Dr. Wannee Chinsirikul, NANOTEC Executive Director, and Dr. Pavadee Aungkavattana, NANOTEC Deputy Executive Director participated in the 20th Asia Nano Forum Summit (ANFoS2023). The event was held in conjunction with the 21st International Nanotech Symposium (NANO KOREA 2023 Symposium), 5-6 July 2023, Korea.
Dr. Wannee Chinsirikul, NANOTEC Executive Director, serves as ANF President chairing the 20th Asia Nano Forum Summit (ANFoS2023) while Dr. Pavadee Aungkavattana, NANOTEC Deputy Executive Director, serves as ANF Secretary updating the committee about the ANF annual activities and financial status. The committee also reported on the ANF pilot initiatives for ANF Young Researchers Exchange Program: Bridging R&D to Commercialization Exposure to promote the cooperation of technology transfer (i.e. steps from R&D to Commercialization) Harmonization of Standards & Nanotechnology Product Certifications, Inter-lab comparisons, etc.
One of the ANFoS 2023’s agenda is the election of new ANF Office Bearers 2024-2025. The results of the Election was announced. Dr. Rezal Khairi Ahmad (NanoMalaysia, Malaysia) was elected to be ANF President. Dr. Jun’ichi Sone (JST (Emeritus) / Japan) and Dr. Annabelle V. Briones (DOST-ITDI / The Philippines) were elected to be Vice Presidents. Prof. Changhwan Choi (KoNTRS / Korea) was elected to be treasurer. Dr. Pavadee Aungkavattana (NANOTEC, /Thailand) Dr. Ruslinda A. Rahim (NNC / Malaysia) were elected as ANF Secretary 2024-2025. This is the second term of Dr. Pavadee to serves as ANF secretary.
As part of ANFoS 2023, ANF Workshop on Commercialization was organized under the theme “Sustainable Commercialization of Nanotechnology for People, Planet and Profit” in which Dr. Rezal Khairi Ahmad, ANF Vice President (NanoMalaysia, Malaysia), Mr. Pogany Alexander (BMK, Austria), and Dr. Junichi Sone (JST, Japan) are the working group coordinator. The objective of this workshop is to exchange the information on policy and the applied of nanotechnology in industrial sectors. Dr. Pavadee Aungkavattana was invited as one of the speakers to give a presentation on “Nanovation for a Better Life through NSTDA Startup”. This session was attended by speakers and participants from Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Representatives from each ANF working groups reported the progress and activities during this year. Ms. Benyapa Suwan, Director of Collaboration and Public Relations Division, serves as ANF secretariat Team reported the activities of ANF Nanosafety & Risk Management Working Group on behalf of Dr. Waluree Thongkam, Senior Technical Officer of Nano-Safety Alliance Section, NANOTEC. This working group has been formed with the purpose of effectively coordinating nanosafety activities within the region through the Asia Nano Safety network. The primary objectives of this group involved the harmonization of nano safety training, the implementation of a safe-by-design approach to nanotechnology development, and the facilitation of translational nano research. Dr. Wannee Chinsirikul and Dr. Paul Wright (Australia) are the coordinators of this working group.
About Asia Nano Forum (ANF):
Established in 2004 with six co-founding countries namely Japan, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, India, and the United States. The ANF head office is located at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Singapore. There are currently 14 member organizations. Its mission is to promote responsible development of nanotechnology that educationally, socially, environmentally, and economically benefits each economy by fostering international network collaboration.
Dr. Wannee Chinsirikul serves as ANF President while Dr. Pavadee Aungkavattana was nominated as ANF Secretary in 2022-2023. NANOTEC International Collaboration Section (ICO) served as ANF Secretariat Team to carry out the substantive and administrative work of ANF. The role of the ANF Secretariat Team included: 1) To organize the ANF events: ANF ExCo Meeting, ANF Office Bearers Meeting, ANF Summit 2) To support and facilitate the ANF members for the ANF activities and 3) To publish ANF Newsletter and ANF Annual Report on the ANF Website.
On 7 July 2023, the 2023 NANOTEC-SAINT Collaborative Meeting was hosted by SKKU Advanced Institute of Nano Technology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), at Suwon campus, SKKU, Republic of Korea. Prof. Sungjoo Lee, Head of SAINT/ SKKU welcomed NANOTEC delegates and participants. The objective is to strengthen the collaboration on nanoscience and nanotechnology between Thailand and Korea which is under H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn initiative since April 2013. The meeting comprises of 2 sessions which were scientific meeting and the executive meeting. There were 7 topics from both SAINT/ SKKU professors, NANOTEC/NSTDA researchers and Ph.D. student by Royal Thai government scholarship under joint supervision of SKKU Alumni were presented on nano-biosensors, renewable energy, and recycled batteries, in which SAINT, SKKU professors possess expertise. To achieve the objectives, the mechanisms such as joint supervision, funding opportunities, sharing user facilities and people mobility will be explored more in the future.
The Executive Meeting was set up with an aim to discussion on the possibility of the SKKU Studentship and Fellowship program in phase II. Dr. Chadamas Thuvasethakul, who is committee member of the Information Technology Foundation under the Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, was presented on behalf of Prof. Pairash Thajchayapong, Secretary-General of the Information Technology Foundation under the Initiative of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to discuss with Prof. Jibeom Yoo, President of SKKU and Prof. Sungjoo Lee, Head of SAINT/ SKKU.
The group photo of SAINT/SKKU professors and NANOTEC/NSTDA delegates
Thai Ph.D. students and candidates who received the Sungkyunkwan University Research Studentship and Fellowship in Honor of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn continuing their studies at SKKU.
In this regards, NANOTEC delegates visit Assoc. Prof. Jung Heon Lee, School of Advanced Materials Science & Engineering, SKKU to promote the collaboration on biomedical and environmental sensors.