CMU and Murata Award 8 Million Yen in Research Grants to Drive 10 Future-Oriented Projects
The Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University (CMU), recently hosted the 2026 Research Grant Presentation Ceremony supported by The Murata Science and Education Foundation (MSF), highlighting the robust and enduring partnership between academia and the private sector aimed at advancing science, technology, and innovation to drive positive economic, industrial, and societal impact. The ceremony took place on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Co-Working Space on the 2nd floor of the E-SIE Hub, Faculty of Engineering, CMU, which serves as the core coordinating unit bridging CMU, MSF, and Murata Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
The event was presided over by Professor Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, M.D., Ph.D., President of Chiang Mai University, who delivered the opening remarks, while Associate Professor Winita Punyodom, Ph.D., Vice President of CMU, warmly welcomed distinguished representatives, including Mr. Noboru Fukushima, Managing Director of Murata Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and Mr. Noriyuki Kubodera, representing MSF, alongside university executives, faculty members, and researchers.
This year, MSF has awarded 10 research grants to outstanding researchers at Chiang Mai University, with each grant valued at 800,000 yen, totaling 8,000,000 yen to foster high-quality research and enable scholars to develop scalable technologies and innovations tailored for real-world applications. Among this year’s recipients, three talented researchers from the Faculty of Engineering, CMU, were honored, consisting of Assistant Professor Jenjira Jaimang, Ph.D. for “A Privacy-Preserving Tool for Smart Meter”, Dr. Korrapin Jirapong for “Optimizing University-Community Technology Transfer for Sustainable Development: A Portfolio Value Framework for Scaling Regional Impact in Thailand”, and Dr. Natthida Techaboon for “Valorization of Spent Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) Biomass for the Development of Plasma-Crosslinked Hydrogel Sheets”, who also represented the 2026 grant recipients in delivering a speech expressing sincere appreciation to MSF and Murata Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for their unwavering support.
In addition to the grant presentations, the event featured progress reports and outcome presentations from the 10 recipients of the 2025 research grants, providing a valuable platform for researchers to share project milestones and future development directions with MSF executives while strengthening collaborative networks between the university and industry leaders. This initiative reinforces the Faculty of Engineering, CMU’s pivotal role in cultivating a dynamic research and innovation ecosystem, representing far beyond financial backing as a long-term commitment between Chiang Mai University and the private sector to jointly pioneer technological advancements and create sustainable value for society.
