AIT Cohosts 15Th General Conference of International Association Of

DECEMBER 2016 1

Asian Institute of Technology DECEMBER 2016

AIT cohosts 15th General Conference of International Association of Universities sian Institute of Technology (AIT) cohosted determine how higher education institutions and IAU the 15th General Conference of the Interna- can emerge as true catalysts for change. The theme this Ational Association of Universities (IAU), an year was “ Higher Education: A catalyst for innovative event that was presided over by Her Royal Highness and sustainable societies.” Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The Conference, which was jointly organized along with Chulalongkorn University, Key participants in the inaugural session included Siam University and Suranaree University of Technol- Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President, AIT; Dr. ogy from 13-16 November 2016, also commemorated Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, President, IAU; Prof. Bundhit 100 years of the University System in Thailand. Eua-arporn, President, Chulalongkorn University; Prof. Pornchai Mongkhonvanit, President, Siam University, This year, the IAU General Assembly focussed on and IAU Vice-president; Prof. Charas Suwanwela, sharing strategies and practices that demonstrate how Former President, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand; higher education institutions contribute to innovation and Prof. Prasart Suebka, Rector, Suranaree University and sustainability. The Conference also sought to of Technology, Thailand.

INSIDE ISSUE.. . Recent News / Happenings at AIT...... 2, 4 Alumni / Seminar / Conferences...... 3 Books/ Publications / Awards...... 5 Backpage...... 6 RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT DECEMBER 2016 2

Asia signs MoU Prof Kanchana honored with prestigious with Lusaka Jonathan B Postel Service Award Agreement Task AIT’s Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut Force has been honored with the prestigious Jonathan B. Postel Service Award for pioneering the spread of internet across Southeast Asia. Prof. Kanchana received the award at Seoul, South Korea, on 16 November 2016 on the occasion of the 97th Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Meeting. Bonaventure Ebayi (left) and Surendra Shrestha. The award was instituted in 1999, and Prof. Kanchana is the first from Prof. Kanchana Kanchanasut Southeast Asia to receive the honor. The receiving the award. Lusaka Agreement Task Jonathan B. Postel award is presented Force (LATF) and AIT have to an individual or an organization that signed a Memorandum has made outstanding contributions in service to the data communications of Understanding (MoU) community. “Dr. Kanchana’s devotion and pioneering work has helped for the implementation of extend the Internet to people both in Thailand and across Southeast Asia,” the Wildlife Enforcement said Gonzalo Camarillo, Chair of the Internet Society Board of Trustees. Monitoring System (WEMS) in Africa and Asia. Signing the MoU on 16 November 2016, Bonaventure Ebayi, Urban infrastructure can reduce emissions Director, Lusaka Agreement by half, says study by AIT author in Nature Task Force (LATF) stated Climate Change that the adoption of WEMS in Asia is a positive The design of today’s transportation systems, build- development for wildlife ings and other infrastructure will largely determine conservation.

tomorrow’s CO2 emissions. Climate smart urban infrastructure and buildings could cut future emis- “We are happy that AIT will champion the implementation sions in half or about 10 Gt CO2 per year from 2040 onwards. These core findings have emerged from of WEMS,” the LATF a new study that has been jointly published by Dr. Director remarked, while Shobhakar Dhakal of AIT in the prestigious journal adding that he was confident “Nature Climate Change.” that with Asia possessing a strong base in Science The study is led by Felix Creutzig from the Merca- and Technology, it will be easier for Asian countries to tor Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) and embrace the system. 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. ALUMNI / SEMINAR / CONFERENCES DECEMBER 2016 3

Prominent Alumnus Honored at UN Headquarters Prominent AIT Alumnus and Prof. Tissa, who is the AMAX Member of AIT’s Institute-Level Endowed Chairman of the Advisory Board (ILAB), Prof. Tissa Environmental Sciences and H Illangasekare was honored with Engineering department and the 7th Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz professor of Civil Engineering at International Prize for Water the Colorado School of Mines, (PSIPW) at an award ceremony graduated with a Master’s in Water organized at the United Nations Resources Engineering from AIT Headquarters on 2 November 2016. in 1974. Sharing details about the The ceremony was presided over by award, Prof. Tissa thanked AIT and HRH Prince Khaled Bin Sultan, HE Ban the UN Secretary General H.E. Ban Ki-moon, and Prof. Tissa Illangasekare. Dr. Subin Pinkayan, Chairman, AIT Ki-moon and HRH Prince Khaled Board of Trustees for “introducing Bin Sultan. him to hydrology.”

Structural solutions for tall buildings: AIT shows the way When buildings become taller, the Speaking at the inaugural session, challenges for engineers and ar- AIT President Prof. Worsak Ka- chitects skyrocket. Higher build- nok-Nukulchai enumerated vari- ings bring more challenges for all ous new initiatives including the experts involved in this profession. plan to introduce a Professional These were the issues deliberated at Master’s program in Tall Build- the tall building seminar organized ings. Joel Luna, Vice President, by AIT from 7-9 November 2016. Dr. Naveed Anwar Innovation and Design Group of Ayala Land, and Jose A. Sy, “We need structural solutions to President and CEO of Sy^2 + As- architectural challenges,” Execu- Dr. Naveed Anwar said while wel- sociates delivered the opening re- tive Director of AIT Solutions, coming participants. marks.

Back to the basics, says water conservation expert Eminent water conservationist and Elaborating on how he had helped Stockholm Water Prize winner create 11,800 water bodies in India Rajendra Singh sought a return to without the help of any govern- basics and made an impassioned mental organization or corporates, plea for inculcating a love towards Rajendra Singh gave credit for nature. While delivering the key- these initiatives to the local com- note address at the Water Security munity. The event is organized by and Climate Change Conference Rajendra Singh exceed centers CNRD (Cologne) organized at AIT from 28 Novem- and SWINDON (Braunschweig) ber-1 December 2016, Rajendra along with AIT, and it is supported Singh pointed towards an immense scientists and the grassroots com- by Germany Academic Exchange chasm that had emerged between munity. Service (DAAD). RECENT NEWS / HAPPENINGS AT AIT DECEMBER 2016 4

25 companies participate in AIT Students showcase their work Career Fair via research posters

Twenty-five companies participated in the Career A stellar demonstration of research conducted by stu- Fair held on 2 November 2015 at AIT. Six of the dents at AIT is the bi-annual exhibition organized by companies were participating in the bi-annual event the AIT Students’ Union, where students present their for the first time. work using conference posters.

Inaugurating the event, Prof. Sivanappan Kumar, Organized in conjunction with the Career Fair, the Re- Vice President for Academic Affairs, stated that the search Exhibition provides an opportunity to students Career Fair provides an excellent platform for com- to communicate their research findings in a simulated panies to interact with AIT. According to Carla C. conference environment. Holding it along with the Ca- Gonzales, Coordinator, AIT Career Center, the event reer Fair helps them connect with potential employers witnessed participation from a large number of Thai and the outside world. Led by the Muhammad Yaseen firms. and Kaavya R, Chairperson and Secretary of AIT Stu- dents’ Union Academic Affairs Committee, this edi- tion saw 13 students participate in the event.

“Education is still based on 20th Century assumptions” “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 team at the Horasis Asia Meet. AIT was the academic partner of the Horasis Asia Meet on 27-28 November 2016. Dean of AIT’s School plenary session at the event. A team of 12 AIT students of Management, Prof. Lawrence Abeln chaired the hailing from eight countries acted as event rapporteurs. BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS/AWARDS DECEMBER 2016 5

Urban agriculture for Book on Structural Engineering by AIT tackling food crisis authors

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 Dr. Naveed Anwar and Fawad A Najam. design and analysis of beam and column cross-sections.

“The basic understanding of cross-sectional behavior is a key component While close to 800 million in almost all aspects of analysis and design of structures,” says Dr. Naveed people are involved in differ- Anwar. “Our motivation to write this book is derived from the key role ent types of Urban and Peri- which cross-sections play in understanding overall structural behavior,” urban Agriculture (UPA), it he adds. is only recently that UPA has started receiving due attention While Dr. Naveed is the Executive Director of AIT Solutions, co-author and importance. This is the Fawad Najam is a doctoral student in Structural Engineering at AIT’s theme of an AIT publication School of Engineering and Technology (SET). titled “Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Asia” published by Prof. Jayant Kumar Routray and Dr. Mokbul Mor- Young Author award for AIT researcher shed Ahmad of AIT’s School of Environment, Resources A researcher working at and Development (SERD). AIT’s Geoinformatics Center (GIC) bagged the Emerging out of the delibera- young author award at tions at a Regional Consulta- the Eighth International tion Meeting on “Strength- Telecommunications ening Food and Nutrition Union (ITU) Kaleidoscope Security of the Urban People Academic Conference held through Urban and Peri-Urban at Bangkok between 14- Biplov Bhandari (center) receiving the award. Agriculture” jointly organized 16 November 2016. While by the Food and Agriculture Biplov Bhandari, Research Organization (FAO) and AIT Associate at GIC won the young author award, the paper also won the best in July 2015, the publication paper award at the Conference. examines trends, issues, practices, challenges, implications The research paper also supports three UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and impact of UPA. (SDGs) that are targeted at ending poverty, making human settlements safe and sustainable, and at combating climate change. BACKPAGE DECEMBER 2016 6

AIT Food Fair: 19 November 2016

COMING UP! • INSTITUTE FORUM 1 December 2016 • BIKE + LOVE = 2ND BREATH 2 December 2016

• AIT GRADUATION 15 December 2016

Blast World Bank’s McNamara Reviews AIT Research from the Past

Editor: Bajinder Pal Singh [email protected] Designer: Nadhika Mendhaka Photos: Paitoon Tinnapong For feedback, contact Office of Media and Communications From our November 1971 archives [email protected]

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