Meet the 2016/2017 ASEAN Science and Technology Fellows

Through the ASEAN -U.S. S&T Fellowship, Dr. Hul worked closely with the National Council for Science and Technology within the Ministry of Planning as was pleased to assist his host ministry with the development of S&T policy in Cambodia. During the Fellowship Dr. Hul also worked to raise awareness of S&T for public and political support, presenting at “Scientific Day”, an event organized by the Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports to bring together officials from the line ministries to highlight the importance of S&T. Furthermore, Dr. Hul provided inputs to legal papers on topics such as ranking criteria for researchers and national S&T research grant guidelines, the latter of which has been incorporated into a “call for applications” for a National Research Grant on S&T and disseminated to academic institutions, government sectors, and civil society.

Dr. Hul holds a Diplôme d’Etudes Aprofondie in Chemical Engineering and Food Technology from Institute of Technology of Cambodia (2004), a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines (2006), and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of the Philippines-Diliman and Shizuoka University-Japan (2010).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship,  Dr. Kurniawan mapped the existing Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy in Indonesia and identified three main categories: Supply, Demand, and Linkages. In a report titled, “STI Policy to Strengthen Indonesia’s National Innovation System in the Perspective of Supply, Demand and Linkages,” Dr. Kurniawan provided recommendations to his host ministry about which categories require more supportive STI policies.

Dr. Kurniawan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2003), a Master’s Degree in Engineering from the University of Adelaide Australia (2009) specializing in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Control System from Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn, Australia (2013).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Dr. Sidik has strengthened her involvement in local government by providing ground level support and informing national policies and international frameworks on “blue” carbon initiatives for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Indonesia. She has also actively promoted the importance of mangroves in emission reduction by providing evidence of their role as a significant carbon sink.

Dr. Sidik holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Sydney Australia (1999), a Master’s Degree in Ecosystem Analysis and Governance from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom (2001), and a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences from the University of Queensland in Australia (2014).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Mr. Theuambounmy has studied and gathered information on policy, regulation, opportunities and barriers related to promoting the use of biogas technology. After analysing existing technology and financial schemes in Lao PDR and its neighbouring countries, he is preparing recommendations for a promotional campaign scheme for applying biogas technology in medium- an large scale livestock farms.

Mr. Theuambounmy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics-Mathematics from Vientiane Pedagogy Institute in Lao PDR (1992) and a Master’s Degree in Renewable Energy Technology from Naresuan University in Thailand (2000).

As an ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellow, Dr. Phommachanh provided recommendations to his host ministry to encourage more investment in small-scale hydropower projects by local stakeholders and simplifying common procedures for their approval at the provincial level. After the Fellowship he will continue collaborative research with other 2016-17 alumni Fellows in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar on policies for sustainable hydropower development in the Lower Mekong.

Dr. Phommachanh holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Laos (2007) and both a Master’s Degree (2009) and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia.

As an ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellow, Dr. Vannaladsaysy has worked to strengthen existing Lao PDR STI policy initiatives in priority areas, including those addressing Millenium Sustainable Development Goals, to enhance utilisation of the Laos Committee on Science and Technology (COST) initiaves. He has provided policy recommendations to his host military to strengthen Public-Private-Partnership (3P), Government-Higher Education-Business (GHB), and Research and Development for Innovation.

Dr. Vannaladsaysy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Laos (2004) and both a Master’s Degree (2007) and Ph.D. (2011) in Material Science and Engineering from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He also spent two years conducting research as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellow at Kyushu University, Japan (2011), In 2015, he was an ERASMUS Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in Italy.

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Dr. Ali actively engaged the Academy of Sciences Malaysia to prepare and draft policies and frameworks to accelerate scientific activity, promoting a science culture among the community and fostering collaboration with other ASEAN strategic partners. More specifically, he contributed to the Malaysia Science Outlook 2017, which contains policy recommendations on six strategic thrusts and is expected to be presented to the Malaysian Cabinet later this year.

Dr. Ali holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering fro University Putra Malaysia (1998) and both Master’s Degree in Microelectronic System Design (2004) and a Ph.D in Electrical and Electronics (2010) from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

As an ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellow, Dr. Zainon Noor has worked with a team of distinguished experts under her host agency, Academy of Sciences Malaysia, serving as a leading voice and contributor on topics of strategic international alliances and science diplomacy for Malaysia Science Outlook 2017, a national biennial publication to inform policy makers and analysts on recent and future changes in global STI patterns and their potential implications for Malaysia STI policies.

Dr. Zainon Noor holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in the United States (1998) and both a Master’s Degree in Clean Technology (2002) and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Newcastle University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the United Kingdom (2006).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Dr. Thant has helped to draft Myanmar’s Renewable Energy (RE) Policy, providing inputes for the RE roadmap, identifying key challenges and opportunities to accelerate the use of efficient and clean energy technologies, and worked to promote research and development for RE in Myanmar.

Dr. Thant holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in Physics from Mandalay University in Myanmar (1995), a Master’s Degree in Physics from the University of Yangon in Myanmar (1999), and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (affiliated with the Tokyo Institute of Technology under the AUN/SEED-Net program, 2010).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Dr. Htwe has primarily supported research and development and S&T activities in the formulation of the national STI policy by strengthening collaboration among universities, research institutes, and industry (URI) nationally and throughout the region. Under the Fellowship, she has formulated guidelines for collaborative research among URI and set up a network directory of research facilities for engineering and research departments in Myanmar with linkages to ASEAN.

Dr. Htwe holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mandalay Technological University (2000) and both a Master’s Degree (2002) and Ph.D. (2006) from Yangon Technological University in Myanmar.

As an ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellow, Dr. Aussanasuwannakul analyzed the Thai Government’s flagship “Food Innopolis” program, translating concepts into services and proposing strategies using the “Triple-Helix model” (university-industry-government). She also raised awareness of the role STI plays in building Thailand’s knowledge economy by identifying competency gaps and emerging areas for growth to expand national research excellence. In collaboration with Dr. Ali, current S&T Fellow from Malaysia, Dr. Aussanasuwannakul also co-authored an article titled “ASEAN Towards Industry 4.0 – the role of STI” for Food Focus Thailand magazine, scheduled to be published in June 2017.

Dr. Aussanasuwannakul is Certified Food Scientist^SM, a credential granted by the Institute of Food Technologist. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand (2000), a Master’s Degree in Food and Nutrition for Development from Mahidol University in Thailand (2004), and a Ph.D. in Animal and Food Sciences from West Virginia University in the United Stated (2011).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Dr. Doydee facilitated collaboration with Mahidol University, Nakhon Phanom University, Michigan State University, and Nanjing Agricultural University of China to contribute to the Asia Water-Energy-Food Nexus project. Additionally, he produces a policy recommendation on Rural Aquaculture and Conservation Agriculture as Knowledge Activities Networks (KANs) in the Lower Mekong River Basin which he presented to his host ministry for consideration.

Dr. Doydee holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries from Kansetsart University, Thailand (1998), a Master’s Degree in Information Technology for Natural Resources Management from Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia (2002), and a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from University of the Philippines Los Baños (2008).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Mr. Banaguas worked to develop a nexus of Food-Energy-Water (F-E-W) systems as a climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management solution, not only in the Philippines, but also throughout the region. He recommended science-based policy solutions for the improvement of the People’s Survival Fund- the Philippines Government’s annual fund financing climate change adaptation potential duplication, he also brought together development partners to map climate change activities and programs. In addition, he organised the first ASEAN Science Diplomats Assembly, convening ASEAN scientist and engineers to discuss climate change, energy, and other policy research topics.

Mr. Banaguas holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila (1996), a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from De La Salle University (2004), and a Magister from Ateneo De Manila University in Environmental Management (2010).

Through the ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellowship, Ms. Nguyen has taken part in the development of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory System guidelines for the agriculture sector in Vietnam. These guidelines, which provide background knowledge for agriculture stakeholders, have gained significant exposure at the national and regional levels among agricultural policy makers and have helped bridge the gap between research and policy on climate change mitigation in Vietnam.

Ms. Nguyen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hydrology-Meteorology (1996) and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management (2002) from the University of Natural Sciences in Hanoi in Vietnam and an Advanced Master’s Degree in Human Ecology from the University of Brussels (2009).

As an ASEAN-U.S. S&T Fellow, Dr. Nguyen Trinh contributed to several evidence-based policy recommendations, through the following documents: True Costs of Coal Electricity in Vietnam, Energy Security Analysis for Vietnams’s Electricity System with a High Share of Coal, Barriers to Development of Renewable Energy in Vietnam, and Vietnam Power Market Reform for More Sustainable Energy. Working closely with organisations such as Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliances, the Vietnam Renewable Energy Network, and the ASEAN Science Diplomats Assembly 2017, Dr. Nguyen Trinh organised and contributed to events connecting stakeholders in the energy sector, creating platforms for discussion and opportunities for dialogue between scientist and policy makers.

Dr. Nguyen Trinh holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electric Power System from Hanoi University of Technology, Vietnam (2005), a Master’s Degree in Energy and Environmental Management from the University of Flensburg in Germany (2010), and a Ph.D. in Energy Economics from Paris Diderot University in France (215).