STEM Professional/Scientists

Dr Pornpun Waitayangkoon

Dr. Pornpun Waitayangkoon, President of The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) in the Asia and Pacific region, is leading the effort to develop and increase the quality of science, mathematics and technology education in Thailand. Since 1999, she has worked to apply GLOBE strategies in helping to fulfill the objectives of IPST, an agency working under the direction of the Ministry of Education, to enhance scientific inquiry and thinking through hands-on collaborative research between students, teachers, scientists and community members. Based in Bangkok, Dr. Waitayangkoon currently serves as GLOBE Country Coordinator of Thailand.

Dr. Waitayangkoon remains committed to the use of GLOBE curriculum and materials in Earth System Science in Thailand and has overseen the adoption of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide for grades 4-6 and 7-9 in Earth science elective courses adopted by more than 400 schools throughout the country. Dr. Waitayangkoon strongly supports the GLOBE approach, encouraging instruction, practice and data collection in a natural setting, where students are encouraged to generate research questions based on their own observations, knowledge and experience. "When students are permitted to follow their own natural curiosity, and learn to apply mathematics and technology in their investigations, they truly are acquiring the skills needed to become the next generation of global scientists," she writes.
 
Students from all age groups have benefitted from the efforts of Dr. Waitayangkoon. She has been responsible for the creation of animation and cartoon books for elementary students and the translations of early K-3 Primarily GLOBE instructional materials including: How Hot is Hot; It's a Rainy, Rainy Day; The Soil Explorer, What Makes Clouds and; Shhh! The Trees are Sleeping! She is involved in university networks, using IPST and GLOBE Earth System Science materials, to arrange student-teacher-scientist collaborations relating to local climate issues throughout Thailand. Across the spectrum, Dr. Waitayangkoon is dedicated to raising the level of environmental literacy, technology fluency, information acquisition, problem solving capacity, and community engagement on climate science. "With GLOBE, students do real science in natural settings, learn the key activities needed to practice the scientific method, take scientifically-valid measurements and explore with their own natural curiosity to understand how the world works. They are learning how to save the world!" writes an enthusiastic and dedicated Dr. Waitayangkoon.