March 8-10, 2024 – Khon Kaen University hosted the 15th International Conference on Environmental and Rural Development (ICERD), this year under the theme: BIO-CIRCULAR-GREEN (BCG) ECONOMY: PATHWAYS TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. The objectives were to provide a venue for scientists, students, researchers of all fields, international organizations, both governmental and private, to exchange knowledge, information, research works, news, and academic progress; to develop appropriate and efficient process and strategy for sustainable environment and rural development, which are based on innovations and green technology. There were 200 attendants from 29 countries, including presidents from many universities overseas, ambassadors and representatives of each country, experts, researchers, lecturers and students. The conference also featured 120 academic and research presentations on topics related to sciences, agriculture, and the environment, for sustainable rural development. The presentations were both orally and on posters.
On March 8, the meeting of the committee of the International Society of Environmental and Rural Development (ISERD), an international organization for environmental and rural development for sustainable agriculture. Members of the committee, acting as the representatives of their countries, attended the meeting, and they were also welcomed at the reception banquet at Bayasita Hotel, Khon Kaen University.
On March 9, 2024 – The opening ceremony of the 15th International Conference on Environment and Rural Development was held at Avani Khon Kaen Hotel and Convention Center. Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University delivered the opening address, while Assoc. Prof. Darunee Jotishyangkoon, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture welcomed the attendants and gave the reporting speech. Assoc. Prof. Chuleemat Boonthai Iwaii, Ph.D., Director of the Integrated Land and Water Resource Management Research and Development Center in Northeast Thailand, Khon Kaen University, Thailand and a full-time lecturer of the Department of Soil Science and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, who is the Regional Vice President of International Society of Environmental and Rural Development (ISERD), was the chairperson of the Conference Implementation Committee.
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March 10, 2024 – Attendants from various countries went on a study tour, led by Assoc. Prof. Krailert Taweekul, Ph.D., to see the culture, tourism spots, rural development work, visit the communities, and see the research and innovation work of Khon Kaen University for the community, where community products were exhibited for the conference attendants at Ban Phai Integrated Rural Development Center (Meechai Center), Khon Kaen. Later, they were taken to Thai Silk Pavilion and saline soil research area, Ban Hua Nong, Ban Phai Sub-district, Khon Kaen.
On this occasion, personnel from Khon Kaen University received prizes and were appointed a position in the international committee, as follows:
At the conference, Prof. Anan Polthanee, Ph.D., from the Faculty of Agriculture, was awarded the Honorary Fellow Award, the award presented to an individual who has been well accepted and has been a role model in participating in rural and environmental development for over 10 years. The award was given by the International Society of Environmental and Rural Development (ISERD).
Assoc. Prof. Chuleemat Boonthai Iwaii, Ph.D., Director of the Integrated Land and Water Resource Management Research and Development Center in Northeast Thailand, Khon Kaen University, has also been appointed by the qualified members of the International Society of Environmental and Rural Development (ISERD) to be the Deputy President.
Assoc. Prof. Atcharaporn Pakdee, Head of the Department of Science and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Khon Kaen University, was appointed the representative of Thailand or the Regional Vice President of International Society of Environmental and Rural Development (ISERD).
In addition, personnel and students from Khon Kaen University have been awarded for the excellent paper and excellent poster from the conference as follows: Assoc. Prof. Chuleemat Boonthai Iwaii was awarded for Excellent Paper from the research on Development of the Biological Salt Utilization System for Management of Saline Agricultural Field in Khon Kaen, Thailand, a research work collaborated by Prof. Dr. Takashi Kume and 5 universities in Japan; and Miss Nyein Nyein, a graduate student of the Master of Science Program in Agriculture and Environmental Science, with Assoc. Prof. Chuleemat as the supervisor, was awarded from her Excellent Poster on: Investigating the potential of Azolla microphylla on wastewater treatment and carbon sequestration.
News: Sasitorn Soongnat
