Honoring ASEAN female scientists for their efforts to address climate change

The 2023 ASEAN-US Prize for Women Scientists honors scientists from Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Giải thưởng ASEAN-Mỹ dành cho các nhà khoa học nữ. (Nguồn: Phái đoàn Mỹ tại ASEAN)

The 2023 ASEAN-US Women in Science Awards Ceremony. (Source: US Mission to ASEAN)

On October 20, the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (ASEAN COSTI), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UL Research Institute (ULRI) announced the 2023 ASEAN-US Prize for Women Scientists.

Out of 51 candidates competing for the theme of electrification this year, Dr. Pimpa Limthongkul (Thailand) won the category for scientists over 46 years old, while Dr. Charlle L. Sy (Philippines) was honored in the category for scientists under 45 years old. Each received a prize worth US$12,500.

Dr. Pimpa Limthongkul, principal investigator of the National Energy Center under the National Science and Technology Development Agency of Thailand, was awarded for her pioneering research in the field of energy storage for electric vehicles and the grid, as well as the development of a battery swapping platform for electric motorcycles.

Meanwhile, Dr. Charlle, Professor at De La Salle University Manila in the Philippines, was honored for his research on increasing the efficiency and sustainability of micro-hydropower systems, thereby providing more efficient and flexible energy solutions for local communities.

In the category reserved for scientists over 46 years old, the organizers awarded an honorary prize worth 5,000 USD to Dr. Madhavi Srinivasan (Singapore) for his research on improving the performance of electric vehicle batteries, helping to improve storage capacity, allowing faster charging and enhancing safety compared to products currently on the market.

Dr. Nofri Yenita Dahlan (Malaysia)'s research on developing a virtual power plant using artificial intelligence (AI) to help create environmentally friendly and cost-effective renewable energy sources was awarded an honorable mention in the category for scientists under 45 years old.

Congratulating all the winners, ASEAN COSTI Chair Mohammad Nazri Mohammad Yusof expressed pride in the award “continuing to honor outstanding ASEAN women scientists who are playing a key role in safely adopting and using electrification to transform not only their communities but the broader ASEAN community, while mitigating the impacts of climate change.”

“This year’s award marks nine years of recognizing the contributions of women scientists in the ASEAN region and providing funding to help them continue to enrich their research areas,” said Dr. Judy Jeevarajan, Vice President and Executive Director of ULRI’s Electrification Safety Research Institute (ESRI).

Nearly 400 participants from all 10 ASEAN member countries have participated in the competition since 2014.

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