On May 26, JSPS Bangkok Office gave a JSPS guidance seminar for the first time at Mae Fah Luang University located in the north of Thailand. The university was established 18 years ago, which is the second youngest in Thai national universities, and was impressive for a beautiful and vast campus surrounded by rich nature.

Before the seminar, we made a courtesy visit to Assoc. Prof. Darunee Wattanasiriwech, Vice President, and talked with Asst. Prof. Dr. Sutthiwal Setha, the seminar’s speaker and a member of JSPS Alumni Association of Thailand (JAAT), and Asst. Prof. Dr. Phunsiri Suthiluk as well. The university is famous for agricultural research because of its regional character, making a strong effort on S&T field and highly interested in collaborative research with Japanese universities. In addition, it is trying to carry out a project on economic management and logistics as a strategic model area because Chiang Rai is situated next to Laos and Myanmar. Furthermore, it has concluded MoUs with some Japanese universities and aim to improve not only students but also staff mobility in the future to promote its globalization.

Some 30 young researchers including PhD students participated in the seminar..

After an opening address by Assoc. Prof. Darunee, Prof. Kuniaki Yamashita, Director of JSPS Bangkok office, explained JSPS’s outline and Ms. Noriko Furuya, Deputy Director, and Mr. Toshio Ohta, International Program Associate, introduced its international programs.

Assoc. Prof. Darunee Wattanasiriwech, Vice President

Prof. Kuniaki Yamashita

Ms. Noriko Furuya

Mr. Toshio Ohta

And then, Dr. Sutthiwal, who conducted research as a post-doctoral fellowship at Hiroshima Prefectural University and Chiba University, introduced her experiences in Japan and constant exchanges with Japan.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sutthiwal Setha

In the Q&A session, participants actively asked questions about requirements and procedure to apply for mainly JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Overseas Researchers, and the seminar concluded in being meaningful.

Q&A session

Group photo