Happiness Squared

Remember this day? 
Geographers will remember this day as summer equinox. It is on this day that the daytime and night are circa equal.  

Similarly, United Nations (UN) office will observe this day as an annual International Happiness Day after it earmarked on Bhutan’s proposal to include happiness as the 9^th Millennium Development Goal on 12^th July 2012. 

The UN General Assembly has noted that the globally used economic indicator popularly branded as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was handicapped to sufficiently display the happiness and wellbeing of the people living in the country. Thanks to our 4^th King Jigme Singye Wangchuck with whose farsightedness stirred the world to believe that happiness is never a naïve or a utopian idea but is an entity that can be measured. Also thanks to Bhutan’s first democratically elected Prime Minister Ex-Lynchoen Jigme Yoezer Thinley for marketing it to the global level.

But more than anything else, I will remember this day in the entire phase of my life: the day where I have efficaciously defended my postgraduate thesis examination titled, “Development of a guided inquiry laboratory to enhance students’ understanding of the law of mechanical energy conservation”. It is the greatest triumph in my life and making me achieve this dream uncalculatedly on International Happiness Day has rather squared my happiness. 

Getting started to present my findings 

Explaining the working mechanism of the developed hands-on model

Still in the process of narrating the dull story of my work  

Dr Paisan Kanthang (Co-advisor), Dr Ekgapoom Jantarakantee (Chair), Me, Dr Monamorn Precharattana (Advisor) and Dr Khajornsak Buaraphan (Co-advisor) 

A team of friends and staff from the Institute for Innovative Learning 

Panelists seriously engrossed

But the success of my work owes to many people. I was so fortunate to have embarked on this thesis under the loving supervision of a caring cohort of advisors. Dr Monamorn Precharattana, Dr Paisan Kanthang and Dr Khajornsak Buaraphan who were the beacon of my inspiration owe all my success and motivation. 

I also thank all the professors and staff of the Institute for Innovative Learning and Biophysics group, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University for their insightful academic and professional guidance. 

I would not forget to remember Sonam Tshomo, my significant other, for enduring this aching separation with patience. Thank you for believing in me. 

My heartfelt gratitude is also for my terrific parents and siblings for rendering me the ultimate and genuine support while undergoing this professional drill. Your emotional support and encouragements have always bolstered me and beefed up my courage and therefore, this success is truly the blessing of you all. 

As well, to my mates and others (particularly Mr Muttakeen and Ms Chatachadaporn), who helped, encouraged, and made the work more enjoyable than it otherwise would have been, and to whom I, therefore, wish to script my thanks. 

All great achievements require time”- Maya Angelou