Technology researchers honoured with TTSF awards

The awards come under the Science and Technology category, which is one of three main categories the TTSF is focusing on. The others are Science and Technology Research Grants and Science Education Awards.

Tanongkiat Kiatsiriroat, professor at the Thermal System Research Unit of Chiang Mai University and winner of honorary awards, said the Energy Technology and Thermal Engineering project research concentrated on solar thermal applications, eco-design of thermal equipment with innovative heat-transfer enhancement, biofuels and more recently, the life-cycle analysis of energy processes and equipment.

Tanongkiat sees this knowledge being applied to enhance productivity and efficiency in many areas of industry, such as alcohol distillation, steam generators for spas that use the bubble-pump technique, and a schematic diagram of a solar-boosted heat pump for water heating installed at Chiang Mai University Hospital.

"The awards are meant to give leverage to the research and development (R&D) of institutes in Thailand," he said.

Chartchai Krittanai, acting director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, said the institute had been created to serve as a centre of excellence producing high-quality research and training for the new generation of researchers, especially in the active field of molecular biology and genetic engineering.

Meanwhile, the Science and Technology Research Grants and Science Education Awards have 20 awards on offer nationwide. The awards come in four categories: Physics, Chemistry, Agriculture and Engineering.

There is a total of 143 projects from 34 institutes in contention for awards. The projects include Heterotrophic Cultivation of Green Microalga for Biodiesel Productions, and New Pedestal Temperature Model for H-Mode Tokamak Plasmas.

Katsunosuke Maeda, honorary chairman of Japan's Toray Industries, said the foundation aimed to promote, support and encourage talented Thai professionals to develop new innovations in science and technology and to enhance the quality and potential of R&D in Thailand.

"We set up the TTSF in order to increase the efficiency of human resources to support basic research and development related to science and technology in Thailand. We aim to increase the potential of human resources in the future, as well as the basic research and development of the country," said Maeda.

Jirapan Boonnoon

The Nation