SPECTRUM - The International Newsletter of Mahidol University, Thailand

Volume 24 Number 3 / September - December 2017

It has been evident for decades that the world is facing an environmental crisis. However, with modern business and industry, as well as more widespread personal access to electricity, global energy demands are always growing. It is important for societies to find ways of balancing theneeds of environmental protection and those of individuals and industries. To contribute toacademic understanding of these issues, in 2012, the Department of Civil and EnvironmentalEngineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, established the Mahidol Eco-Efficient Engineering Research Lab (EcoLab), led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Trakarn Prapaspongsa. Mahidol EcoLab has the main aim of being an agent of change to facilitate understanding on preventive environmental measures, while maintaining socio-economic benefits.

Under the triple helix model which focuses on collaboration between industry, government, and universities, Mahidol EcoLab has applied eco-tools in collaboration with eco-industry, eco-communities, and national and international eco-networks with 16 universities from 9 countries, and obtained funding support from European Commission, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), and Thailand Research Fund.

As a part of Mahidol EcoLab’s work to spread knowledge, from September to November of 2017 Dr. Trakarn took part in many international conferences and workshops including delivering two presentations at the 8th International Conference on Life Cycle Management 2017 in Luxembourg, and being a visiting scholar in the Joint European Master Program in Environmental Studies – Cities & Sustainability at Aalborg University in Denmark. Dr. Trakarn also developed greater collaboration here in Thailand through meeting with Dr. Chongprode Kochaphum, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability Development Department and the sustainability team at Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited to discuss future sustainable engineering education, research collaborations and Newton Fund applications with Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, and co-organizing a seminar entitled “The New Trend of Environmental Management Tools” with The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Kasetsart University, Prince of Songkla University, University of Phayao and Mahasarakham University as a part of two projects entitled “Network for Research and Innovation for Trade and Production of Sustainable Food and Bioenergy (2017-2022)” and “Research Network for LCA and Policy on Food, Fuel and Climate Change (2012-2017)” funded by NSTDA.