YRS is co-organized by AIT and Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University and Prince of Songkla University. Under this year’s theme of “Partnerships in Water and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development,” the doctoral students from Thailand, India, Australia, China, Myanmar and Japan are spending close to a fortnight in the country gaining actionable knowledge, while developing research skills and professional networks with other students, academics and leading experts.
The young scholars were led to the campus by AIT Emeritus Professor Dr. Mario T. Tabucanon, who is currently a Visiting Professor at the United Nations University’s Institute of Advanced Studies in Yokohama, Japan. Prof. Tabucanon oversees the ProSPER.Net. Apart from intensive lectures, the students will undertake a number of field trips in Thailand around the themes of water and biodiversity, and participate in a three-minute thesis competition.
Welcoming the international contingent, AIT Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. S Kumar remarked on the Institute’s mission and the emphasis it places on academics, applied research, capacity building, partnerships, and outreach for sustainable development in the Asian region.
He summarized how the Institute works with researchers, policy makers, entrepreneurs, donors, and governments across five thematic research areas focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Detailing a renewable energy case study titled “Micro Utility System in Bangladesh”, he showed how AIT consistently aims for real life relevance and impact in its learning and research. The doctoral students used the opportunity to engage in a frank discussion on the merits of renewable energy with one of AIT’s foremost experts in the field.
The students then listened as AIT Geo-Technical Engineering and Management’s Dr. Noppadol Phien-Wei outlined the natural and human-made factors that contributed to Thailand's 2011 Great Flood, and the eventual inundation of the AIT campus. Disaster, Preparedness and Management was the focus of a lecture by Prof. Jayant K. Routray of Regional and Rural Development Planning / DPMM.
Later, following a tour of AIT laboratories, and group discussion moderated by AIT’s Dr. Anil K. Anal, the students attended a lecture titled “Water-Energy-Climate Nexus: Key Indicators, Drivers and Implications” delivered by Prof. Arun Kansal of TERI University, Delhi, India. Other AIT faculty members lecturing as part of the Young Researchers’ School are Dr. Sutat Weesakul, Prof. Mukund S. Babel, Dr. Damien Jourdain, Dr. Amararatne Yakupitiyage, and Dr. Sylvain R. Perret.
More details about ProSPER.Net are available at this link: http://www.ias.unu.edu/sub_page.aspx?catID=108&ddlID=697
Photo caption: AIT Emeritus Professor Dr. Mario T. Tabucanon (seated 2nd from left), together with AIT Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. S Kumar (seated 3rd from left) and Dr. Anil K. Anal (seated far right) from AIT, are seen in a group photo with the young researchers.