Sonthaya Sriramatr, a professor at Srinakharinwirot University in Thailand, is here to study for a PhD in health promotion studies. He's overcome the challenge of mastering English to complete his degree next spring.
When Sonthaya Sriramatr, a young Thai professor in physical education at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok set his sights on Australia for his doctoral degree in health promotion studies, he found himself nudged by one of Thailand's most well-known citizens to thinking about North America instead.
He mentioned his plans to Dr. Nat Indrapana, who had completed his doctoral degree in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation in 1973. The revered Thai sport science academic and administrator, former dean and vice president of Srinakharinwirot University, former deputy minister of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and a long-standing member of the International Olympic Committee, was encouraging. "But he didn't say anything about the University of Alberta at the time," remembers Sonthaya, "he just told me to consider North America."
Sonthaya had already met former Physical Education and Recreation dean Mike Mahon and professor Jane Vallentyne who were visiting Srinakharinwirot University with a view to cementing a partnership between the universities. They too offered their encouragement and support. And so he took the plunge.
A trip to the University of Alberta in 2008 as a visiting professor for four months proved auspicious. "I was really impressed by the work in health promotion studies that Dr. Tanya (Berry) was doing and I decided I wanted to do my PhD with her," he says.
"Language was the biggest barrier," says Sonthaya, whose mother tongue is Thai and who had little mastery of English when he arrived. The legendary Alberta winters also proved a challenge: "I'd visited during the summer when it was beautiful and not too warm or cold," he says with a wry smile. Winter's icy descent is not an easy adjustment for anyone who normally lives in a tropical climate!
He's remained undaunted despite the difficulties; his family has settled in - his wife, an anaesthetist, has a fellowship at the University of Alberta Hospital and their eight-year old son, nicknamed Toop, is enrolled at Garneau Elementary and thriving.
Since commencing his studies here in 2009, Sonthaya has completed his PhD candidacy exams - in fluent English - and is planning a return to Thailand for his dissertation research in May.
"My research topic is an internet-based intervention for promoting and maintaining physical activity," he explains. "I am developing a website with the help of a friend who understands how to build these. It will be a little like a Facebook page. Participants - I plan to enroll 180 undergraduate, sedentary, female students at the Srinakharinwirot University - will receive weekly messages from me promoting physical activity for 30 minutes a day. They will be required to login to the site to self-report their physical activity weekly for three months.
"After three months I will send them a message every month, and after six months I will follow up with the participants to see they have remained active. If my intervention works, I expect they will maintain their physical activity for six months or more," he says.
As his time in Canada grows short, he says he's grateful for the friendship of many faculty members. "They took good care of me. Canadians are like Thai people: generous in habit and service minded. The biggest impression on me was made by people and I found many professors here very kind," he says.
Would he recommend other students to study here? "Winter here is very cold," he says. "That is the barrier for many people who want to come and study here. But I would advise any of my colleagues to study here; it has been a very good experience for me and my family."