Update : January 22, 2021

Sayagyi U Aung Khin

Sayagyi U Aung Khin’s visits to the Bay Area had tremendous impact.

One visit resulted in the formation of BAPS (Burmese American Professional Society) — a merger of BEA (Burmese Engineers Association) and BASTS (Burmese American Science and Technology Society).

Another visit resulted in a dinner meeting where the Bay Area Alumni Group led by Saya Allen Htay decided unanimously to hold the First Ever Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe on October 28-29 week end. For details, see the articles by Saya Allen Htay, Saya U Nyo Win and U Myat Htoo, Ko Benny Tan and Ko Maurice, and Ko Thein Aung.

Saya U Aung Khin enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rangoon in 1950. [At that time, one must pass the I.Sc. (Intermediate of Science) with good grades to pursue engineering courses.) Saya left the Third Year B.Sc.(Engg) class in 1952 upon being selected as a State’s Scholar to continue the undergraduate studies at Lehigh University in the US.

Saya received the B.S.M.E. and M.S.M.E. degrees and returned in 1956 to join the staff at the Faculty of Engineering as an Assistant Lecturer. Saya was awarded the Colombo Scholarship in 1962 to pursue post-graduate studies at Toronto University. Saya received the M.A.Sc. degree and returned in 1967 to continue teaching at Rangoon Institute of Technology.

Saya served as Professor and Head of Mechanical Engineering. In 1976, Saya resigned from the Institute in 1976 and emigrated to Canada. Saya retired in 1998 after working for twenty one years in Canada. His post-retirement sojourns can be found in his excellent article [written specially for the Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe (Special Issue)]. One his trips was taken with Saya U San Tun to China and Myanmar.

Saya stays fit by playing tennis (both singles and doubles) and golf.

In 2012, Saya U Tin Htut (M60) invited Sayagyi to his house in Los Angeles. After spending some quality time with former colleagues and students, Sayagyi and Saya U Tin Htut flew to Yangon to attend SPZP-2012 and the opening of a Mechanical Chapter of MES.

In 2015, Sayagyi hosted my spouse and I during our visit to Windsor, Canada. He cooked Mohinga and ah kyaw for the four of us : Ko Ivan Lee (M69), Ko Frederick Thetgyi (M69), my spouse and I. Sayagyi also gave us souvenirs. Thanks, Sayagyi.

Saya U San Tun

Saya U San Tun graduated with B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rangoon in 1959. He joined the Mechanical Engineering Department as an Assistant Lecturer. He received MSME (Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering) from MIT, USA in 1962.

1962 – 1964 Assistant Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, RIT

1964 – 1968 Lecturer in Mechanical/Automobile Engineering, RIT

1968 – 1974 Contract Engineer, Cone Company, Burlingame, California

1974 – 1999 Bechtel Corporation, San Francisco, California

(Retired in August 1999)

Editor’s notes

Saya U San Tun served as Head of the Automobile Department, a sub-department of Mechanical Engineering.

Saya kept in contact with Sayagyi U Aung Khin. They went on some trips including the one to China where Saya U Kyaw Myint (M 65) was working on UN assignments.

Saya U San Tun invited me to his birthday party and to the wedding reception of his son. Thanks, Saya.