By Structural Engineering Forum and AIT Public Affairs
27 October 2023 – With the aim of sharing the latest news, innovations, advancements, information, and achievements in the field of structural engineering, the AIT Structural Engineering Forum (SEF) organizes “Monday Motivation” sessions. These sessions provide a unique opportunity for students to engage with industry experts and delve into a wide array of topics beyond their standard curriculum.
SEF, established in December 2022 by students of the Structural Engineering program at the School of Engineering and Technology (SET), is driven by the mission to foster knowledge about cutting-edge technological advancements in global structural engineering. The forum operates under the capable management of students, focusing solely on benefiting their peers. Each session sees a student leader sharing the most recent updates, insights, and breakthroughs in structural engineering, complemented by keynote speakers that include esteemed professors and seasoned industry professionals who generously impart their invaluable wisdom and experiences.
Since its inception, SEF has successfully organized a wide range of events, competitions, and educational sessions. One notable event was the “Seismic Performance of the Building Model Competition” held on 18 May, 2023. This event brought together engineers, researchers, and students from various national and international universities, challenging them to craft innovative building models capable of withstanding seismic forces.
SEF’s vision extends to forging collaborations between the structural engineering program and various universities in Thailand. This forum is a dynamic platform for students to showcase their skills, knowledge, and expertise, fostering knowledge exchange and collaborative opportunities. The Structural Engineering program is providing assistance and guidance to SEF, with mentorship from Prof. Pennung Warnitchai and Dr. Chaitanya Krishna G. Membership is open to both current students and alumni of the structural engineering program.
Prof. Sangam Shrestha, SET Dean, commended the students for establishing a platform like SEF. He expressed his willingness to support and contribute to its future endeavors, recognizing the immense value it brings to students and the broader field of structural engineering.
The “Monday Motivation” sessions have covered a diverse range of intriguing topics, including active wind-induced response control through plasma actuators, enhancing communication skills for engineers, building careers within UN organizations, experimental seismic response estimation using acceleration data, sustainable construction materials in light of climate change, operational modal analysis introduction, autonomous vision-based inspection of railway bridges post-earthquake, entrepreneurship basics for engineers, UHPC application in accelerated bridge construction, FEM modal updating, innovative bamboo axial member with dowel connections, and a review of the 2023 Turkey earthquake’s failures, successes, and future prospects.
In addition to their regular Monday sessions, SEF has conducted knowledge-sharing sessions with more than 15 renowned professionals, structural engineers, and graduates worldwide. Some key individuals with whom they’ve forged strong connections include Dr. Naveed Anwar, Senior Advisor to President at AIT and CEO-CSI Bangkok; Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, AIT; Dr. Palle Andersen, Managing Director, Structural Vibration Solution; Dr. Yasytaka Narazaki, Assistant Professor, Zhejiang University – University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Institute; Prof. Dieter Trau, AIT; Mr. Yu Otsuki, Ph.D. student, Georgia Institute of Technology; Mr. Deependra Subedi, Bridge Design Engineer, USA and Dr. Nischal Pradhan, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
SEF also has plans to organize an undergraduate training session in the near future. For this, selected students from the structural engineering program will have the opportunity to present topics of their interest to undergraduate students worldwide.
Furthermore, SEF has an exciting lineup of activities planned for the upcoming months, which includes a photography contest centered around structural engineering and a hackathon, among other engaging events. Looking ahead, the forum will organize the annual International Seismic Competition in May 2024. Meanwhile, the “Monday Motivation” sessions and other knowledge-sharing sessions will continue throughout the year.
