---Collaborations in Year 2007-2008

Collaborations in Year 2007-2008
WAAT and WATF has served as a focal pointing bridging and facilitation academic cooperation between UW, Universities, and Institutions in Thailand . Activities in year 2007-2008 includes:

Thailand Royal Golden Jubilee Program

In response to the severe shortage of highly qualified human resources in Thailand, the TRF, in cooperation with the Ministry of University Affairs and the National Science and Technology Development Agency. To assure that the academic outcome of the Royal Golden Jubilee-Ph.D. Program will attain international standards, only Ph.D. advisors with good research records and having co-advisors or collaborators in recognized universities abroad will be awarded  the RGJ-Ph.D. grant. UW Madison is one of the leading universities that participate in granted fund. The purpose of the program is to grant scholarship to research student, to attend the course and examine their research at UW Madison. The maximum length of stay is not more than 1 year. Today, there more than 16 scholarships that given away in Thailand Royal Golden Jubilee Program

UW Madison is a world leader in transferring technology from the research lab to the market through patents, licensing, and new company creation. Many Asian research institutions including Thailand are now positioned to reap the benefits of their own research through such mechanisms. WAAT and WATF are playing the role as the matchmaker to links Thai institutions with UW Madison, to achieve mutual benefit.

Thai Visiting Scholars & IPST Staff
Purpose of Training:  Expose Scholars and IPST staff to a more student-centered instructional model with an emphasis on inquiry in the sciences, to develop a model of multi-disciplines creating a more integrated curriculum, and to discuss professional development research advances in science and math. These goals were accomplished through multiple means such as school visits, group activities and discussions, and assignments completed during their stay of writing lessons using the Understanding by Design approach to curriculum writing and that are aligned to Thai educational standards but are more student-centered in their instructional approach.

List of Participants
Teerasong Saowapak
Graduate Student - Science and Technology Education
Institute for Innovation and Development of Learning Process - Mahidol University
Area of study:  Science and Technology Education
UW Supervisor:  Kevin Niemi
Dates:  May 25, 2007 - June 10, 2008

Sittichai Wichaidit, Patcharee Rompayom, Panyawat Phongsaphang, Kanyarat Cojorn
PhD Students at Srinakharinwirot University
Area of Study:  Science Education
Dates:  September 4, 2007 - August 31, 2008
UW Supervisor:  Peter Hewson

Pagaporn Pisarnthurakit
Lecturer, School of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University
Area of Study:  Effectiveness of integrated program in well baby clinic for early childhood caries prevention in Thailand
Dates:  June 5, 2008 - May 31, 2009
UW Supervisor:  Bret Shaw

Parichat Lapcharoen
PhD Student, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Area of Study:  Use of gene silencing to study the effects of lysozyme on Plasmodium in the malarial vector, Anopheles dirus
Dates:  August 28, 2007 - December 14, 2008
UW Supervisor:  Susan Paskewitz

IPST Staff
MRS. CHUTIMA  TEMIYASATHIT,  Head, Primary Science Division (Team Leader)
MS. SUNISA  SAENGMONGKOLPIPAT, Academic Staff, Secondary Science Division
MRS. NANTHAVAN  HANSAWEK , Specialist, Chemistry Division
MRS. SHIRLEY  YOODEE, Head, Primary Mathematics Division
MRS. CHAMAIPORN  THANGTON, Expert, Secondary Mathematics Division
MR. OUPPAGARN  JEERAPHANTHU, Head, Technology Project

Training in Thailand
During September 2007, Kevin Niemi was awarded a Fulbright grant to work with the Ministry of Education. He did two, five-day long institutes on Science Inquiry for MOE selected teachers, museum educators, and MOE  administrators from around Thailand. One week was for elementary teachers and the second week was for Middle and High School teachers.  Kevin continued work with IPST through several workshops for IPST staff.  He also met with graduate students from Mahidol and SWU in their science education programs. He also was hosted by the Education School at Mahasrakham University where he did several day long workshops for teachers and university staff and faculty.

May 9 - 18, 2008
Trainer:  Kevin Niemi
Activities:  IPST hosted Dr. Niemi for ten days.  The purpose was two-fold:  (1) to prepare the group of six that were coming to UW-Madison in May for training and (2) to continue to work with the IPST staff primarily in biology who Dr. Niemi has worked with previously. The IPST is working on a complete rewrite of the science and math curriculum for the country and preparing a professional development plan for the implementation of these new curricula.

UW Students to Thailand
IRES
Program Objectives: 
The program provides a Summer Study-Abroad opportunity up to five students in Biological Sciences, without the need to postpone graduation due to the rigid course scheduling requirements of most biological sciences curricula. This opportunity will allow selected students from UW-Madison or UW-Milwaukee to further their research experience by becoming engaged in an active, top-notch research program in a recognized scientific laboratory at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. Participating students will conduct their own research project under the direction of a Thai faculty member and work as part of a laboratory research team investigating fundamental problems in microbiology and molecular biology.
The following students were selected by Jon Roll to participate in the 2008 International Research Experience for Students (IRES) in Microbiology at Mahidol University:  Dayton Opel, Samuel Partington, Rachael Patterson, Kim Krautkramer and Jessica Tilghman.
Dates:  May 21 - August 4, 2008

Spring Semester, 2008 - Student Exchange UW/Thammasat
Elias, Brandon - major Ag Business Managemen

Field Experience in Thailand (Global health)
The field experience has organized continuously every year. Global Health brings students from medicine, veterinary medicine, and nursing. And other disciplines. This year the group came to Thailand during May 19 – June 4, 2008. The field trip experience is the collaboration between UW Madison, Mahidol university (faculty of public health), Konkaen University.

In Addition, this year, the UW School of Pharmacy is hosting the US-Thai Consortium meeting in July 2008. The event welcomes pharmacy colleagues from Thai and US Pharmacy Schools to Madison for this meeting.