Wangmo Ghalley, Kasun Sahabandu, and Avalokita Tuladhar are the First Batch in the Dual Degree Master’s Program from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, and Colorado State University (CSU), United States of America (USA). They completed their first year in the AITs Water Engineering and Management (WEM) program of the School of Engineering and Technology and departed for the next phase of their studies in the United States of America in August 2022 at CSU. In this dual degree program, they will earn a MEng/MSc in Water Engineering and Management from AIT and MS in Civil Engineering from CSU. They share their experience at CSU:
After having a wonderful time at AIT, the Three of us embarked on a journey six months ago to continue our dual-degree master’s program at CSU. Arriving on an entirely different continent with no familiar faces, we were ambivalent. Even though we were nervous, we were also excited about starting a new chapter in our lives.
The staff and students warmly welcomed us at CSU. During the first week of the semester, we participated in orientations and discovered how CSU values and embraces diversity.
First photo at CSU
Being an international student at CSU has also been a rewarding experience. There are ample organizations for international students in which we have actively participated. This has allowed us to meet and befriend people from different countries and learn about other cultures and perspectives. Additionally, CSU offers a wide range of classes from different disciplines and fields, which has broadened our knowledge and understanding of various subjects. The university also provides excellent facilities and resources, including research labs, libraries, and computer centers, which has helped us in our studies.
Additionally, we have been working as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), which has been quite challenging but also a unique and enriching experience. Being part of the teaching team has allowed us to work closely with faculty members and gain valuable teaching experience. We have been able to assist professors in various classes, from introductory-level courses to advanced graduate-level classes. This has allowed us to understand the subject matter more deeply and develop our teaching skills. Furthermore, it gave us a chance to interact and share our knowledge with students from diverse backgrounds.
We have also been able to continue our research in hydrology, groundwater, and fluid mechanics, under the guidance of advisors from AIT as well as CSU, despite the time difference. This dual degree program has not only expanded our knowledge in our field but also gave us exposure to dealing with and communicating with different international communities.
Overall, our experiences until now has been valuable and enjoyable. We have settled in well at CSU and feel like a part of the RAMS community, but we will always remain AIT-ians too.
Dual Degree Programs with CSU
AIT currently has two dual degree programs with CSU, one with the Water Engineering and Management Program and another with the Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering Program.
🌏 Learn more about dual degree programs in AIT at: https://ait.ac.th/study/dual-degree-programs/
🌏 Learn more about this dual degree program in WEM with CSU: https://ait.ac.th/program/dual-degree-masters-program-in-water-engineering-and-management-with-colorado-state-university/
🐏 About Colorado State University: https://www.colostate.edu/
