This award supports the participation of American researchers, and graduate students in a U.S. - Thailand workshop to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2008. The co-organizers are Professor Sumeet Saksena at the East-West Center?s (EWC) Cultural and Technology Interchange in Honolulu, Hawaii and Professors Kim Oanh and Nguyen Thi in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Management at the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand. It will also include researchers from Vietnam, The Philippines, India, China and Indonesia. The cross-cultural workshop will add to the fundamental knowledge base of several interdisciplinary fields, including decision science, environmental science, anthropology, public policy and urban planning. The workshop aims to identify key research questions, the multi-disciplinary research capacity in Asian cities, potential partners, and specific project protocols. Consequently, the workshop outputs will enhance the capabilities of researchers to examine stakeholder decision and communication processes about the risk of air pollution near and on roadways in Asia. Participants in the workshop, almost half of whom are women, will form a unique research partnership spanning two continents, a variety of physical and social sciences, and would consist of members of the academia, private and government organizations. By assessing capacity, identifying regional partners, and delineating specific project parameters, it is expected that subsequent research will inform real-world risk communication/management policies that meet the needs of specific Asian cities and the needs of researchers and policy makers in the U.S.
There is sufficient overlap of interests between the East-West Center and the Asian Institute of Technology to indicate that they can successfully pursue the activities proposed and that the interaction will benefit both sides. In the long run, reduction of urban air pollution in Asian cities can prove to be beneficial outside the region as well. Recent research has shown that trans-continental transport of pollutants is occurring. Also, many efforts in Asia to reduce urban air pollution have the co-benefit of reducing greenhouse gases that influence worldwide climate change. This workshop will provide the participating U.S. graduate students an excellent opportunity to receive a global research experience. It is anticipated that they will maintain contacts and collaborations with the Asian researchers and students throughout their careers. Information about the workshop and its findings will be made available via the EWC website. NSF?s Division of Social and Economic Sciences and the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems are both co-funding this award.
