Shaiwatna Kupratakul

Shaiwatna Kupratakul
File:Shaikuptt.jpg Shaiwatna Kupratakul, 2002
Born	(1940-09-20)20 September 1940 Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

Shaiwatna Kupratakul is a Thai theoretical physicist. He is known by profession and contribution as a scientist, educator, writer, translator, columsnist, science communication, producer and host of radio and television programmes. This lifelong dedication is on science communication and the propularigation of science through writing, radio and television media and public speaking (twice nominated for UNESCO’S Kalinga Prize by UNESCOThailand in 1981 and 2004).

His works on science communication, writing and translation have received several awards, prizes and recognition.

After returning from Australia in 1970, with a Ph.D. in Physics from Monash University, Shaiwatna Kupratakul has committed himself continuously as a lecturer, university administrator, educational development project committee or leader, writing of non-fiction and fiction works (especially on science) with the major aim of arming the people with wisdom to fight scientific ignorance and superstition. His most cherished memories were the meetings with Isaac Asimov (at New York in November, 1977) and Arthur C. Clarke (at Columbo, Sri Lanka, in February, 1980). Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke are two of the three people on earth which Shaiwatna Kupratakul wish most to meet personally, the third person is Einstein. Shaiwatna Kupratakul did visit Princeton, Einstein’s last residence in 1977. His science writing were insprired by Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Verne, H.C. Wells and Juntri Siriboonrod (จักรี ศิริบุญรอด); the last of which was proclaimed “Father of Thai Science Fiction.”

Shaiwatna Kupratakul started his career as a lecturer at Khon Kaen University in 1970, novel to Srinakharinwirot University (Prasarnmit, in 1982 He early-retired from Srinakharinwirot to give special lectines and talks at several universities,) schools and for the public, write articles and science fiction (both short science stories and science novels), host radio and television programmes, serve as committee members of several academic and national Councils.

Shaiwatna Kupratakul married Shusri Chulusthira in 1968, having a son (Juckrich) and a daughter (Chollada) He remained Sansiri Chairat in 1999.

Biography

Shaiwatna Kupratakul was born to sheng Thiang, a herb doctor, and Sien Tiang, at Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on 20 September 1940. He received this primary education (Prathom 1-Prathom 6 during 1949-1953) at Tesbaln 1 (Boorapa Vidhakorn) School and secondary education (Mathayom 1-Mathayom 8 buring 1953-1961) at Ratchasima Vidtrayala School, both in Nakhon Ratchasima. He attended Chulalongkorn University at the Faculty of Science for one and a half-year, during 1961-1962. In 1962, he won a Columbo scholarship, from Australian Government, to study physics in Australia. He graduated with a B.S.c. (Honours) in Physics, from Monash University, in 1966, and a Ph.D. (Physics), also from Monash University, in 1970.

File:Shaikubtt2.jpg

Shaiwatna Kupratakul 1999

Employment

1. 1. Lecturer at Department of Physics, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand, during 1970-1982
   2. Lecturer at Department of Physics, Srinakharinwirot University (Prasammit), Bangkok, Thailand, during 1982-1999.
   3. Retiree (since October 1, 1999)

Administrative duties

1. 1. Head of Department of Physics, Khon Kaen University, during 1970-1976 and 1978-1982.
   2. Assistant Dean of Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, during 1974-1978.
   3. Head of Department of Physics, Srinakharinwirot (Prasammit), during 1983-1985.
   4. Assistant Dean of Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwiot University, during 1983-1985.

Professional appointments and activities

1. 1. Assistant Professor of Physics, during 1974-1981
   2. Associate Professor of Physics, since 1981.
   3. Executive Committee Member, Asian Physical Society, (APSO), 1979.
   4. Vice-President, Asian Science Communicators Organization, (ASCO), 1980.
   5. Member, the Science Society of Thailand, since 1972.
   6. Member, the Writers’ Association of Thailand, since 1976.
   7. Member, P.E.N. International Thailand Center, since 1976.
   8. Chairmean, Science Writers’ and Publishers’ Group of Thailand, 1984.
   9. Executive Board Member, National Research Council of Thailand, since 2003.
   10. Chairman, Physical Science and Mathematical Branch, the Office of the National Research Council of Thailand, since 2003.

Publication

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Shaiwatna Kupratakul 2005

Nature of publication

Writer, editor, columnist, and translator of science and non-science, fiction and non-fiction articles, essays, short stories, novels and books for young and general readers including textbooks on physics and physical science. Altogether, more than 100 books, written or translated, have been published.

Sources of publication

Since 1970, articles, essays, features, columns, short stories and novels by Shaiwatna Kupratakuln (also under pen names of Shaikupt, Tachyon, Watanachai, Sriwat, etc.) have appeared in the following, partial list of newspapers and magazines.

1. 1. Newspapers.
      1. Kom Chad Luek. (คม ชัด ลึก)
      2. Bangkok Business News. (กรุงเทพธุรกิจ)
      3. Daily News. (เดลินิวส์)
      4. Khao Sod. (ข่าวสด)
      5. Siam Rath. (สยามรัฐ)
      6. Bangkok Post.
   2. Magazines.
      1. Asiaweek. (weekly)
      2. Tengara.
      3. Science. (วิทยาศาสตร์) (monthly)
      4. Update. (อัพเดท) (monthly)
      5. Sarakadee. (สารคดี) (monthly)
      6. Kullastree. (กุลสตรี) (fortnightly)
      7. Chaipueksa. (ชัยพฤกษ์) (monthly)
      8. Mother and Child. (แม่และเด็ก) (monthly)
      9. Satree Sarn. (สตรีสาน) (weekly)
      10. Book World. (โลกหนังสือ) (monthly)
      11. Chao Krung. (ชาวกรุง) (monthly)

Published books

A partial list of written or translated or edited books by Shaiwatna Kupratakuln (or pen names), specifically on science, is given as follows.

1. 1. Feature or Factual Books.
      1. From Atom To Universe. (จากอะตอมถึงจักรวาล), 2001.
      2. 88 Good Science Books. (หนังสือดีวิทยาศาสตร์ 88 เล่ม), 2002.
      3. Science Fiction: Book World And Movies. (นิยายวิทยาศาสตร์: โลกหนังสือและภาพยนตร์), 2002.
      4. 10 World Top Physicists. (10 สุดยอดนักฟิสิกส์โลก), 2002.
      5. Path To Wisdom. (วิถีแห่งปัญญา), 2002.
      6. Living In Hi – Tech Age. (อยู่กับโลกยุคไฮ-เทค), 2002.
      7. A-Z Science Language. (A-Z ภาษาวิทยาศาสตร์), 2002.
      8. Asteroids And Comets Threaten Earth. (ดาวเคราะห์น้อย+ดาวหางถล่มโลก), 2003.
      9. Apollo And Conspiracy Theory? (อะพอลโลกับทฤษฎีลวงโลก), 2003.
      10. The Universe In A Nutshell. (จักรวาลในเปลือกนัท), translated from Stephen Hawking’s book, 2003.
      11. Talk With Shaiwatna. (คุยกับชัยวัฒน์), 2004.
      12. Miracle Of Life. (มหัศจรรย์แห่งชีวิต), 2004.
      13. Space Lift. (ลิฟต์อวกาศ), 2004.
   2. Fiction.
      1. Project X. (โปรเจกต์ เอกซ์), novel, 2002.
      2. Science Fiction Story – Reader, vol. 20, Heyne – Buch, in German, 1983. (Containing a German translation of a short story “The Mission To Earth” by Shaikupt (“จากใจกลางกาแล็กซีสู่โลก” โดย “ชัยคุปต์”)
   3. Pen Name.

SHAIKUPT (ชัยคุปต์), TACHYON (เตคียอน) WATNACHAI (วัฒนชัย), SRIWATNA (ศรีวัฒน์), (CO-PEN NAME WITH SHUSRI) Associate Professor Dr.Shaiwatna Kupratakuln.(รศ.ดร.ชัยวัฒน์ คุประตกุล)

Radio and television

Shaiwatna Kuppatakuln has been hosting or co-hosting or producing or serving as communitator several radio programmers both in Khon Kaen (during 1970–1982) and in Bangkok (since 1982) The main purpose of most radio programmers are to communicate and popularize science to the general public. Except many short radio programmers (of 2–3 minutes) which have been prerecorded most of the radio programmes are live and interacting with the audiences. Examples of the radio programmes banness are: science and you (วิทยาศาสตร์และท่าน), Life and Universe (ชีวิตกับจักรวาล), Life and Science (ชีวิตกับวิทยาศาสตร์), Colorful Life With Science (สีสันชีวิตกับวิทยาศาสตร์), Scientific Wisdom (ภูมิปัญญากับวิทยาศาสตร์), For the Future (สาระเพื่ออนาคต) ,etc.

On television, Shaiwatna Kupratakul has also been hosting or co-hosting or producing many television programmes starting at Khon Kaen national television station (Channel 5 Khon Kaen) since about 1970 until 1982 and continued doing so in Bangkok to the present. As in radio programmes, the main purposes of Shaiwatna Kupratakul television activities are on communicating and popularizing science to general public.

Examples of the television programmes hosted by Shaiwatna Kupratakul are : Science And You (วิทยาศาสตร์และท่าน), Keeping Up With World Progres (ทันโลกก้าวหน้า), Science And Life Update (ทันโลก ทันชีวิต), The Path Of The Future (วิถีอนาคต), etc.

Shaiwatna Kupratakul has been a regular guest on radio and television programmes to explain unusual or streamge nature or man-made phenomena and to inform the public on major scientific.

Research fields

Shaiwatna Kupatakul major research interests are on the energy band structures of noble metals, The pressure effects on the energy band structures of noble metals and solar energy. His Ph.D.Thesis is The Eletron Band Structures Colonlatron of Gold By The APW Method “His major Ph.D.works were published as” “Electron Band Struction of Gold”, J Phys.C. (Solid State Physics, 1969,p. 1886-1887, with his mentor and co-author, Prof.G.C. Electron Band Structure of Gold”, S.Phays. C. (Solid

Research related to published works

Short science stories written by Shaiwatna Kupatakul (mostly under the pen name of Shaikupt) have been a research topic carried out by Pornsiri Narkwatchara (พรศิริ นาควัชระ) as part of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Thai, Department of Thai, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. The thesis entitled “An Analytic Study of Shaikupts Science Fictures (การศึกษาเชิงวิเคราะห์เรื่องสั้นแนววิทยาศาสตร์ของชัยคุปต์) was submitted successfully for the academic year 1999. In the thesis, Pornsiri Narkwatchara band her research on 130 short science stories.

Awards and prizes

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Shaiwatna Kupratakul 2008

• • Shaiwatna Kupatakul works on science Communication translators, science fact and fiction writings have received severed awards and prizes with some examples given is follows:-
  • Outstanding Science Communicator Award for the year 1995 from the Science Society of Thailand Under the Patonage of His Majesty the King.
  • “Surintaraja” Award for the year 2009 from the Translators and Interpreters Association of Thailand (TIAT). And award for outstanding senior translator.
  • The book “Immortal Life” (ชีวิตอมตะ), winner of two consolation prizes for non-fiction book for young readers, National Book Fair (Thailand) and The National Youth Burean (Thailand), both in 1982.
  • The book “Laser” (เลเซอร์) winner of a consolation prize for non-fiction book for young readers, National Book Fair (Thailand), 1986.
  • The book “Amazing Space” (อวกาศมหัศจรรย์), winner of a consolation prize for illustrated book for children, National Book Fair (Thailand), 1997.
  • The book “Project X” (โปรเจกต์เอกซ์), winner of a consolation prize for novel, National Book Fair (Thailand), 2003. Honours and recognition

Honours ans recognition

Shaiwatna Kupatakuln has received severed national and international honours and recognition, some of which are as follow:-

 - Outstanding alumnus (ศิษย์เก่าดีเด่น) of Ratchasima Vidhayalai School as proclaimed in 1997
 - Outstanding alumnus (ศิษย์เก่าดีเด่น) of Tesabaln1 (Boorapa Vidhayalai) School as proclaimed in 2009.
 - MARQUIS WHO'S WHO IN THE WORLD, 1980-1981.
 - MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT, INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL CENTRE, 1983.
 - INTERNATIONAL WHO'S WHO OF INTELLEITUALS, INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL CENTRE, VOL.5.
 - PRESENTER OF A TV SPOT PROMOTING THAILAND NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK EVENTS OF THE YEAR 20000 BROADCASTED ON SEVERAL TELEVISION CHANNELS DURING THE MONTH OF ASGUST, 2000.