Alumni Spotlight: Chak Cherdsatirkul
Chak Cherdsatirkul graduated from Columbia University’s Master of Sustainability Management program in 2011.
Chak Cherdsatirkul is one of the first two graduates of Columbia University’s Master of Sustainability Management (SUMA) program, which Debut in 2010. Back in 2016, we develop bird sanctuaries in his hometown of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Below, he shares an update on the project, more about his other work, and advice for current and future SUMA students.
What career aspirations do you have? How has participating in the SUMA program affected you?
I’ve always wanted to do something good for the world and I believe sustainability is essential to that passion. Twelve years ago, I joined the SUMA program as one of the first two graduates. The courses I took improved my skills and prepared me for my career and future projects. The faculty, classmates, and connections from Columbia opened my eyes to realizing that I could achieve my ambitious dreams with a practical and logical execution plan.
Do you have any advice for current or incoming students?
The SUMA program in Colombia is one of the best places in the world to learn about sustainability. Learning isn’t limited to the classroom – make the most of your time there.
What projects did you do after graduation?
After graduating from the program 10 years ago, I have been working on multiple projects.I started working on a Ongoing Bird Sanctuary Project in Chiang Mai. Unfortunately, the project has been slow to progress due to limited resources and regulatory hurdles. Currently, we are still in the first phase; developing natural habitats for birds. We added more than 1,000 trees to the planned six acres of woodland. We observed up to 50 species of birds on site. Most are native species, with some migratory species, but we hope that as the woodland matures and progress is made with our ongoing landscape changes, more species will be attracted to the site.
What have you been doing?
Besides the bird sanctuary, another project I’ve been working on is High Wheat Manor 1955, a former tobacco processing center and part of Chiang Mai’s sustainable tourism destination. We are transforming tobacco barns into cafes, museums and tea houses. There is also a multipurpose lawn and a surrounding well-preserved natural area with many decades or centuries old trees.
In addition to commercial use, the site includes several sustainable projects to ensure the coexistence of built and natural heritage. Our Adaptive Reuse Building programme won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Conservation Award in 2018, in the New Design category in Heritage Context, making Kaomai Estate 1955 the first project in Thailand to receive the award.
Since its inception, the innovative design of the estate has been recognised with the Golden Pin Design Award (2018), the Tara Honours Award (2018) and the Chiang Mai Design Award (2017).
In addition to these projects, I have also explored my passion for writing through a series of children’s books: Timana Books. I created this project and self-published these children’s picture books in collaboration with several famous illustrators in Thailand. The project aims to diversify the children’s book industry in Thailand. It was inspired by my experiences traveling and exploring wildlife around the globe, as well as my concerns about environmental issues, as well as simple philosophical questions.I am very grateful to Professor Claudia Dreifus SUMA Writing Course The book I studied in 2010, it taught me how to write and sparked my passion for writing.
