News Mails - 2007
1. Vietnam establishes Space Technology Institute -- April 3, 2007
2. International Conference on Water and Flood Management (ICWFM-2007) Bangladesh-- March 12-14, 2007
3. Government Urged To Set Up Bangladesh Space Agency
4. Regional Training/Workshop on "Earthquake Vulnerability and Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment", Nepal -- March 5 - 16, 2007
5. Thailand's Top Water Rocket Championship #1 -- March 18, 2007
6. 3rd Asian Space Conference, Singapore -- March 21 - 23, 2007
7. [[Event Information and APRSAF Website Updates - March - April - May 2007]]
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1. Vietnam establishes Space Technology Institute
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Hanoi, Vietnam - April 3, 2007
Established under Government's decision, the Space Technology Institute (STI) was inaugurated on April 3, 2007. The institute, belonging to the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), was made to become the nation's leading research center for space technology, especially for developing satellite technology, researching and manufacturing space-related equipment, remote sensing technology and its applications, and space dynamics.
Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Vice Director of STI, mentioned at the STI opening ceremony that "Vietnam has early recognized the significance of science and technology. In July 1980, the first Vietnamese astronaut Pham Tuan took part in a cosmic flight and carried out scientific experiments in outer space. In recent years, many science and space technology achievements have been applied in our country, especially in communication, hydrometeorology, remote sensing, and GPS. In order to promote the space technology applications to our sustainable socio-economic development, in June 2006, our Prime Minister has approved "Strategy for space technology research and application by 2020" and in November 20, 2006, Prime Minister signed to establish the STI. On implementation of the Strategy, the VAST President Dr. Dang Vu
Minh signed to define the STI functions, mission, policy and organization. For such reasons, STI is very happy to hold this opening ceremony today."
Full text of the article available at:
APRSAF Hot Topics:
http://www.aprsaf.org/interviews_features/features_2007/feature_05.php
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2. International Conference on Water and Flood Management (ICWFM-2007) Bangladesh -- March 12-14, 2007
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International Conference on Water and Flood Management (ICWFM-2007), held from March 12 to 14, 2007, focused on integrated approach to water and flood management to address issues such as increasing water use efficiency, improving water resources system performance, preserving environmental quality and ensuring equity and social justice in decision making process. The conference was organized by the Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM) of Bangladesh University of Engineering, Technology (BUET), Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) with approximately 200 participants from 16 countries from all over the world.
Dr. A.K.M Saiful Islam and Dr. Mohammad Asad Hussain, organizing secretaries of ICWFM-2007 commented about the effect of the conference:
" The advances in information and communication technology provide opportunities for developing tools for the prediction of impacts of water management decisions on development goals. There is a need for concerted effort to identify appropriate water policies, strategies and management practices to achieve sustainable solutions to water and flood management problems. We hope that ICWFM-2007 succeeded in bringing together academicians, researchers, professionals, decision makers and policy makers for an exchange of views and experiences on water and flood management".
ICWFM2007 website:
http://teacher.buet.ac.bd/icwfm/index.htm
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3. Government Urged to set up Bangladesh Space Agency
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In a meeting of the executive committee of Bangladesh Astronomical Society held in its office on April 3, 2007, the speakers urged the government to immediately set up the Bangladesh Space Agency under the Ministry of Science to create opportunities for space education and space awareness among the students as well as the general public in the country. They contended that space is going to be a very potential industry in the near future that will provide enormous opportunities of jobs and business for which about 42 countries around the world have already set up Space Agencies to reap its benefits.
The meeting resolved that Bangladesh Space Agency must be created immediately for space research and to actively participate in the space race; otherwise, Bangladesh will be lagging far behind of it like its blunder made by refusing the connection of a submarine cable network in the nineties.
Among those who spoke in the meeting were the president of the society Dr. A. R. Khan, the former professor of Department of Applied Physics of University of Dhaka Dr. AKM Aminul Haque, the vice-president and former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University Dr. KM Serajul Islam, the vice-president and former director of the Science Museum Dr. Mobarak Ali Akand, the treasurer and former chairman of the Education Board Comilla Dr. Ali Asgar, EC member and former head of the Physics Department of Bangladesh University of Science & Technology, and the general secretary and national coordinator in Bangladesh for the World Space Week Association and also member of the Space Education and Awareness Working Group, Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum, Mr. F. R. Sarker.
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4. Regional Training/Workshop on "Earthquake Vulnerability and Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment", Nepal -- March 5 - 16, 2007
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International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), located in Himalayan region, served eight member countries, organized a two-week regional training/workshop on Earthquake Vulnerability and Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment during March 5 - 16, 2007 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
With its objectives of building the capacity of national institutions to utilize geospatial tools (GIS/RS/GPS) for multi-hazard risk assessment and mapping as well as of raising the awareness of said tools for disaster preparedness and mitigation, 29 participants from four of the ICIMOD Regional Member Countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan) gathered in the workshop. It consisted of a series of lectures and hands-on exercises group tasks and project work on earthquake vulnerability and multi-hazard risk assessment using geospatial tools and techniques. Much of the course materials were drawn from real-ground situations and emphasized the use of geospatial tools. The various methods were based on ground data from earthquake studies.
ICIMOD website:
http://www.icimod.org/home/news/news.content.php?nid=49
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5. Thailand's Top Water Rocket Championship #1 -- March 18, 2007
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Thailand PET-Bottled Rocket Club, Saraburiwitthayakhom School Water Rocket Club and the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) organized the first Thailand's Top Water Rocket Championship on March 18, 2007 at the Cavalry Center's tank's firing range in Saraburi Province.
The main aim of this event is to inspire and stimulate the interest of students, teachers, and general public in PET-bottled rockets, resulting in their increase awareness of space sciences and utilization of PET-bottled rockets as a scientific tool. The event organizers are expecting to establish a higher level of competition in the future, and they are planning to hold more water rocket championships every year.
Dr. Pitan Singhasaneh of Marketing and Public Relations of GISTDA, commented, "It is amazing how much we have accomplished in this event, which proofs that "There is no "I" in "TEAMWORK". Everyone worked and played hard in a friendly atmosphere without belligerence. I do believe that all of the participants went home with satisfaction not because they got the prizes, but because each of them has contributed to be a part of the best water rocket event of the year 2007".
The event was sponsored by Asia Access Co., Ltd. and Rocket Four Co., Ltd.
Full text of the article available at:
APRSAF Hot Topics
http://www.aprsaf.org/interviews_features/features_2007/feature_04.php
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6. 3rd Asian Space Conference, Singapore -- March 21 - 23, 2007
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The Asian Space Conference 2007 was the third in a series of successful international conferences emphasizing space related activities in Asia. The main aim of this conference was to provide a forum for individuals involved in space study, and other related fields of the humanities and social sciences to present their work in a conference setting. At this conference, the participators discussed and shared information and knowledge of space applications to solve common problems of sustainable economic growth, poverty alleviation, social stability, and disaster mitigation.
Dr. Timo Bretschneider of Nanyang Technological University delivered the following message at the conference:
" It is our great pleasure to host the ASC for the first time in Singapore following the two very successful previous conferences in Thailand, and in Vietnam. The organizing and program committee have made every possible effort to assemble an excellent mix of technical papers and special sessions to cover the scope of space engineering and technology as well as relevant topics in humanities and social sciences. The participants were not only from Asian countries but also from Europe and the United States and it was a conference over a large areas. At the exhibition booths, you can see how to use the space technology. There is also an art exhibition and you may enjoy planetarium-based artwork. I believe that this conference is very significant and contributive to space technology development in Asian region. In addition, even young generations (students) participate in the conference to learn and make presentations about the space technology. We sincerely hope that this conference could contribute to future space technology in Asian region."
Asian Space Conference website:
http://pdcc.ntu.edu.sg/ASC2007/
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7. [[Event Information and APRSAF Website Update - April - June 2007]]
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* May 2-6, 2007
GeoHab 2007 - Marine Benthic Habitats of the Pacific and Other Oceans: Status, Use, and Management
Noumea, New Caledonia
http://www.circum-pacificcouncil.org/Circular-RegForm.pdf
* May 5-9, 2007
5th International Conference on Research, Innovation & Vision for the Future (RIVF' 07) Information & Communication Technologies
Hanoi, Vietnam
http://www.rivf.org/
* May 14-18, 2007
Spatial Sciences Institute Biennial International Conference
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
http://www.ssc2007.com/
* May 15-18, 2007
5th Taipei International Digital Earth Symposium - TIDES 2007
Taipei, Taiwan
http://deconf.pccu.edu.tw/2007/en-info.htm
* May 21-25, 2007
CEOS SGISS-23 Plenary Meeting & Remote Sensing Workshop
Hanoi Vietnam
http://www.wgiss23.com/
* June 12-13, 2007
Location India 2007, 3rd International Conference and Exhibition on Vehicle Tracking, Location Intelligence and Surveying
Bangalore, India
http://www.location.net.in/india/index.htm
* June 12-15, 2007
13th PCGIAP Annual Meeting
Seoul, Korea
* June 14-16, 2007
RAST 2007 3rd International Conference on Recent Advances in Space Technologies
Istanbul, Turkey
http://www.rast.org.tr/
* June 20-27, 2007
Geoinformation Forum Japan 2007
Yokohama, Japan
http://www.jsurvey.jp/eng-geoforum2006.htm
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Copyright 2007 The APRSAF Secretariat
APRSAF Secretariat