Warm congratulations and heartfelt greetings to NIDA’s new graduates in the Master’s and Doctoral classes, who have successfully completed their studies.

Professor Tippawan Lorsuwannarat, Ph.D.
NIDA President

Cr : Facebook : Tippawan Lorsuwannarat

          Now, you have become the seeds of wisdom that will contribute to global sustainable development.
          NIDA proudly introduces its new set of core values, derived from extensive discussions within our community, including the university council, administrators, faculty members, staff, and students. These values are known as “WISE,” representing the essence of NIDA’s identity. WISE stands for Wisdom, Integrity, Sustainable Impacts, and Empathy. This set of values is entrusted to our Master’s and Doctoral graduates who serve as NIDA change agents.

1. Wisdom: This includes the organized knowledge, lifelong learning, critical thinking, and insightful understanding that allows one to solve the difficulties. A Thai student, for example, participated in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) in the field of Science and Engineering had won the Grand Prize at the global level in the United States for several years. This competition involves nearly two thousand participants each year, including Thai students, who presented many interesting projects that highlight their surrounding environmental curiosity. These projects include the studying of stick insects’ walking behavior, observing the germination of inclined sunflower seeds, examining leaf folding in mimosa plants, and analyzing the winged ants’ behaviors to enhance survival rates and aid in controlling aphid outbreaks (awarded in 2023). Let’s take the example of the mimosa leaf-folding project to illustrate the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Thai students were curious about the effects of dripping water on mimosa leaves at different heights. This exploration led to knowledge acquisition, as students experimented multiple times to understand the natural connection between mimosa leaf-folding and seismic activity. By using mimosa leaf-folding to predict the intensity and direction of earthquakes, the discovered correlation exemplifies wisdom and contributes to mitigating losses caused by seismic events.

 

2. INTEGRITY: Integrity is about honesty and unwavering commitment to principles, no matter if someone is watching. The simplest example is when we make a purchase, and the cashier mistakenly gives us extra change. Even if no one notices, it is our responsibility to return the excess money. NIDA has a project called “Growing Good” by the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, aiming to instill integrity in the younger generation, encouraging them not to monopolize overall benefits for oneself and one’s own faction.

3. SUSTAINABLE IMPACT: This involves working towards outcomes that do not solely focus on short-term benefits but consider the potential long-term harm to future generations. Therefore, when undertaking various projects, it is crucial to inquire how to create long-term benefits for communities and the impacts on the society, economy, and environment. An example of a current project concentrating on long-term impacts is the Green Building project. This building was efficiently constructed by utilizing the resources (water, energy), promoting the well-being of occupants, reducing the pollution issues, demonstrating environmental and social responsibilities, and presenting the large air purifying systems such as the Smog Vacuum Cleaner and the innovation of the solar energy-absorbing glass (Solar Glass).
4. EMPATHY: In a society marked by increasing diversity, encompassing differences in thoughts, beliefs, interests, and diverse needs, including the numerous challenges affecting a number of people, there is a high risk of discrimination and the effects of various crises. Therefore, NIDA graduates should actively engage in empathetic actions. This entails intentional listening to others, considering their perspectives, accepting differences, and coexisting with those who are diversified. Additionally, it involves contributing to equal access to many government services for underprivileged individuals. This duty aligns with responsibilities of leaders in a new era, known as “Empathetic Leadership.”

          WISE, therefore, serves as a fundamental value to empower our community to apply wisdom for sustainable development, guided by both integrity and empathy towards others.