Postflood activities at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT).

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 2
One year after the devastating flood inundated the pristine
campus of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 21
October 2011, the Institute continues to traverse its journey
relentlessly and undeterred. Despite its worst crisis in history,
the Institute continues to win laurels. This document provides
a representative sampling of AIT’s work and achievements
during the past eight months.
Graduations 3
Events 4
New initiatives 10
Charter 13
Partner support 15
Visitors/Meetings 16
Honors 19
Book releases 21
Alumni 23
Donations 24
Outreach/Projects 26
Reconstruction 28

3. GRADUATIONS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 3
AIT celebrates 116th Graduation, three months after flood
devastates campus
A total of 243 students from 25 countries representing Asia, Africa, Europe and South Ameri-
ca were conferred with graduate degrees. The delay in graduation was only four weeks.
117th AIT Graduation, first under
International Intergovernmental
Organization era
A total of 425 students from 25 countries in Asia, Africa, Eu-
rope, and North America were conferred with postgraduate
degrees. The delay in graduation was only two weeks.

4. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 4
HRH Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn visits AIT exhibit
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously
visited the AIT booth during her official tour of the
annual National Science & Technology Fair at the
Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre
(BITEC) on 22 August 2012.
Nepal PM reaffirms support to AIT
Council, says country is proud to be
a member
Prime Minister of Nepal H.E. Rt. Hon. Dr. Baburam
Bhattarai reaffirmed Nepal’s support and commitment
to the AIT Charter. The AIT President met the Nepal
PM twice, in July and October 2012.
APMUN - where people enter as
junior delegates, and leave as
diplomats
350 young college and university students from 48
countries participated in the Asia-Pacific Internation-
al Model United Nations (APMUN) event organized
in the precincts of the United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ES-
CAP) in Bangkok on 20 September 2012.
TNA Project meeting with AIT as
Asia-CIS Region Lead Organization
AIT hosted the global-level Technology Needs As-
sessment (TNA) Project’s “Experience Sharing
Workshop” as the Asia-CIS Region Lead Organiza-
tion from 10-12 September 2012.

5. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 5
53rd Anniversary
Highlighting its special linkages to
South-East, South and East Asia, AIT
celebrated 53 years of operation in
Thailand on 7-8 September 2012.
SAARC
AIT President met Secretary-
General of the South Asian
Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC), H. E. Mr.
Ahmed Saleem, at the SAARC
Secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal
on 11 October 2012.
Kurunegala Municipal Council
Mayor compliments AIT for
Low Carbon initiative
Mayor of Sri Lankan Kurunegala Municipal
Council Hon. A. Gamini Peramunage
complimented the Asian Institute of
Technology (AIT) for initiating the Low
Carbon Cities project in his city.

6. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 6
400 students from 28 countries join AIT
Four hundred postgraduate students from 28 countries, spread across five continents
(Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and South America) joined AIT on 10 August 2012.
40 Myanmar students arrive under
Norwegian scholarship
Forty new postgraduate students from Myanmar under a
landmark scholarship program of the Norwegian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) kicked-off their academic
careers at AIT by attending a special orientation program
on 16 July 2012.
AIT welcomes its newest
undergraduates
One hundred and fourteen
undergraduates from six countries
(Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri
Lanka, Thailand and Nepal) joined
AIT officially at its Orientation held
on 3 September 2012.

7. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 7
AIT President called on
President of Nepal Rt. Hon.
Dr. Ram Baran Yadav during
a visit to Kathmandu.
Vietnam Ambassador, H.E.
Mr. Ngo Duc Thang reviews
AIT rebuilding work, meets
Vietnamese community.
‘Smart Province’ Nakhon
Nayok partners with AIT
AIT is an undisputed pioneer in
the field of education: Bhutan AIT signed a MoU on 26 June 2012
Minister with Nakhon Nayok Governor Dr.
Surachai Srisaracam, supporting its
Minister of Labor and Human Resources, bid to become Thailand’s first “smart
Government of Bhutan, H.E. Mr. Dorji province” and intelligent community
Wangdi described AIT as a “great seat of prototype for the fast-emerging
learning,” and an “undisputed pioneer in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
the field of education.” in 2015.

8. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 8
International Women’s Day AIT seminar presents lessons from the
celebrated Thailand flood
The theme for International Women’s Experts presented their views at a seminar on “Lessons from
Day this year was “Empower Rural the Thailand flood,” which was jointly organized by AIT and
Women – End Hunger and Poverty.” ASEAN Affairs in association with the Center for Advanced
Infrastructure Technology, University of Mississippi.
Mini Olympics at AIT
Graduation Night by AIT AIT Marathon and Mini Olympics were organized by the AIT
Student Union Students Union in April 2012.
“The Night of Stars” was the theme of
the graduation night party.

9. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 9
AIT students give to Thai
orphanage
AIT’s Student Union opened up its wallet
and heart by donating 16,000 Thai Baht
to a rural orphanage in Thailand run by
the organization “Baan Unrak” or House
of Joy.
Spirit of togetherness marks
AIT Cultural Show 2012
The auditorium of AIT’s Conference Center,
which was deluged in October 2011, became
an arena where togetherness and interna-
tionality was on display during the AIT Cul-
tural Show held on 21 April 2012.
AIT’s top talent draws
interest at Career Fair
2012
Professional recruiters from 31 en-
SU Research Poster Showcase shines terprises set up booths across the
spotlight on AIT students’ work expanse of the vacant ground floor
of the library at the AIT Career Fair
20 research posters from AIT’s three Schools were displayed on 25 April 2012.
on 29 May 2012 showcasing students’ research work.

10. EVENTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 10
AIT Returns Home
Experts discussed about sustainability at the program “AIT Returns Home: Towards a Sustain-
able Future,” which was organized to mark AIT’s return to its home campus on 24 February 2012.
Completion ceremony of
Professional Master's in Banking
and Finance
Adaptation Forum 2012
Twenty-one students were awarded professional
AIT and UNEP’s Regional Resource Centre transcripts at the completion ceremony of the
for Asia and Pacific (RRC.AP) were prominent Professional Master’s In Banking and Finance
partners in organizing Adaptation Forum 2012 at (PMBF) program by AIT on 9 March 2012.
UN ESCAP headquarters in Bangkok on 12-13 Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, H.E.
March 2012. Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossian graced the occasion.

11. NEW INITIATIVES
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 11
AIT has always been known for its new initiatives. Despite the flood,
AIT has continued to move ahead, be it dual doctoral programs,
scholarships or its new Research Strategy.
New AIT Research
Strategy 2012-2016 will
change AIT, VP Research
assures
AIT launches its first dual doctoral
program with Sokendai, Japan
iPad, iPhone, Android and
Kindle versions of AIT
Newsletter launched
AIT unveils 40 annual Norwegian QR Codes for AIT
scholarships for Myanmar students launched

12. NEW INITIATIVES
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 12
AIT launches Bachelor’s
Remote Sensing Technology program in Bio-systems
Center of Japan (RESTEC) signs Engineering and Environmental
MoU with AIT Engineering
Remote Sensing Technology Center of AIT launched a four-year collaborative
Japan (RESTEC) signed a MoU promote international Bachelor’s degree programs in
research and dissemination of remote sensing Bio-systems Engineering and Environmental
technology in the region. Engineering with SAITM, Sri Lanka.
Deal with China’s GESIE Tian AIT and CSR Asia renew
He Center positions partnership for ten more
years
AIT inked a MoU with Guangdong Edu-
cation Service of International Exchang- Hong Kong based CSR Asia Ltd. and
es TianHe Center (GESIE) to establish AIT extended their existing partnership
a foothold for academic partnerships in for the next ten years.
Guangdong province.

13. NEW INITIATIVES
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 13
AIT the hub for
international effort to
map Philippine flood
from space
As the Philippines struggled with
devastating floods, Dr. Masahiko
Nagai of AIT’s SET emerged as the
focal point of an international effort
to produce satellite imagery and
high resolution maps to aid disaster
relief operations.
SU welcomes you to Your
AIT story
“Familiar strangers” is how Ms. Wang
Lin, a Master’s student at AIT describes
a lot of AITians as she launched a weekly
know your fellow AITians column titled
“Your AIT story.” Indian Institute of
Management (IIM),
Raipur ties up
Colorado State University and
AIT to develop joint research
Indian Institute of Crop Processing program
Technology tie up
Colorado State University (CSU), Fort
Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology Collins, Colorado, USA and AIT signed an
(IICPT) signed an MoU on 25 June 2012. MoU on 10 August 2012.

14. CHARTER
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 14
Government of Bangladesh Viet Nam joins AIT Council
ratifies the AIT Charter Viet Nam became the fifteenth signa-
tory and the eighth country to ratify the
Bangladesh became the seventh country to AIT Charter. It became the first ASEAN
ratify the new AIT Charter at the meeting of country to ratify the Charter.
the Council of Ministers of Bangladesh held
at the capital city of Dakha on 2 January
2012.
Cambodia joins AIT Council
Cambodia deposited the Instrument of Acceptance
to the AIT Charter with the Royal Thai Government
on 3 September 2012 becoming the ninth country to
do so.

15. PARTNER SUPPORT
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 15
AIT's partners continued to support the Institute in the post-flood scenario.
University of British
Columbia hosts four AIT
post-flood students
Almost 300 such positions have been
offered by various partner institutions to
AIT students.
Télécoms Sans Frontière chief
assures AIT of support, keen
to continue partnership
Eight AITians participated in an AIT training
in September 2012.
FAO to strengthen engagement with
AIT
Mr. Hiroyuki Konuma FAO Assistant Director-General
and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific
at AIT.

16. VISITORS/MEETINGS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 16
Thailand Deputy PM Yongyuth and
Justice Minister Pracha Promnok
express support
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior
Hon. Mr. Yongyuth Wichaidit expressed his full support
for AIT in two separate meetings held on 9 December
2011 and 15 March 2012.
Timor Leste Ambassador assures help
to AIT
Ambassador of Timor Leste to Thailand, H.E. Mr. João
Freistas de Câmara, visited AIT on 25 April 2012 and
assured support for its capacity building in his country.
AIT is a Center of Excellence in many
fields: Indonesian Ambassador
Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Thailand,
H. E. Mr. Lutfi Rauf complimented AIT during his visit to
the Institute on 22 March 2012.
US Embassy official visits AIT, Myanmar
outreach and LMI discussed
Mr. Joseph Bagga-Taves, Thailand Environment, Science,
Technology and Health Officer, Economic Section, U.S. Embassy,
Bangkok discussed America’s Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and
outreach with Myanmar in a visit to AIT on 13 September 2012.

17. VISITORS/MEETINGS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 17
Former Thai PM speaks at Plenary
Session
Former Prime Minister of Thailand, Hon. Abhisit Vejjajiva
delivered the plenary speech at the conference “Changing
Asia - Changing Governance: Governance Academy” on 25
April 2012.
Nakornnayok Governor courts AIT for
creating a smart province
Governor of Thailand’s province of Nakornnayok, Dr.
Surachai Srisarakham offered 100 rai of land free of cost
during a visit on 10 May 2012.
Japan Govt Scholarship Program to AIT
contributes to regional development:
Ambassador Kojima
Ambassador of Japan to Thailand H.E. Mr. Seiji Kojima
hosted a function to honor AIT’s Japanese Government
Scholarship Recipients on 25 May 2012.
Social Business Symposium is a good
effort by AIT: Prof. Muhammad Yunus
Nobel laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus delivered the
keynote address at the Social Business Symposium
jointly organized by AIT on 8 May 2012.

18. VISITORS/MEETINGS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 18
Sri Lankan President inquires Oman Minister at AIT
about satellite center
H.E. Dr. Fuad Bin Jaafar Al-Sajwani, Minister
Sri Lanka President H.E. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Sultanate of
expressed interest on the status of AIT plans to Oman, visited AIT on 30 May 2012 to explore
open a branch campus in his country in a meet- collaboration in the areas of agriculture and
ing with the AIT President on 31 May 2012 in aquaculture.
Bangkok, Thailand.
German Ambassador assures Kenya Ambassador visits AIT
support
H.E. Dr. Richard Titus Ekai, Ambassador of Ke-
Ambassador of Germany to Thailand, H.E. Mr. nya to Thailand, visited AIT on 29 February 2012
Rolf Schulze visited the AIT temporary office in to witness the signing ceremony of a Memoran-
Bangkok in the immediate aftermath of the flood. dum of Understanding (MoU) with Multimedia
University College (MMU) of Kenya.

19. HONORS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 19
AIT students win BicyRobo Thailand
Championship
AIT’s “MECHA BIKE” team of Rewat Bunchan and
Surachat Chantarachit won the first position at the 2nd
annual BicyRobo Thailand Championship.
AIT student awarded IPCC grant
Ms. Rizwana Subhani was one of the nine recipients of
a grant from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC).
Governor honors AIT President for
exceptional leadership during the flood
Prof. Said Irandoust was presented with a commemo-
rative plaque by the Governor of Bangkok, Hon. M.R.
Sukhumbhand Paribatra at the Fifth Save our Planet
Conference organized on 5 January 2012.”
AIT professor AIT professor
featured in featured in
special 'COP' Asian Water
newsletter
Prof. Chettiyappan
Prof. Sivanappan Visvanathan was
Kumar was fea- featured in the mag-
tured in special azine ‘Asian Water’
COP Newsletter in its four-page fea-
of the Technology ture on Bangkok’s
Needs Assess- water problems.
ment (TNA) pro-
gram.

20. HONORS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 20
AIT President awarded for outstanding
contribution to education
AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust was honored at the First World
Education Congress at Mumbai on 29 June 2012.
Dr. Teerapat selected member of Our man in the UNDP Asia-Pacific
Board of Governors of Thai Public Human Development Report 2012
Broadcasting Service
Asst. Prof. Cle-
Dr. Teerapat San- mens Grunbuhel
guankotchakorn, contributed the-
has been selected matic case stud-
as a member of ies on Ganges-
Board of Gover- Brahmaputra
nors of Thai Public and Mekong
Broadcasting Ser- River delta re-
vice (TPBS). gions in the Asia-
Pacific Human
Development
Report 2012,
published by the
United Nations Development Programme.
AIT student Ashik Rajbhandari AIT Researcher honored
takes prize at 14th APNG Camp
Dr. Alfredo Anceno
Presenting his re- was awarded the
search entitled “Topic World Water Con-
- Geo Mapping of Di- gress fellowship by
saster Information Us- the International Wa-
ing Ontology,” at 14th ter Association (IWA).
APNG Camp held in
Seoul, South Korea,
new PhD student Mr.
AshikRajbhandari
(RS/GIS), impressed
the Asia Pacific Networking Group (APNG) com-
munity and was awarded the runner-up prize for
best research presentation.

21. BOOK RELEASES
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 21
Despite immense pressure, relocation and post-flood trauma, AIT’s
dedicated faculty continued to flourish producing research papers,
publications and books.
AIT faculty’s book
on groundwater
released
A book titled “Kathmandu
Valley Groundwater Out-
look”, edited by Dr. Sangam
Shrestha was launched dur-
ing the ‘Nepal National Water
Week 2012’ celebrations on
AIT professor 22 March 2012.
publishes book
on air quality
management
Professor N. T. Kim Oanh
published a book titled “In-
tegrated air quality man-
agement: Asian case stud-
ies.” Published by the CRC
Press (USA), it reports
some of the major results
of AIT research coopera-
tion in Asia.
Book by Dr. Sundar
Venkatesh
Dr. Sundar Venkatesh, Advi-
sor, AIT Extension, published
a book on “Fundamental
Accounting Principles.” Pu-
bished by McGraw Hill, the
book covers both financial
accounting and managerial
accounting.

22. BOOK RELEASES
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 22
Two books by Dr. Kyoko Kusabake
AIT Associate Professor Kyoko Kusakabe has contributed mightily to
the field of gender studies in Asia with the release of two scholarly pub-
lications that are destined to become required reading.
A faculty member of the School of Environment, Resources and De-
velopment’s Gender and Development field of study, Assoc. Prof. Ku-
sakabe recently co-authored one book titled “Thailand’s Hidden Work-
force: Burmese Migrant Women Factory Workers” and edited another
titled “Gender, Roads and Mobility in Asia.” Both works have received
considerable favorable reviews from experts in academia, nongovern-
mental organizations and the media.
Book by Dr. Siddharth Jabade
A book coauthored by Dr. Siddharth K. Jabade, AIT’s Director of In-
novation and Intellectual Property Rights, has been released by CRC
Press. Titled “Nanotechnology Intellectual Property Rights: Research,
Design, and Commercialization,” the book dwells on the evolving pat-
ent landscape in Nanotechnology.
Book by Dr. Philippe Doneys
A book titled “Mainstreaming Human Security: Asian Perspec-
tives” edited by a team including Dr. Philippe Doneys of the
Gender and Development Studies (GDS) field of study at AIT’s
School of Environment Resources and Development (SERD)
has been released.

23. ALUMNI
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 23
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn confers
National Outstanding Person Award to
Alumnus Prof. Wongwises
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, as the
Representative of His Majesty the King Bhumibol of Thailand, con-
ferred the National Outstanding Person (Science and Technology)
pin to Prof. Somchai Wongwises, an AIT alumnus.
Alumnus chosen best CFO in
Thailand
AIT alumnus Mr. Chaovalit Ekabut has been
selected as the best Chief Financial Officer
(CFO) in Thailand.
AIT alumna made Thailand’s Permanent
Secretary for Education
An alumna of AIT, Ms. Panita Kambhu Na Ayutthaya, has been
appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education,
Royal Thai Government.
AIT alumnus elected to public office in
Australia
Dr. Shahadat Chowdhury won the local government election in
New South Wales (NSW), Australia He has been elected to the
Parramatta City Council, and will serve for four years.

24. DONATIONS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 24
AIT received help from numerous friends after the flood. This is an
overview of some of the donations.
Japan’s University
of Yamanashi
supports AIT with 1
million Yen
The assistance was
extended on 2 December
2011 by Prof. Futaba
Kazama, Dr. Kei Nishida,
and Dr. Takeshi Nakamura.
AITAA Japan Chapter hands
over 2.6 million Yen in flood NEF-CCN donates 300,000
relief from alumni, former Baht for AIT library
faculty and AIT friends in Japan Nepal Education Foundation-Consortium
of Colleges (NEF-CCN) donated 300,000
Mr. Yoshiaki Shimura, President of AITAA Baht to AIT.
Japan Chapter, handed over 2,660,000
Japanese Yen and 10,000 Baht.

25. DONATIONS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 25
A mother’s gratitude to her
son’s alma mater
Among the touching stories in AIT’s post-
flood recovery was one on 18 July 2012,
when Ms. Chomchai Morya, a proud mother
of an AIT alumnus Mr. Kewin Morya (1998),
arrived at the AIT campus with a 100,000
THB donation to help the Institute.
Tohoku University gifts 1
million Yen to AIT
Prof. Hideki Harada and Prof. Tatsuo
Omura handed over a donation of 1 million
Yen on 25 February 2012.
EBARA donates 1 million Yen to AIT
The donation was handed over by a delegation of
EBARA Corporation comprising of Mr. Kiyoshi Hi-
rono, Executive General Manager; Mr. Katsufumi
Nakano, Managing Director; and Ms. Kornkanok
Naprasertjkul, Administrative and Office Manager.
University of Borås
students begin fund AIT Alumni Affairs Office collects
raising drive for AIT 9 million Baht
Students from University of Borås AIT Alumni Affairs Office has collected 9,101,445 Baht
in Sweden launched a fundraising so far, courtesy of contributions from various individual
drive immediately after AIT was hit alumni, alumni chapters, former faculty and staff, and
by floodwaters on 21 October 2011. friends of AIT.

26. OUTREACH/PROJECTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 26
World Bank aided training
As part of a World Bank-funded project,
AIT will train more than 400 personnel from
Pakistan’s electric power distribution sector
through a two-month intensive professional
development program. Ambassador of
Pakistan to Thailand, H.E. Mr. Sohail
Mahmood, participated in the inaugural
program on 29 April 2012.
Capacity building in Timor Leste
Ambassador of Timor Leste, H.E. Mr. João
Freistas de Câmara attended the opening
ceremony of the University Foundation Program
(UFP) under the Human Capital Development
Fund (FDCH) program. 22 students arrived at
AIT to participate.
Reinventing the Toilet
Dr. Thammarat Koottatep received two projects
from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
namely “Sustainable decentralized wastewater
management in developing countries” and
“Innovation on Sanitation.” The projects are
worth THB 149,991,660 and THB 26,124,360
respectively.

27. OUTREACH/PROJECTS
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 27
Post Flood Projects
Prof. Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh
Successfully received a grant of THB 5,542,800 from
U.S. Agency for International Development and National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) for the project “Assessment
of impacts of the emission reduction measures of short-
lived climate forcers on air quality and climate in South
East Asia”
Dr. Sutat Weesakul
Received a research grant of THB
Dr. Erik L.J. Bohez 6,297,196 from Team Consulting &
Engineering Management Co.Ltd. The
Received a research grant from the Provincial project is titled “Physical Hydraulic Model
Electricity Authority (PEA) Thailand for the project Study of Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power
“Optimal design of Turbine Geometry for small Project Lao PDR”.
hydroelectric Power plant of PEA”.

28. RECONSTRUCTION
AIT Post-flood Activities and Achievements 28
Post-flood Reconstruction
AIT International School
AIT Consulting
Renovated buildings of AIT International
School and AIT Consulting.
AIT Auditorium
Architect’s rendition of reconstruction
plans for various AIT buildings.
AIT Library
AIT Lecture Theatre
Produced by the Media
and Communications
Unit of the Asian Institute
of Technology.
mcu@ait.asia