Friday 27 November 2009

Visiting Artist series: 4 December Dr Sumet Jumsai

As a continuation of the programme of Visiting Artists, on 4 December, the students and staff at Asian university were delighted to welcome two special, and very different, artists.

In the morning Dr. Sumet Jumsai, one of Thailand’s most famous architects, talked about his work, his philosophies, and many other subjects. He is best known here for the Nation Building and the Robot Building, both in Bangkok. But he has also been responsible for many other post-modern designs for buildings in Thailand and elsewhere.

Dr. Sumet offered the analogy of an architect as a conductor of an orchestra. The conductor needs to know what each member can do, and then he needs to bring everyone together, at the right time, and doing the right thing. It’s like project management.

Dean Michael thanks Dr. Sumet

Having ranged through Plato, Abraham, the five Buddhist precepts, the Ten Commandments and many other topics, he explained that he believes that teachers should make their students love their subjects, which will encourage students to want to learn more throughout their lives.

He also spoke about ways to deal with rising sea levels (and sinking land) in Bangkok. People have the choice to fight nature, like the Dutch have done very successfully, by building a barrier across the Gulf of Thailand. However there are major maintenance issues associated with this idea. The other choice is to go with nature, and establish floating villages and house and villages. Dr. Sumet showed pictures of old Bangkok, when many people lived in boats on the waterways; maybe they knew something?

Khun Panit (University vice president) with Dr Sumet

He is also painter, social worker, conservationist and author. His best known book, NAGA, Oxford Univ. Press 1988, deals with the origin of civilization in the Asia-Pacific region.

Wednesday 25 November 2009

National Science Museum visits

Asian University President, Dr Viphandh Roengpithya welcomed all guests to the university, and invited the Deputy Mayor of Pattaya, Khun Wuttisak Rermkijakarn, to open the three day event.
Khun Manop Isaree, Director of the National Science Museum of Thailand, also spoke to the assembled guests, and the youngsters from many local schools went into the sports centre to enjoy the science fun, with their teachers and staff from the NSM. About 2,500 youngsters are visiting each day, and Asian University is pleased to welcome them all to the campus.

See also the story on Pattaya Daily News website
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000011225

http://www.thainewsland.com/c15856-education

http://www.pattayamail.com/853/kids.shtml

http://news.pattaya.com/news/new_popup.asp?newid=10574

Monday 23 November 2009

2009 Mini Marathon winners

Winning female students with Dean Michael

Winning male students

Ninja, male student winner, again

Wednesday 18 November was the 11th Annual Mini Marathon. Twice round the campus, in the afternoon sun. The mini marathon is open to everyone at Asian University, students, and all staff members.

As last year, the female and male student winners were Sima (4th year BBA) and Ninja (4th year BEng). The female staff winners were members of the housekeeping staff, and the first three male staff home were representatives from the three faculties!

Winners and times were as follows:

Female student

Sima, Year 4 Business, 20.07 minutes

Punch, Year 1 Business, 31.15 minutes

Noon, Year 4 Engineering, 34.03 minutes

Male student

Ninja, Year 4 Engineering, 15.13 minutes

Koh, Year 1 Business, 16.34 minutes

Nutty, Year 2 Multimedia, 21.04 minutes

Female staff

Prapai, Housekeeping, 28.48 minutes

Areerat, Housekeeping, 29.00 minutes

Suree, Housekeeping, 29.33 minutes

Male staff

David Tan, Business, 19.10 minutes

James Moran, Engineering, 20.07 minutes

Mark Starrs, Liberal Arts, 21.35 minutes

The relay teams ran before the main race, and these were the results.

Relay teams

Rungtip, Kanjana, Pratchaya, Phopsit, College students / staff 6.33 minutes

Paritsada, Sirapat, Ladapha, Sereechon, Liberal Arts, Engineering, Sports, Engineering, 6.39 minutes

Paiwan, Yuttharvai, Kunthikarn, Piya, Housekeeper, Engineering, Business, Multimedia, 6.45 minutes

Well done to everyone!!

Liberal Arts Dean, Michael presented the medals to the deserving winners.

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Sporting Success with the US Navy

On Tuesday 27 October, Asian University was happy to host teams from a visiting US Navy submarine: USS City of Corpus Christi. Games of basketball and football (that's soccer to our American friends) were played.