First, I would like to thank MUIC for granting me the Outstanding Alumni Award for Community Service. It is one of the greatest honors that I have received. 

The story I am telling you today is not about the award I have won but rather my personal reflections of what I had learned during my years at MUIC, and how they have shaped my life as a Ph.D. student and early-career scientist. 

I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University under the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Scholarship. MUIC has taught me so many things in life both personally and academically—things that I never otherwise would have learned.

MUIC is the place that gives me perspectives. One of the strengths of MUIC is in its liberal arts education. You can learn so many things here. I never thought that as a then Biomed student I would graduate with a Spanish minor, take philosophy class, or dig at archaeological sites. All these classes count. They give you perspectives. They enable you to see the world from different angles and get the big picture of the things you are doing. Today’s research is multidisciplinary which enforces you to envision things that are outside your comfort zone. MUIC prepared me well as a young scientist and has opened doors for so many opportunities. 

MUIC is the place that gives me skills. Good ideas come quickly but translating them into research questions needs skills. MUIC is a very innovative institution when it comes to student’s learning. MUIC values skills over anything else, practice over theory, thinking over memorizing, application over acquisition, and others. These skills really make you stand out. They bring out the best in you. They allow you to figure out what to do with what you have learned, and what else can be done. These skills have helped me a lot, and they are a strong foundation for my career development. 

This is my message to the current MUIC students. MUIC has given me so many things. I am proud to say MUIC so far has been the catalyst of my achievements. I am sure it will be yours too. 

Mr. Athikhun Suwannakhan
B.Sc. Biological Sciences (Biomedical Science), First Class Honor, Class of 2015
Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University