By AIT Public Affairs
30 October 2024: The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), GL Sciences Inc. (GLS), Japan, and IDEA Consultants, Inc. (IDEA), Japan, have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to advance research and academic collaboration on 30 October 2024. This partnership will be facilitated through the IDEA EEM Laboratory and the IDEA R&D Center at AIT, promoting joint research initiatives among AIT, GLS, and IDEA.
Under this MoA, specific responsibilities and activities have been defined to foster collaboration at the IDEA R&D Center. GLS will supply essential consumables, including HPLC vials, GC components, GC columns, filters, and micropipettes, as required for joint research activities. These provisions will be arranged based on mutual agreements among AIT, IDEA, and GLS. Additionally, GLS and IDEA will have access to the IDEA R&D Center’s laboratory facilities following prior consultations and approvals among all parties.
Signatories of the MoA include AIT President Professor Pai-Chi Li, GLS President Mr. Yoshihiro Nagami, and Dr. Toru Matsumura, Executive Director of the Board and Chair of IDEA R&D Center.
AIT will facilitate research and analysis services at the IDEA EEM Laboratory and IDEA R&D Center using consumables provided by GLS. The School of Engineering and Technology (SET) at AIT will cover operational costs, such as electricity and water, for laboratory functions. GLS will provide consumables free of charge for joint research, subject to approval, and will cover shipping fees, including any import taxes, for deliveries to the IDEA R&D Center.
IDEA will oversee the management and use of consumables within the IDEA R&D Center, ensuring their availability and appropriate utilization for research. This collaboration aims to strengthen the research capacity of the IDEA R&D Center through resource sharing and coordinated efforts among the involved institutions.
The signing event was also attended by Dr. Ekbordin Winijkul, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering (WREE); Dr. Wenchao Xue, Associate Professor and Program Chair for Environmental Engineering Management (EEM); Dr. Sumana Shrestha, Director of International Affairs at the Office of International and Public Affairs (OIPA); and Mr. Sanjeet Amatya, Director of Public Affairs at OIPA.
