As part of the 60th anniversary of Canadian diplomatic relations with Thailand, Vice-President of Life Sciences, Dr. Roman Szumski received the Friend of Thai Science Award for his contributions to the NRC's international collaborations with Thailand. The work he has done to elevate innovation between Canada and Thailand has and will continue to push research excellence at the NRC.

Former President of the Chulalongkorn University Alumni Association of the Mid-Atlantic Region and Head of the Virus Genetics Program of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Dr. Sodsai Tovanabutra has played an important role in developing cooperation in HIV-1 gene education between the US military and various countries, with Thailand as the main country that has carried out many research projects. She is also a leader in charitable management especially in raising funds to support the Chula Rural Fund to support education in Thailand.

Dr. Joyce C. White is an Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Southeast Asian Archaeology. She receives FoTS Award for her accomplishments in Thai archaeology and scholarship. These include the publication of the Ban Chiang Metals Monograph, fostering Thai-Lao collaboration in local archaeological investigations through the Middle Mekong Archaeological Project (MMAP) that she initiated, and the development of digital resources for Southeast Asian Archaeology.

Dr. Usah Lilavivat  is an Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Specialist in Sumter, SC and has over 52 years of experience in the medical field. Dr. Lilavivat is affiliated with McLeod Health Clarendon. He is also an important member of the Thai Physicians Association of America that established the Thai Scholar Fellowship Endowment Fund to support Thai doctors to study at Harvard University as well as being a major donor to the fund.

Dr. Paul M. Taylor is a research anthropologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History; Curator of Asian, European, and Middle Eastern Ethnology; and head of that museum’s Asian Cultural History Program. He has led many discoveries of Thai artifacts found in the US, such as the coat of arms, the royal message of King Mongkut, Rama IV, as well as the recently discovered original documents of the royal songs written by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej which are now preserved at the Library of Congress of the USA.

Neevy van Laningham covers a broad space portfolio of diplomatic efforts focused on bilateral and multilateral civil space policy cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. In this role, she headed the Bureau’s efforts to develop new bilateral space dialogues with the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka, as well as expanded cooperation in multilateral bodies such as the Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum.

Vichai Malikul, a retired scientific illustrator at the National Museum of Natural History’s Department of Entomology. He taught his skills each year at entomological illustration workshops at universities and botanical gardens in the US and Canada. His illustrations were part of a 1997 exhibition "Eyes on Science: Illustrating Natural History." In 1993, he presented a one-man show of 10 plates from a book that he illustrated, Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies. He also has been featured in exhibitions in Canada, the US, and in his native Thailand.

Nathaniel Schaefle, former lead innovation adviser in the Department of State's Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, emphasized the necessity of fostering collaboration between U.S. and Thai governments, higher education institutions, private businesses and communities in order to advance the U.S.-Thai science and technology relationship. He played a major role in coordinating the Agreement Relating to Scientific and Technical Cooperation between US and Thailand as well as the Joint Statement of the Thailand-U.S. Joint Committee Meeting.