D r.
Nitsara Karoonuthais i r i
FAM ILY
PU B LI C R E COG NI T I ON
/ Fat h e r /
T V sh ow
TEDx Talk
Universit y professor in Psychology
Bra n d p re s e nte r fo o d supplement
/Mother/
/ O l d e r S i ste r /
S chool teacher (M aths)
Nakor nsawan 3 hours from Bangkok
D oc tor
Far m in Nor ther n Thailand
/ H usb a n d /
D oc tor Osteoar thitis specialist
D etached house with her husband in Bangkok
T E ACH IN G Wr i ter
B o ok ‘Push the Limit ’
Sp eaker
at many educational events
Pro te s t move me nt against previous corrupted government
D r. N it s ara Karo o nu t hai s ir i I NT E R NAT I O NA L AWARD S
N at i o n a l i t y / / Thai Ag e / / 37 O cc u p at i o n / / Scientist
Yo u n g Gl o ba l Lea der 2013 by th e Wo r l d Eco n om ic For um
UN E SCO Th ailand Fo r Wo men I n S c ience 2009
Elec ted found ing co - Ch a i r o f t h e Glob al Young Ac ad e my i n 2 0 1 0 A net work of scientists from around the world
Europ ean U n i o n M ar ie Cur ie I ncoming Fe l l ows h i p s First researcher in S outheast A sia
Cu r re nt p o s i t i o n / / Head of Microarray Lab at National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) since 2007 Pl a ce o f Bi r t h / / Nakornsawan, Thailand
He ad o f a d e p ar t m e nt und e r N at i o nal Ce nte r fo r G e ne t i c E ngi ne e r i ng and B i o te c hno lo gy
G enetic s of rice, prawn and other agricultural pro duce
L AB WO R K
Cu r re nt re s i de n ce / / Bangkok, Thailand Edu c at i o n / / - Primary + Secondary schools in Nakornsawan province, Thailand - Won the Royal Thai Government scholarship to study in the United States - Bachelor of Science from Columbia University, New York, USA - Master degree and PhD from Stanford University, California, USA
D r. N i t s ara te ac he s at m any uni ve r s i t i e s i n B angk o k and ne i ghb o ur i ng p rov i nce s. Mahidol Universit y, Chulalongkorn Universit y, K ing Mongkut ’s Universit y of Technolo gy
D r.
Nitsara Karoonuthais i r i Research | Pre-occupations | D r e a m s
S U P P O R T T H E N E W G E N E R AT IO N S
D r. N i t s ara i s he ad o f t he m i c ro ar ray lab. H e r te am co m p r i s e s 8 fe m ale s c i e nt i s t s and 1 m ale s c i e nt i s t.
S C I E NCE + COMMUN IT Y “ S ci entist s should not only t hink ab out t heir wor k o r o n l y wor k in t heir lab orator ies. I nstead, t hey nee d to u n der st and what is going on around t he wor l d. An d u se sc iences c reat ively to help solve t he Wor l d ’s p rob lem.”
D r. N i t s ara f re que nt ly j o i ns s c i e nce c am p s he ld by t he G ove r nm e nt b o d i e s fo r s c ho o l s t ud e nt s.
Dr. N it sara is fo u nding co - c hair o f the G l o bal Yo u ng Ac a demy- and o rg anis atio n w hic h bel ieves s tro ng l y in s c ien ce and s o c iet y. I n o ther wo rds, s c ience and tec hno l o g y w hic h ex tends beyo nd the bo u ndar y o f the l a b.
M e nto r fo r M i ni s t r y o f S c i e nce s’ s c ho lar s hi p s t ud e nt s
D r. N itsara H er r es ea r ch wor k , pr e o ccupa t ion s a n d d re a m
O nly 0 . 8 p e rce nt o f s t ud e nt s i n Thai land want to b e co m e a s c i e nt i s t whe n t he y grow up.
SC I EN C E TO A I D THE AG R I C U LTU R E Thailand expor ts 29 percent of the Wor ld ’s r ice
Her researc h area / /
D evelop a breed of Thai Jasmine r ice which can withstand floods
Stick y r ice which can resist cer tain insec ts
Thailand ’s famous tiger shr imp which can resist cer tain diseases
Healthier pig breed
Thailand expor ts 20 percent of the Wor ld ’s tiger prawn
T ool
kits- from the role model t o t h e p u b l i c
S UI TC A S E FO R T HE ROLE MOD EL
THE EN V I RON MEN T A ROU N D U S
A compact 400x400x600 mm suitcase is proposed to facilitate Dr.Nitsara’s laboratory work, community work and personal interests. The suitcase becomes an object through which the public associates with Dr.Nitsara- a role model especially to girls.
The 400x600 mm suitcase grows into tool kits which can be distributed to the public living anywhere in the world. Environments where our food comes from:
Dr.Nitsara is a female scientist who leads a research team in biology and food produce at Thailand’s National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. Outside of the laboratory, she loves good food, cooking and is extremely passionate in engaging with the public to raise awareness in science. D o me s t i c e nvi ro n me nt
Co as t al/ r i ve r e nv i ro nm e nt
k itchen
Fi e ld s and M o unt ai ns e nv i ro nm e nt
Also function as a compost bin
With beach umbrella L a b wo r k
Com munit y/ Ed uc at ion wor k
Co o k i n g Also function as a backpack
GROWING Grow your own veggies at home
TESTING FISH For mercury
GROWING Expandable garden trellis for growing vegetables
COOKING Monitor the amount of salt, sugar and oil you consume EATING -Plates to check that you are eating the 5 food groups this meal -Check harmful particles in used cooking oil
TESTING WATER Measure its colour and transparency and send data to help the scientist
TESTING Collect soil sample to test for soil contamination
PICK UP YOUR WASTE Leave the beach clean, collect your picnic waste with you.
HARVESTING Check pesticides in fruit and vegetables
P ossible
building progr a m m e
Average age in agricultural society = 31 years (1984)
Tourism industry is a main source of income in Thailand. Agricultural tourism is a growing industry
Average age in agricultural society = 42 years (2010) Southeast Asia is unifying into an ASEAN community- similar to the European Union. This will bring about a lot of changes in the economy and new business opportunitites.
Rural Thailand is turning into an ageing society
Flood - Drought - Climate Change
BIOTEC
Bangkok is a concrete jungle
Female laboratory
Laboratory - Community Blurring the boundary between institutions and community
More agricultural labour are moving into the city- resulting in more social problems
P ublic
engagement with scientific rese a r c h a n d p o l i c i e s
Citizen science (also known as crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, volunteer monitoring or networked science) is scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists. Formally, citizen science has been defined as “the systematic collection and analysis of data; development of technology; testing of natural phenomena; and the dissemination of these activities by researchers on a primarily avocational basis.” Citizen science is sometimes included in terms such as “public participation in scientific research”, participatory monitoring and participatory action research
An event of Citizen Juries in India held by ActionAid India and the UK’s The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) The voices of small and marginal farmers can enter the policy process when appropriate methodologies are used as in the two cases mentioned. For example: - putting the perceptions, priorities and judgement of ordinary farmers at centre stage, - conducting the events in a rural setting : under a tamarind tree on a farm (Karnataka) and a the farm of a rural training centre (Andhra Pradesh), - getting government bureaucrats, scientists and other expert witnesses to travel to farmers in order to present evidence on the pros and cons of new technologies, - using television and video technology to ensure transparency and free circulation of information on the process and the outcomes
Citclops is a project started in 2012 and sponsored by the European Commision (EC), the executive body of the European Union. The Citclops project aims to develop systems to retrieve and use data on seawater colour, transparency and fluorescence, using low-cost sensors combined with people acting as data carriers, contextual information (e.g. georeferencing) and a community-based Internet platform, taking into account existing experiences (e.g. Secchi Dip-In, Coastwatch Europe and Oil Reporter).
“Science in general generate too much hope and too much fear. If the public could be helped to understand how scientific knowledge is generated and could understand that it is comprehensible and no more extraordinary than any other field of endeavour, they would not expect more of scientists than they are capable of delivery, norwould they fear scientists.” Bruno Latour- The Laboratory Life
T ool
kit : Domestic
STAG ES I N VOLV ED I N F OOD P R EPA R ATI ON
G row i n g
Fo o d p re p a rat io n/ Co o k i n g
E at i ng
Fo o d p re p a rat i o n / Co o k i n g
G rowi ng
E at i n g
T ool
kit : Coastal/River Env i r o n m e n t s
B e ac h um b re lla
Co astal/ R iver enviro n ment
M o n i to r i n g t h e wate r e nvi ro n me nt i nvo l ve s me a s u r i n g i t s t ra n s p a re n c y a n d wate r co l o u r. Th e p ro ce s s i s do n e by s u b me rgi n g t h e ‘S e cc h i di s c ’ i nto t h e wate r, t h e n re a d t h e re s u l t a cco rdi n g to t h e s c a l e.
B as i c te s t o f m e rc ur y i n f i s h c an b e d o ne o ut s i d e lab o rato r y. The e qui p m e nt i nvo lve s co t to n s wab s and ce r t ai n c he m i c al s o lut i o n to b e ap p li e d o nto t he f i s h.
We ge ne rate a lo t o f was te whe n we go to t he b e ac h whi c h co uld af fe c t t he e nv i ro nm e nt and he nce o ur fo o d s up p ly. The to o l k i t als o f unc t i o ns as a co o k i ng m ac hi ne as we ll as a b i n to co lle c t fo o d was te.
Th e to o l k i t i s d esigned to func t ion as a food testi n g ma ch ine as well as ser ve rec reat ion pu r po se. I t i s like a p ic nic b asket where one c an ta ke to th e be ac h or p ic nic by t he r iver.
R oom
Scale
P U R P O S E O F T H E M O B IL E L AB
Co m m unal co o k i ng
L ate s t i nnovat i o n p re s e nt at i o n f ro m s c i e nt i s t s
Co m m uni t y d i s c us s i o n
R ESU LTS
Co m m uni t y and s c i e nt i s t s wo r k i ng to ge t he r
Proposal for Room Scale is a small pavilion which travels to different communities with the scientists conducting research in agriculture. The structure is compact to facilitate the transportation. Elements are folded out to create a canopy, a tool kit hanging rack, a cooking counter and a garden trellis, which provide scientists-public discussion, provision of food testing kits, a mobile kitchen, and a vegetable planting pots. It becomes a medium where scientists and community grow, test/ monitor food quality, eat, and discuss together.
G rowi ng fo o d
Cano py p rov i d i ng co m m uni t y d i s c us s i o n
S c i e nt i s t p re s e nt i ng i nnovat i o ns
To ols k i t
Co m m unal co o k i ng
S e r v i ce s
A rmillary
Sphere | Room S c a l e
The to p s e c t i o n i s whe re t he s e r v i ce s ( co o k i ng gas, wate r t ank ) are lo c ate d. Thi s to p s e c t i o n i s s te e l s t r uc t ure and wi ll b e re m ove d and t ak e n b ac k to t he i ns t i t ut i o n o nce lo c al ac t i v i t y i s e nd e d.
Communal cook ing p lat for m
Ti m b e r s t r uc t ure p rov i d e s f unc t i o ns whe re s c i e nt i s t s and t he co m m uni t y i nte rac t s uc h as 1 . Co m m unal k i tc he n whe re s c i e nt i s t s le ar n f ro m t rad i t i o nal fo o d as we ll as how t he lo c al co o k o r t he i r k nowle d ge re gard i ng nut r i t i o ns e tc. 2 . Co m m unal d i s c us s i o n whe re s c i e nt i s t s i nfo r m t he lo c als o f t he late s t re s e arc h whi le co m m uni t y gi ve s c i e nt i s t s fe e db ac k .
Co mmu nal cook ing p lat for m
Present ing and d isc ussion area
Thi s s e c t i o n wi ll s t ay b e hi nd wi t h t he co m m uni t y- whe re t he y c an co nt i nue to grow fo o d f ro m t he t i m b e r p lant at i o n p lo t s, o r co o k to ge t he r as a co m m uni t y.
Ti m b e r p lant at i o n p lo t s
A rmillary
Sphere | Room Scale : Mob i l e l a b o r a t o r y
+ Food caravan inviting people into the space and engage with community Planting bed showcasing the new investigation by BIOTEC
Thai culture revolves around food
R angsit
Canals
Initially the canals were constructed to aid agriculture, creating a new area where a large amount of rice can be produced to serve the growing foreign demand of rice from Thailand. The importance of Rangsit canals as irrigation channels for rice plantation has decreased throughout the years. Reasons for this are the lack of maintenance of the canals as well as the growth of city. Pathumthani is becoming more and more urban due to its proximity to Bangkok. However, we can still see patches of rice plantation around the area. <<Aerial view of Rangsit Canal
^Existing typology of structures along the canal to provide shelter from rain and sun as well as for recreation along the canal.
E xtending
the lab boundar y
Proposed site
Thailand Science Park where Dr. Nitsara and her team are working on food research, is located in Pathumthani province, a suburban area north of Bangkok.
Rangsit Canals are a series of 14 man-made canals to the east of Chao Phraya River (the main river of Thailand). It was the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first irrigation project dates back to 1890 during the reign of King Rama V. The project was initiated due to growing demands of rice export from Thailand. French, Italian and British engineers were involved in the project.
P roposed
Rangsit Canal m o d e l
3.6 km
2.2 km
2.5 km
2.9 km
3.
1.
5.
2.
5.
GROW TOGETHER
TEST TOGETHER
CLEAN UP THE WASTE TOGETHER
EAT (HEALTHILY) TOGETHER
DISCUSS TOGETHER
An agricultural cooperative
Big market selling fruits and vegetables
Restaurants, street food vendors, a primary school
Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health centre
One museum (Geology) and one public archive
P roposed
Rangsit Canal m o d e l
NODE 1
NODE 2
NODE 3
NODE 4
NODE 5
GROW TOGETHER
TEST TOGETHER
CLEAN UP THE WASTE TOGETHER
EAT (HEALTHILY) TOGETHER
DISCUSS TOGETHER
An agricultural cooperative
Big market selling fruits and vegetables
Restaurants, street food vendors, a primary school
Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health centre
One museum (Geology) and one public archive
COMMUNITY KITCHEN
FOOD DISCUSSION FORUM
FOOD TESTING HUB
COMMUNITY GARDEN/ SUPERMARKET
FOOD RECYCLING CENTRE
Produce Collect food compost to turn into natural fertiliser
Collect and filter used cooking oil and send to biofuel production factory
Supply new seeds
Supply test kits Supply knowledge on nutrition Supply knowledge on new research and innovation
CO-OPERATIVE COMMUNITY EMPOWERING WOMEN
U rban
EAT
interventions
TEST
Proposed interventions of pavilion-sized to Klong Luang agrculture community
GROW
U rban
interventions
1
2
Water-medium experiments + water siphon home experiment
Test soil pH experiment