About Taran
“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
The first light of 2022 at Pha Nok Aen Cliff, Phu Kradueng.
“Taran (ตรัณ)” is a Thai name with the meaning of “transcendence”.
Table of contents
Life and Education
Taran was born in Hatyai, Thailand. That was in September, 2000. (He is definitely a Y2K boy.)
Taran spent his childhood in Ratsada, a small town in the countryside of Trang Province, where he was raised by his grandparents. He began his early education at Ratana Suksa School, an elementary and primary school in Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. There, he took part in various academic competitions, which sparked his curiosity and fostered a deep love of learning, particularly in science and history.
The 17th Thailand Physics Olympiad at Chiangmai University, 2018.
Taran later moved back to Hat Yai and began his high school years in the Science and Math Ability (SMA) program at Hatyai Wittayalai School. During this time, he was selected to join the POSN Physics Olympic camp at Prince of Songkhla University, where he truly fell in love with Physics. Through dedication and hard work, he earned the opportunity to represent the camp at the 17th Thailand Physics Olympiad (TPhO), where he received a silver medal.
Taran and his friends in front of the Mahawachirawut Building, 2023.
In 2019, Taran moved to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, to begin his undergraduate studies at Chulalongkorn University. There, he gained valuable knowledge and experiences through both academic work and extracurricular activities. After four rewarding years, he graduated with first-class honors in Electrical Engineering, specializing in communication engineering. His final-year project, titled “Design and Development of Reflecting Metasurfaces for 5G and Beyond Wireless Communication Systems,” was completed under the guidance of Asst. Prof. Panuwat Janpugdee, Assoc. Prof. Suwit Kiravittaya, and Dr. Paramin Sangwongngam from NECTEC.
Taran in front of the UT Tower, 2024.
After receiving the Anandamahidol Foundation Scholarship, Taran began his graduate studies at The University of Texas at Austin, where he is currently pursuing an M.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a specialization in Electromagnetics and Acoustics track.
Research Journey
S-parameters measurement at Chulalongkorn University, 2023.
Taran’s first research experience took place during his summer internship in 2022 at the National Security and Dual-Use Technology Center, part of National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) in Pathum Thani, Thailand. during his summer internship in 2022. The director of NSD, Dr.Siwaruk Siwamogsatham, proposed a project on visible light communication. Although the first few days were challenging and sometimes frustrating, Taran persevered by thoroughly researching related topics. Eventually, he developed the idea of implementing an indoor positioning system for delivery robots using a Raspberry Pi camera. This project marked his first exposure to digital image processing, microcontrollers, random processes, and indoor localization techniques. With invaluable guidance and support from the NSD team, especially Dr.Pornanong Pongpaibool, he successfully completed the project by the end of the internship. The prototype was tested and demonstrated to work effectively. After three months as a research apprentice, Taran felt he had found his passion and was excited to embark on a new journey that would shape his future.
Taran’s interest in electromagnetics began during his time at the Physics Olympiad camp, where the subject first captured his curiosity. As a senior electrical engineering student with a growing passion for research, he sought to combine this interest with his major in communication engineering. This led him to propose a final-year project focused on advancing THz devices for modern communication systems. However, at the time, the specialized equipment required for THz research was not available in Thailand. According to Dr. Paramin, testing the THz prototype would have required access to Professor Withawat’s lab in Australia. In addition, full-wave simulations at such high frequencies demanded significant computational resources and time, challenges that made the project particularly ambitious for someone just starting in the field. With these concerns in mind, and after thoughtful discussion with his advisors, Taran decided to shift his focus to millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology, which offered a more feasible path forward within the given constraints.
RCS pattern simulation.
In 2022, 5G was among the most exciting technologies, with the millimeter-wave (mmWave) band playing a crucial role in delivering tremendous bandwidth and extremely high data rates. However, higher frequency waves naturally experience greater propagation and penetration losses, meaning mmWave signals must be transmitted as highly directional beams. This introduced a new challenge: limited coverage caused by building blockages. One of the most effective solutions is to create “new propagation paths” that bypass obstacles. This became the focus of Taran’s first research project and his final-year thesis, titled “Dual-Polarized Phase-Gradient Reflecting Metasurface for 5G mmWave Coverage Improvement.”
After completing his work on passive mmWave metasurfaces, Taran continued to pursue his ultimate goal of researching THz technology as an independent researcher. With the kind support of P’Mo Rungrat Viratikul, a Ph.D. student of Dr.Panuwat, Taran worked on the development of 3D-printable THz lens under the supervision of Dr.Nutapong Somjit at the University of Leeds. This project was a collaborative effort involving Chulalongkorn University, the University of Leeds, Beijing Normal University, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
In parallel with his work in THz research, Taran also investigated the miniaturization of microwave components using the theory of bi-characteristic impedance transmission lines (BCITLs), working closely with Prof.Danai Torrungrueng from King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok.
UT RF Acoustic Microsystems Group, 2024.
Since 2024, Taran has been a member of the UT RF Acoustic Microsystems Group The University of Texas at Austin. Under the supervision of Dr. Ruochen Lu, he is currently working on the design, characterization, and fabrication of RF acoustic devices, with a focus on frequency and timing control.
His spectacular journey has only just begun.
Volunteer Life
The KH50 volunteer camp at Udon Thani, 2023.
Despite the tremendous advancement of modern technology, Thailand’s inequality remains entrenched. In many rural areas, poverty is the root cause of a succession of problems, including a lack of educational opportunities, environmental issues, and quality of life. Instead of waiting for development from an unwieldy Thai government, many students gather up and commit to their volunteer projects with support from the university and the private sector.
As a freshman at Chulalongkorn University, Taran participated in his first volunteer camp, Kaihor (ค่ายหอ), conducted by the Residence of Chulalongkorn the University Volunteer Club. The camp was organized during the midterm weekend at Ban Prathet School, Prachin Buri Province, to inspire young students in rural areas as well as to recondition the school’s worn-out building. With an interest in the essence of volunteerism, Taran then began his volunteer work and took part in as many volunteer events as he could during his undergrad years.
The Kor Lamphun volunteer camp at Lamphun, 2021.
During his sophomore year, Taran joined the Engineering Student Committee (ESC) as a core member of the CSR department. At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic had restricted many activities; however, the team still managed to conduct multiple volunteer campaigns. The biggest project of that academic year was the “Kor Lamphun Camp” at Bann Kor, Lamphun Province. The camp was to provide a sufficient agricultural water management system; this was also one of Bann Kor Sandbox’s projects.
In the 2021 academic year, Taran returned to the Residence of the Chulalongkorn University Volunteer Club as club president and managed to organize various volunteer events both online and on-site. In December 2021, the second Kor Lamphun Camp was held with 120 participants in collaboration with the Vidva Path Club, continuing the work of Bann Kor Sandbox. In April 2022, the fourth Kaihor midterm volunteer camp was arranged at Ban Chuchi School, a small school by the seashore of Samut Prakan Province that suffered from flooding due to rising sea levels. At this camp, Taran was also the leader of the construction team that planned and constructed the extension of a school’s canteen to withstand the flood problem within one and a half days. By the end of the academic year, he consulted an all-new staff team to conduct the 48th Kaihor Camp “KH48”, a big summer volunteer camp that was not held for almost two years due to the pandemic.
The KH50 volunteer camp at Udon Thani, 2023.
It was a busy time undertaking the final-year project for graduation. However, Taran still played a crucial role in the volunteer club in his last academic year. In the fall semester of his final year, he led volunteer activities in the KH49 volunteer camp program, including room renovation and BBL painting at Ban Nam Kum School and playground repair at Ban Na Fong Dang School, Phisanulok Province. For the last bow, Taran became the director of the KH50 volunteer camp at Ban Nong Hua Khu, Udon Thani Province. The objectives of this camp were to promote volunteerism in the student community, to point out the inequality problems occurring in our country and encourage students to resolve them as much as they can, and to exchange knowledge, perspectives, and experiences with local communities. The volunteer activities include developing a space in Baan Nong Hua Khu School, multipurpose building construction for Baan Kud Mek School, inspiring local students, and other community services. There were 80 students, including both volunteer student staff and student participants. This was one of the proudest things he ever did in his life.
Some may question whether volunteer camps truly address the root causes of inequality. The answer is no—they don’t. But when options are limited, isn’t it better to act with purpose than to remain indifferent? These camps offer mutual benefits: they create opportunities to help others, foster the exchange of perspectives, and provide meaningful experiences that can shape personal and professional growth. Who knows? A volunteer camp might change someone’s life—just as it did Taran’s.
“Anusorn (อนุสรณ์)” is a Thai word that conveys the meaning of “remembrance”.
Sunset at Koh Phayam island, Ranong, Thailand, 2023.