The concept of industrial partnership with the academia came to fruition with the opening of IDEA R&D Center at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 20 January 2017. The new “IDEA R&D Center” and “IDEA-EEM Laboratory” was formally inaugurated by Mr. Hideo Fukushima, Minister, Embassy of Japan in Thailand; Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, AIT President; and Dr. Toru Matsumura, Executive Director, IDEA Consultants (IDEA).
The laboratory has been established following a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) signed between AIT and IDEA — a premier Japanese
integrated consulting firm dealing with environmental engineering and
infrastructure issues. An initiative spearheaded by AIT’s Vice
President for Administration, Prof. Kazuo Yamamoto, the venture also
entails that IDEA will also second a visiting researcher to station at
the IDEA-AIT Lab, in order to facilitate research cooperation with AIT
faculty and research staff.
Inaugurating the laboratory, President Worsak described the event as
another milestone for AIT in bridging what is known as the "death
valley" between the academia and the industry. “The cooperation between
IDEA and AIT is an innovative model which bridges the gap between
academia and practice,” Prof. Worsak added. Sophisticated research
facilities that are earlier available to the industry will also be
shared with AIT, benefitting faculty and students.
Dr. Toru Matsumura of IDEA Consultants stated that the collaboration
with university assumes importance in light of emerging environmental
issues. “We wish to contribute more to Thailand and ASEAN countries
courtesy of such collaborative ventures,” he added.
Mr. Hideo Fukushima of the Embassy of Japan described the
collaboration as “exemplary.” AIT can benefit from advances in
technology, and use the platform for maximizing knowledge and benefits
emerging from this activity, he added.
Emeritus Professor Chongrak Polprasert, while thanking IDEA for their
generous help, spoke of the environmental challenges emerging from new
products and new chemicals that are being used in everyday life.
The facilities at the new laboratory include analytical instruments
like Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, High-performance Liquid
Chromatography, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Total Organic Carbon
Analyser, Ion Chromatography. Earlier, Dr. Oleg Shipin of
Environmental Engineering and Management program welcomed and
introduced the participants.
