Thai Minister of Science and Technology Visits AIST Tsukuba
- Ceremony for the Renewal of Comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding -
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AIST President Nomakuchi (left) and Science and Technology Minister Kalaya Sophonpanich of Thailand (right) |
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The renewal of the comprehensive MOU (front row from left: NSTDA President Sakarindr, AIST President Nomakuchi, TISTR Acting Governor Surapol) |
On October 7, 2009, Dr. Kyunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Minister of Science and Technology of Thailand visited AIST. After exchanging views with President Nomakuchi on the research activities of AIST and science and technology, she took a tour of the Research Center for New Fuels and Vehicle Technology and Science Square Tsukuba. Dr. Sakarindr Bhumiratana, President of the National Science and Technology Development Agency of Thailand (NSTDA), and Mr. Surapol Vatanawong, Acting Governor of the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) were also present. A ceremony for the renewal of the comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed 5 years ago by the two organizations and AIST was held, and the cooperation into the future was reconfirmed. There were 24 people accompanying the minister including executive officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand, NSTDA, TISTR, members of the Royal Thai Embassy in Japan, and people of the press.
Minister Kalaya who was awarded a PhD in nuclear physics in the UK is well-versed in science and technology, and she made comments and asked questions on research activities of AIST with great interest. AIST has had active exchange with NSTDA and TISTR based on the comprehensive MOU signed on November 25, 2004. We have deepened our cooperation through exchange of researchers, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) technical trainings, management level communication, collaborative researches, and regularly held workshops (six already held), centered on environment, energy, information technology, nanotechnology, and materials. It was extremely meaningful that the renewal of the MOU was completed during the visit of Minister Kalaya.
AIST, along with NSTDA and TISTR, is working on a five-year Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)/JICA Project “Innovation on Production and Automotive Utilization of Biofuels from Non-food Biomass” starting this year. The Thai side was much interested in such topics as the introduction of non-food biofuels in the transport sector, climate change mitigation measures, manufacturing technology of transportation fuel, engine evaluation, and fostering biofuel researchers who can work autonomously. Minister Kalaya listened attentively to the presentations at the relevant research sites of AIST.
Through this visit by the minister and the renewal of the comprehensive MOU, we reconfirmed the importance of promoting mutual collaboration. Through strengthening research collaboration between Thailand and AIST, we aim to contribute to the prevention of global warming, environmental improvement, and to solving the energy problem, as well as the economic development not only in the two countries but also in Asia.
Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Visits Tsukuba Center
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Senior Vice-President Kodama welcoming Minister Phong |
In August of last year with the signing between the two governments of the Japan - Vietnam Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, the 1st Japan - Vietnam Joint Committee on Science and Technology was held on March 7 in Tokyo, with around 20 people attending from Vietnam. This meeting was the first regarding science and technology to be held between the two governments and Minister Hoang Van Phong and Sanae Takaichi, minister responsible for science and technology, attended. There was also a report from AIST of the details of collaboration with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
AIST signed a comprehensive agreement with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in December 2004, with the 1st workshop being held in Hanoi, the 2nd being held in October 2005 and the 3rd being held in November 2006, both at the Tsukuba Center. Various fields were promoted as areas for a strengthening of collaboration: environmental measures such as waste water processing, biomass related technology, marine/geological related research, GEO Grid and multi-language processing and open source software. The visit of the Vietnamese Science and Technology Minister to AIST, as a representative Japanese research organization, was arranged at the minister's request.
On the day of the visit, welcoming greetings were given by Senior Vice-President Kodama, an outline explanation of AIST was given by Vice-President Yamazaki, an introduction to the details of the collaboration between AIST and the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology was given by Research Coordinator Yamabe and an introduction to waste water processing technology, which is a particularly strong field of collaborative research with the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, was given by Research Institute for Environmental Management Technology Vice-Director Tao. Then, a lively question and answer session was held regarding the details of establishment as an independent administrative institution, history and differences from universities and other research institutions. Following this, there was an inspection of the various facilities and of the research that they are pursuing: the Grid Technology Research Center, Research Center for Photovoltaics and the Nanotechnology Research Institute.
At the Grid Technology Research Center, in particular, the GEO Grid was introduced as an area of cooperative research aiming at development in the ASEAN area. Also, regarding solar cells, Minister Phong showed strong interest in the promotion of cooperative research with AIST and showed interest in the utilization and value of nanotech processing facilities. At the end of the tour, Minister Phong stated that because AIST was pursuing extremely advanced research, he hoped that a large number of researchers could be accepted from Vietnam. With this visit to AIST, it is expected that collaboration between the two countries will be given a further boost.
H. R. H. Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand Visits AIST
AIST Participated in the National Science and Technology Fair 2006 in Thailand
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand visited AIST Tsukuba on August 22, 2006. Also known as the “Princess of Technology” or the “Princess of Information Technology,” Princess Sirindhorn is well versed in science and technology and highly admired by the Thai people as the intellectual successor to His Majesty the King.
Princess Sirindhorn was accompanied by her niece Khun Sirikittiya Jensen; H.E. Mr. Suvidhya Simaskul, Ambassador of Thailand to Japan, and his wife Mrs. Boontipa Simaskul; Dr. Paritud Bhandhubanyong, Director of the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA); and 25 Thai officials.
After being warmly welcomed by the top officials and visiting Thai researchers at AIST Tsukuba, Princess Sirindhorn visited Science Square Tsukuba (SST), the hands-on museum of AIST. At SST she observed a number of state-of-the-art technologies, including standards and measurement technologies, a tactile display system for people with severe visual impairments, a single-crystal TMR device, an electromyogram interface, and an intelligent wheelchair. She then toured the Open Space Laboratory (OSL) Building where she inspected a photovoltaic power generation system and an exploratory humanoid robot.
We at AIST were deeply impressed with the great interest Princess Sirindhorn showed in our technologies, asking many questions and taking notes and pictures herself. We would like to express our sincere gratitude again to Princess Sirindhorn, who took the time to visit us despite her tight schedule. We hope her visit will further promote partnerships in research between AIST and our Thai counterparts.
In fact, Princess Sirindhorn’s visit to AIST Tsukuba reflected the recent growth of such partnerships, although it was arranged while Princess Sirindhorn was in Japan to attend an international conference jointly organized by United Nations University and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In June 2001, AIST concluded a specific research cooperation agreement with the National Institute of Metrology Thailand (NIMT). AIST signed a general cooperation agreement in November 2004 with NSTDA and the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR). Based on these agreements, AIST has strengthened its mutually supportive relations with these institutes strategically through workshops and joint R&D. Last year AIST jointly organized the Second Biomass-Asia Workshop in Bangkok with the Thai government and research institutes. In addition, AIST participated in the National Science and Technology Fair of Thailand in 2005 and 2006 and exhibited a number of technologies, including some of the products of joint research with its Thai counterparts.
The annual National Science and Technology Fair is organized by the Thai government as part of its ardent efforts to support S&T promotion and education. The 2006 Fair was held in the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) for 12 days from August 11 through 22. More than 1 million people in total, which included many primary and middle school students, visited the event.
Princess Sirindhorn toured the venue on the first day of the event. At our booths she inspected our exhibits with much interest. Among them were a minibus powered solely by biodiesel fuel (BDF)-a product of our joint research with NSTDA/TISTR; and our project to develop PARO, a seal-type mental commitment robot (AIST gave PARO to Princess Sirindhorn as a gift last year).
AIST exhibited under seven themes. Some of the products of our joint research with NSTDA and TISTR were presented using boards and videos with Thai translations as well as exhibits. Researchers from NSTDA, TISTR, other institutes, and universities helped us with our exhibition. Thanks in large parts to their help, all of our booths attracted many visitors. The BDF-powered minibus, which had been brought from Japan, carried visitors within the venue every day as a demonstration.
In Thailand as well we held a working-level meeting with researchers and officials of our counterparts on the progress and future prospects for joint research. The participants decided to chart the future course of action at the next round of the Thailand-Japan Collaboration Workshop (AIST-NSTDA-TISTR).
