LAND ON MSU OLD CAMPUS DEVELOPED FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

On March 3 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito inspected a new area on the old MSU camps which has been developed as a research unit for sufficiency in the sustainable development of vegetables.

Although the area may look like simply a large vegetable patch it will be used for practical research and development for MSU student studies of sustainable and continuously productive vegetable crop development.

Vegetables grown include papaya, sweet corn, sunflowers, rice, marsh peas and lemons.

The area is not only for student’s education. New research, agricultural integrated farming processes and local knowledge will be shared with the general community around the province.

The area is also designed as recreation and rest area.

MSU CREATIVE MEDIA STUDENTS SHORT FILM AND ANIMATION COMPETITION

Each year Creative Media students of MSU Faculty of Informatics take part in the Esan (Isan) Short Film and Animation Contest. Teams of students from within the faculty this year produced short films, documentaries or animations based on the theme “Home’.

MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito attended the ceremony to present awards and cash prizes to the winners.

Mahasarakham University is committed to the preservation of local culture and traditions and the creative media student’s works are an example of taking the knowledge they have gained out of the classroom and applying it in the real world.

The creation of these works instils a sense of pride in the students, promotes awareness of their local culture for others and creates historical records for future generations. It is also designed to showcase students talents providing a valuable example of their work for future employment prospects.

This is the seventh year of the E-san Short Film and Animation contest, emanating from an arts program taken as part of the Creative Media course at the Faculty of Informatics. The program includes seminars and training by special guests on making films, documentaries, cartoons and animations.

WORLD WETLANDS DAY AT MSU

On February 2 MSU President Dr. Supachai Samappito presided over the ceremony marking World Wetlands Day.

February 2 is the day the Ramsar Convention (on Wetlands of International Importance) treaty was signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. World Wetlands Day (WWD) was first celebrated in 1997 with just under two thousand Ramsar (wetland) sites of importance currently listed. Contracting parties from over one hundred and sixty countries, including Thailand, are signatories to the Ramsar Treaty.

The slogan for WWW in 2012 is Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience.

MSU Office of Academic Services, Division of Building, Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Veterinary Science and Medicine, Medical School, Centre for Book Research and the Department of Fisheries and others collaborated with fifteen neighbourhood schools and thirteen local villages in holding events raising awareness on World Wetlands Day.

Events held included fishing, rice planting , painting and dancing competitions as well as many other community activities. The focus was on raising awareness among young people of preserving wetlands (and forests) along the rivers of northeast Thailand and the important role they play in the ecological balance of nature.

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MSU STUDENTS CARVE THEIR WAY TO AN HONOURABLE MENTION

MSU students from the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality travelled to the Mercure Hotel in Bangkok on September 9 to compete in the national competition for the Queen’s Cup in fruit and vegetable carving

Fruit and vegetable carving skills can be described as almost a compulsory requirement in today’s competitive hospitality industry. How many of us have admired (perhaps with a little jealousy) the skills required to provide a beautifully carved accompaniment to a meal.

The seven member team representing MSU were one of twenty four teams competing to create a piece themed and in honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol in his eighty fourth year. For the casual observer it seems amazing such wonderful imaginative works can be hand made using only fruit, vegetables, banana leaves and flowers.

Dean of MSU Tourism and Hospitality Faculty Dr. Surachet Chettamart can be justifiably proud of the honourable mention gained by the team in a top quality national competition.

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THREE DAY MSU SCIENCE FAIR ASTRONOMICALLY SUCCESSFUL

MSU Faculty of Science held its annual three day Science Fair from August 17- 19. The Science Fair gives students a bit of a break after having completed their mid-term exams and also to let them create exhibits to showcase some of their work to the general public and other students.

Many students from surrounding primary and secondary schools come to MSU to visit the Science Fair and have a lot of fun. The students also got to visit the MSU Natural Medicinal Mushroom Museum and this year also had the bonus of seeing the Jewels of the Sea exhibition before it moves on to Chiang Mai later this year.

There were many exhibits of interest to people of all ages and the students manning the exhibitions were always very helpful and patient explaining their exhibits to anybody stopping to look.

A poster competition, mathematics school, solar power, large telescopes, glass blowing, chemistry demonstrations, physics demonstrations, recycling products, mushroom and silk products developed from MSU, robotics, were among some of the too many to mention exhibits.

So many of the demonstrations would have prompted the question; ’Why Is It So?’ from people visiting the fair. The Faculty of Science and their students are to be congratulated on putting on such an interesting and exciting Science Fair, especially for their willingness and ability to answer why it IS so.

If you want to see more pictures from the Science Fair please click here.

MSU HOSTS 7TH NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITION

On August 8 MSU hosted the 7^th Annual National Agricultural Conference and Exhibition in co-operation with the National Department of Agriculture.

The exhibition held in conjunction with the conference was in honour of HM King Bhumibol who in the past has been closely involved in the creation of many valuable agricultural projects in Thailand.

In his address to the conference Assistant Professor  Dr.Rampai Kaensakoo, Dean of MSU Faculty of Technology, paid tribute to HM King Bhumibol as the King of Agriculture, who through his development of the sufficiency economy philosophy and patronage of many agricultural projects has seen Thailand develop into a country which can readily compete on the world agricultural stage. He also  noted how it was an honour for Mahasarakham University to host the conference this year as it is the twenty fifth anniversary of MSU’s Faculty of Technology.

More than fifty presentations, special lectures and academic discussion sessions were held during the course of the conference. Two of the objectives of the conference were for promotion and dissemination of scholarly works in agriculture resulting from research done by educational institutions across Thailand and the strengthening of networking ties between these institutions.

Delegates also took tours and excursions to visit and meet farmers involved in agriculture in the northeast.

MSU CHORUS PERFORMS AT ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC

On August 7 students from the MSU College of Music performed at the Royal College of Music in Bangkok. The one hundred and twenty strong MSU Chorus brought the house down with their animated Esan chorus performance, accompanied by a single piano.

Not surprisingly, instead of the usual choral performance where the choir simply ‘stands and delivers’ the ensemble introduced animation and elements of traditional Esan dance into the medley. One feels it would be almost impossible to create the performance in any other way. Esan people love to sing and when they sing they must dance.

"Raising the flag, yellow-gray soils together with my loyal yet. Becoming eternal love” are some of the words contained in the medley. The love of Thailand, the yellow grey soils of the Esan landscape and for their fellow Esan people are amply illustrated in these few words and were brought to life in the performance.

Any person familiar with the northeast of Thailand would instantly be able to identify with the passion and feelings expressed in the performance. Writing teacher and coach Dr. Sayan Pachar’m and the MSU Chorus are to be congratulated on their hard work and commitment in the creation of such a fine performance.

It is strongly suggested you gather some friends around your computer, click on the video link, turn up the volume and enjoy the performance

Click here to see pictures

Click here to see the video

 Pictures and video courtesy Cokefresh ตากล้องป๊อกแป๊ก

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