Venkataramana Sridhar - Thailand
What I did
At the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok, the PI met Dr. Sivanappan Kumar, vice-president of academic affairs; and Dr. Chettiyappan Visvanathan, professor of environmental science and engineering. The PI also met four department heads and five faculty members from different schools within AIT.
At the second institution, Nakhon Phanom University in Nakhon Phanom, the PI met scientists from Nakhon Phanom University, Nanjing Agricultural University and Zhejiang University in China, Monsoon Asia Integrated Research for Sustainability - Future Earth (MAIRS-FE), Virginia Tech, and Michigan State University. This meeting occurred concurrently with a NASA-supported project related to the Lower Mekong River Basin.
Short-term accomplishments and long-term goals
The PI has already established communication with faculty members from AIT and other Thailand-based researchers. As a short-term outcome, this trip facilitated in identifying suitable topics for research collaboration with faculty members related to food, water, and renewable energy. The interest in establishing collaborations with Virginia Tech and AIT was palpable during the discussions, with a particular interest in exchange students.
In the long-term, the PI would continue collaborating on education and training grants, as well as exploring opportunities to jointly propose water resources-related projects focused in the Southeast Asian region.
Contact
Tom Thompson
Associate Dean and Director of Global Programs
104E Hutcheson Hall
540-231-3724