Asian Science Camp 2015 at Bangkok, Thailand

If I can pick one highlight for each summer, it would not be too difficult for the previous three summers. My highlight for my first summer is easily Yellowstone with my Thai friends from University of Chicago. For my second summer, it would be a conference about technology at KAIST, South Korea. Last summer, it was definitely UTRIP, an internship program at University of Tokyo, Japan. However, it was not so easy this summer. Previously I would say either an exoplanet conference in Quy Nhon, Vietnam or my sightseeing trip to Ho Chi Minh City. But after going to Asian Science Camp (ASC2015), I am certain that the best thing that happened to me this summer is being a liaison at ASC2015.

Panel Discussion with famous scientists, including two Nobel winners and Field Medalist (Credit: Theerapoom Boonprab)

I would say this is my first time organizing the camp at this size with roughly 300 students and 50 teachers and committees. It is also my first time organizing any camps since I went to college four years ago. I still remember all the energy that I got from interacting with young participants and working with other teammates. It was definitely a great feeling that I have been longing for. At first, I did not think that I would join the camp as I only had six weeks at home and already spent a week and a half in Vietnam. I am not ready to spend another one and a half week with a camp that I know nothing about. (Well, I guess nobody knows anything before the camp as well.) I have no idea what made me change my mind, but it was definitely the best decision that I made in a while.

Unlike other science competition which solely focus on competing, this camp's goal is to allow young scientists to have a chance to meet Nobel Prize winners and to meet other young scientists from different countries to start a meaningful relationship. The model for the camp is similar to Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings but in a smaller scale, focusing mainly in Asia. It had a great intention because this is how science actually works in the real world. Scientists are all about collaboration, and not competition. Nevertheless, I could not tell whether the camp reaches these goals since I am an organizer and not a participant. (Looking at all Facebook posts from various delegates, I think we pretty much achieved these goals.) 

My main job at the camp is to facilitate leaders (teachers/professors who bring the students to a conference). Because the main focus of the camp is about students and young scientists, we often forget these leaders and do not provide as much supports for them as it should be. Thus, six of us have to plan everything for these leaders from leaving the hotel to going back to the hotel at night. It was not an easy job as we have to take care of all leaders who have different needs. For example, some can barely speak English, some want to travel during the conference, and some want to be with students at all time. In the end, I think we did our jobs fairly well, judging from all the souvenirs and thank you notes from the leaders.

Group photo with all 45 staffs + 3 teachers from ASC2015 (Credit: Toffy)

There are many exciting/interesting/frustrating moments in the camp, ranging from listening to Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry and Biology, finding missing students/leaders in Ayutthaya and the farewell party, helping students find their stuffs and getting up at 3.30 am in the morning to pick up/send leaders to the airport. 

However, the best thing about ASC2015 is neither all the Nobel Laureates nor young scientists from different countries, but is meeting with many enthusiastic people and teachers from Thailand who get excited about organizing a camp as I am/used to be. Even though being abroad widens my connections with people around the world, it ironically narrows my networks in Thailand. Participating in a camp provides me with more than 40 new and meaningful friendship with those who are interested in science (and two in linguistics). This is definitely the best thing that had happened to me for a long time. Finally, thank you for giving me a chance to participate in the camp. I have learned so much more than what I expected before the camp. Thank you!

Thank you card for main team (ทีมแกน) from all other staffs