Ban Ki-moon and HRH Prince Khaled Bin Sultan. Prominent Alumnus Honored at UN Headquarters scientists and the grassroots com- munity. Dr. Naveed Anwar Dr. Naveed Anwar said while wel- coming participants. Prof. Tissa, who is the AMAX Endowed Chairman of the Environmental Sciences and Engineering department and professor of Civil Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, graduated with a Master’s in Water Resources Engineering from AIT in 1974. Sharing details about the award, Prof. Tissa thanked AIT and Dr. Subin Pinkayan, Chairman,AIT Board of Trustees for “introducing him to hydrology.” Speaking at the inaugural session, AIT President Prof. Worsak Ka- nok-Nukulchai enumerated vari- ous new initiatives including the plan to introduce a Professional Master’s program in Tall Build- ings. Joel Luna, Vice President, Innovation and Design Group of Ayala Land, and Jose A. Sy, President and CEO of Sy^2 + As- sociates delivered the opening re- marks. Elaborating on how he had helped create 11,800 water bodies in India without the help of any govern- mental organization or corporates, Rajendra Singh gave credit for these initiatives to the local com- munity. The event is organized by exceed centers CNRD (Cologne) and SWINDON (Braunschweig) along with AIT, and it is supported by Germany Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
- 4. 4DECEMBER 2016 RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT 25 companies participate in AIT Career Fair A stellar demonstration of research conducted by stu- dents at AIT is the bi-annual exhibition organized by the AIT Students’ Union, where students present their work using conference posters. Organized in conjunction with the Career Fair, the Re- search Exhibition provides an opportunity to students to communicate their research findings in a simulated conference environment. Holding it along with the Ca- reer Fair helps them connect with potential employers and the outside world. Led by the Muhammad Yaseen and Kaavya R, Chairperson and Secretary of AIT Stu- dents’ Union Academic Affairs Committee, this edi- tion saw 13 students participate in the event. Students showcase their work via research posters AIT team at the Horasis Asia Meet. Twenty-five companies participated in the Career Fair held on 2 November 2015 at AIT. Six of the companies were participating in the bi-annual event for the first time. Inaugurating the event, Prof. Sivanappan Kumar, Vice President for Academic Affairs, stated that the Career Fair provides an excellent platform for com- panies to interact with AIT. According to Carla C. Gonzales, Coordinator, AIT Career Center, the event witnessed participation from a large number of Thai firms. “Rapid globalization, digital revolution, mass migra- tion, and the prospect of climate change requires a new breed of workforce.” Stating this at the Horasis Asia Meet held in Bangkok. AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukul remarked that our education system is still based on twentieth-century assumptions. Users, particularly the business sector, are unhappy that they are receiving outdated products. The education system should equip students with global competencies to stimulate life-long learning and nurture global citizens who can act on issues of global significance, he added. AIT was the academic partner of the Horasis Asia Meet on 27-28 November 2016. Dean ofAIT’s School of Management, Prof. Lawrence Abeln chaired the “Education is still based on 20th Century assumptions” plenary session at the event.Ateam of 12AIT students hailing from eight countries acted as event rapporteurs.
- 5. 5DECEMBER 2016 BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS/AWARDS A book on “Structural Cross-sections: Analy- sis and Design” authored by Dr. Naveed Anwar and Fawad A. Najam of AIT has been published by Elsevier. Released on 11 November 2016, the book focuses on basic tools and computa- tion methods for structural design and analysis of beam Biplov Bhandari (center) receiving the award. Dr. Naveed Anwar and Fawad A Najam. While close to 800 million people are involved in differ- ent types of Urban and Peri- urban Agriculture (UPA), it is only recently that UPA has started receiving due attention and importance. This is the theme of an AIT publication titled “Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Asia” pub- lished by Prof. Jayant Kumar Routray and Dr. Mokbul Mor- shed Ahmad of AIT’s School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD). Emerging out of the delibera- tions at a Regional Consulta- tion Meeting on “Strength- ening Food and Nutrition Security of the Urban People through Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture” jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and AIT in July 2015, the publication examines trends, issues, prac- tices, challenges, implications and impact of UPA. Urban agriculture for tackling food crisis Book on Structural Engineering by AIT authors A researcher working at AIT’s Geoinformatics Center (GIC) bagged the young author award at the Eighth International Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Union (ITU) Kaleidoscope Academic Conference held at Bangkok between 14- 16 November 2016. While Biplov Bhandari, Research Young Author award for AIT researcher and column cross-sections. “The basic understanding of cross-sectional behavior is a key component in almost all aspects of analysis and design of structures,” says Dr. Naveed Anwar. “Our motivation to write this book is derived from the key role which cross-sections play in understanding overall structural behavior,” he adds. While Dr. Naveed is the Executive Director of AIT Solutions, co-author Fawad Najam is a doctoral student in Structural Engineering at AIT’s School of Engineering and Technology (SET). Associate at GIC won the young author award, the paper also won the best paper award at the Conference. The research paper also supports three UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are targeted at ending poverty, making human settlements safe and sustainable, and at combating climate change.
- 6. 6DECEMBER 2016 Editor: Bajinder Pal Singh bajinder@ait.asia Designer: Nadhika Mendhaka Photos: Paitoon Tinnapong For feedback, contact Office of Media and Communications omco@ait.asia BACKPAGE Blast from the Past From our November 1971 archives Follow AIT at • Facebook www.facebook.com/aitasia • YouTube www.youtube.com/aitasia • Twitter www.twitter.com/aitasia • Google+ https://plus.google.com/113705895909660110340/posts • LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/edu/school?id=17195 • Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/aitasia AIT Food Fair: 19 November 2016 World Bank’s McNamara Reviews AIT Research COMING UP! • INSTITUTE FORUM 1 December 2016 • BIKE + LOVE = 2ND BREATH 2 December 2016 • AIT GRADUATION 15 December 2016