Crown prince of Thailand gives award to IU education professor

The crown prince of Thailand presented IU School of Education professor emeritus Hans Andersen with an honorary doctorate degree from Phranakorn Rajabhat University during a Feb. 11 ceremony at the Thai Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.\n“Dr. Andersen’s award is an affirmation of the long tradition of international engagement the faculty of the School of Education is known for,” Dean of Education Gerardo Gonzalez said in an e-mail interview. “His recognition brings honor not only to Dr. Andersen but to the School of Education and Indiana University as well.”\nAs a professor of science and environmental education since 1974, Andersen – or Sostrajarn Hans as he is called in Thailand – has helped promote environmental management, as well as water and wildlife conservation in Thai communities, according to an IU news release. Hans said he was honored to get the award and was in awe when he got to meet the crown prince of Thailand, who presented the award to Andersen.\n“Yes, I got within three feet of him,” Andersen said in an e-mail interview sent from Thailand. “He handed me the diploma and many people said he talked to me. I was so nervous I did not hear him so I did not respond to what ever he said.”\nAccording to the news release, Andersen came to IU in 1966 as an assistant professor of education. In 1971, he first traveled to Thailand. He spent 1972 in Bangkok as a senior expert in educational techniques for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology.\nFor the past three years, he has taught in an environmental education master’s degree program at Phranakorn Rajabhat University as a guest lecturer and worked toward extensive science teaching methodology reforms. Andersen said he calls Thailand his “home away from home” and is teaching and lecturing at Phranakorn Rajabhat University. He will return to Bloomington near the end of the semester and begin working at the IU School of Education again.\n“All of us in the School of Education are thrilled that Dr. Andersen’s work in Thailand has been recognized in this highly prestigious manner,” Gonzalez said. “He has worked tirelessly to help improve science education in Thailand and certainly deserves the recognition.”