Blog

Unsung Heroes
- Daw Pyone Pyone Oo and team interviewed selected sayas and sayamas for the “History of University Engineering Education in Burma/Myanmar”.
- U Htay Maung (M75) selected the Burmese fonts for use with the History project. He and his team transcribed Saya U Aung Hla Tun’s handwritten notes for word processing and type setting.
- U Thant Zin (M82, GBNF), son of Saya U Sein Shan, volunteered not only for the History Project, but for the SDYF, SPZPs and the All Mechanical Gatherings.
- U Moe Myint (M76), Daw Moh Moh Han (A77) and their ‘Pon Chan Chan” pals helped with the Entertainment Program of most SPZPs held in Singapore and Yangon.
- Saya Dr. Soe Thein (C75) served as web master for the Singapore SPZP web site and the Singapore Civil Engineering web site. His son volunteered as a photographer or videographer.
- Saya U Soe Myint (Min83) served as Joint Secretary for SPZP-2012 and SPZP-2016. As Patron of RIT Buddhist Association, he helped compile Ovada of the sayas and sayamas.
May 10, 2025
Mementos
Kyauk Si Bagyee

Tee Shirt

Mug

Mug

SPZP-2000

Hosts
- RIT Alumni International
- Led by Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF)
- Benny Tan (M70, Co-Chair, Working Committee)
- Maurice Chee (M75, Co-Chair, Working Committee)
- Khin Maung Zaw (EC76, Webmaster, RIT web site)
- Hla Min (EC69, Content Provider of web site, Chief Editor of RIT Alumni Newsletter)
- …
Golden Sponsors
- Steeve Kay (Thaung Sein, EC70, Southern California)
- Benny Tan (Yu Beng, M70, Northern California)
- Ivan Lee (Khin Maung Oo, M69, New Jersey)
- David Ko (Tin Myint, M67, Northern California, GBNF)
- Maung Maung Than (M79, Texas)
- Thanks to many other Donors — Large or Small, Young or Old, Far or Near, Cash or Kind
Memorabilia
- SPZP Banner : Designed by Benny Tan
  Handed over to Daniel Tint Lwin (M69, on behalf of Singapore Alumni)
- Kyauk Si Bagyee : Ordered by Maurice Chee
  Present for senior sayas and sayamas
  The rest put up for Fundraising Sale
- Mug : Designed by Benny Tan
  Present for most (if not all) attendees
- Tee Shirt : Designed by Benny Tan
  Present for all sayas and sayamas
  Present for SPZP-2000 Volunteers
  The rest put up for Fundraising Sale
- Calculator/Clock : Designed by Benny Tan
  Present for senior sayas and sayamas
- Bio of Sayas :
  Compiled by Thein Aung (James, Met72)
- RIT Alumni International Newsletter :
  Chief Editor : Hla Min
  Associate Editors : Thein Aung, Henry Lim
SPZP and Reunion Dinner
- Embassy Suites Hotel
- San Francisco
- October 28, 2000
- Saya Dr. Aung Gyi (Keynote)
- Saya U Ba Toke (Speech & Blessings)
- Saya U Aung Khin (Speech)
- Saya U Myo Myint Sein (Speech)
- Saya U Min Wun (Speech)
- Entertainment
  Band
  Sayas and Alumni
Pre and Post Gatherings
- October 27, 2000
  Welcoming Sayas and Alumni at Seafood Restaurant in San Mateo
- October 29, 2000
  Farewell Brunch at a High School in Daly City
Comments
- Ko Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) was a Core Organizer of SPZP-2000.
  He designed and implemented the inaugural RIT web site and set up special web pages for SPZP-2000.
  He posted two memorabilia from SPZP-2000.
- Ko Benny used part of Steeve Kay’s donation to order his designs for RIT mug, RIT tee shirt, RIT calculator/clock and SPZP banner.
  I still wear the RIT tee shirt posted by KMZ.
- Ko Maurice ordered RIT Kyauk Si Bagyee.
  Several were given to sayas.
  The rest were sold for fund raising.
  I bought one.
  KMZ posted a photo of his.
- Ko Thein Ngwe posted a photo taken in from of the RU Burmese Department Library.
  Myanmar Sar Mi Thar Su erected a bust of Saya U Pe Maung Tin (Founder of the Department and mentor of Theikpan Maung Wa, Zawgyi and Minthuwun).
- I love history.
- I was a Docent of the Computer History Museum.
- I was a member of HMEE-2012 project.
  Ko Ohn Khine and I compiled the CD supplement of the HMEE book.
- I have served for 22+ years as Founder / Editor of RIT Alumni International Newsletter.
- I posted 64 Countdown to the Reunion and 36 Post Reunion for SPZP-2000.
- I have archived and updated many posts about my alma mater, mentors, colleagues and friends.
- Time is running out.
- Please help compile both informal and formal history of our alma mater via photos, essays, and videos.
- Together we can preserve the glory of the Good Old Days and the Sad Dark Days.
- Wishing all of you a prosperous and Happy New Year.
Gathering hosted by Steeve Kay

Newsletter

Organizers
May 10, 2025
Factors in a Presentation
- Action
  End a presentation with “Call for Action”
- Audience
  Know your audience
  Fine tune your presentation to match the audience
- Audio Quality
  Check the speaker system
  Appropriate volume
- Constructive criticism
  Use applicable suggestions from past presentations
- Coverage
  Breadth
  Depth
- Dress
  Formal
  Semi-formal
  Informal
- Message
- Persuasion
- Presentation
  Use appropriate technique
- Props
  if relevant (and allowed)
- Strengths
- Video Quality
  Check the video system
- Weaknesses
  for improvement
May 10, 2025
Habit
Video Broadcast on October 30, 2020

Routine
- Daily routine
- During pandemic
- Research / broadcast selected topics
- Word of the day (Merriam-Webster)
- Free Daily Blink (Blinkist)
- TED / TEDx talks
- English-Burmese and Burmese-English Dictionary (a few words)
- Stationary bike ride (30+ minutes)
- Protective Verses (Pali Seikkha : study of Pali terms and phrases)
Books / Talks
- Seven Habits of Effective People
- Eighth Habit
- The Power of Habit
- Small Changes
- Will Power
Intelligence / Energy
- Mental (Imagination / Vision)
- Physical (Discipline / Health)
- Emotional (Passion)
- Spiritual (Conscience, Dhamma)
- Inergy (Inner Energy)
Breaking a habit
- Requires will power
- Substitution of a habit with “same” rewards
- Factors
- Motivation
- Ability
- Trigger
May 10, 2025
Jubilee

Broadcast on October 27, 2020

Meaning (several senses)

Jubilation / Joy

Special Anniversary

Silver (25 years) / Ngwe YaDu

Gold (50 years) / Shwe YaDu

Diamond (75 or sometimes 60) / Sein YaDu

Religious term

*****

Golden Jubilee

RU (1970)

Committees
Dr Aung Gyi, U Thet Lwin …
U Hla Tun Aung and team (I was a volunteer) for Zay Nay Yar Cha Htar Yay
Entertainment
Swel Daw Yeik Ah Nyeint
Htee Yein
…
Playboys
…
Commemorative Magazine

Yoke Shin (1970)

Screen classic movies

New Education System (2014)

Institute of Economics

RIT / YIT / YTU
Shwe YaDu Lann
Shwe YaDu Benches
Swel Daw Bins
Celebrations
Exhibits
Commemorative Magazine
…

69er GJ of Admission to RIT

69er GJ of Graduation (2019)
Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe (Assembly Hall)
Reunion Dinner and Entertainment (at Ko Aung Min’s old department)

Apollo 11 (Houston, Texas, US, July 2019)
My poem : Men on the Moon
sent to NASA via USIS Information Officer
Published in Guardian

*****

Rangoon Jubilee Hall
60th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne

*****

RU Diamond Jubilee
75th anniversary of the establishment of Rangoon University
Commemorative Video by BERB / MERB on “RU Sports”
Narrator : Saya U Nyein
Interviews : U Tun Mra, U Myo Nyunt, Hemar Nay Win …
Commemorative Magazine

May 10, 2025
Intelligence
Video Broadcast : #

Several definitions

Example : Ability to use tools to create better tools

Types

The list is not exhaustive
- Human Intelligence
- Animal Intelligence
- Military Intelligence
- Machine Intelligence
- Artificial Intelligence
AI / Artificial Intelligence

Word proposed by John McCarthy and colleagues for a new discipline (different from Cybernetics) about five decades (or so)

Early researchers include
- John McCarthy
- Marvin Minsky
- Alan Newell
- Herbert Simon
- Arthur Samuel
- Ed Feigenbaum
- Raj Reddy
Early works
- Logic Theorist (Newell, Shaw, Simon)
- GPS / General Problem Solver (Newell, Shaw, Simon)
- Checkers Program (Arthur Samuel)
- MIT AI Lab (John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky)
- Knowledge Based System (e.g Medical) : Ed Feigenbaum
Decline and resurgence of AI : At least twice
- Fifth Generation Computer Systems
- Neural Networks / Machine Learning/ Deep Learning
- Games to best human Champions (Chess, Go, Jeopardy)
- Turing Test / Modified Turing Test
- Robotics
- Natural Language Understanding / Processing
- Smart devices and applications
Hype / Too much commercialization/ Rewording of old ideas as AI

Some trusted AI systems have features/ bugs (e.g facial recognition)

IQ / Intelligence Quotient
- Measure introduced by Terman
- Relative measure
Other Measures
- Emotional Intelligence / Quotient
- Sasana Intelligence/ Quotient
  suggested by Panditarama Sayadaw
- Technological Savvy
- Resilience to Adversity
May 10, 2025
Learning
Video Broadcast on August 20, 2020

Pillars of Learning
- Learning to know
- Learning to do
- Learning to be
- Learning to live
Life long learning
- Learn something new every day (if possible)
  If not, every month or every year
- Sample Daily activities
  Listen to Blinkist
  Listen to Merriam Webster’s Word of the day (podcast)
  Write one or more blogs
  Revise one or more blogs
Fun with learning
- Fun with English
  Word games
- Fun with Mathematics
  e.g. Books by W. W. Sawyer
- Fun with Physics
  e.g. Coursera course
- Learning how to learn
  e.g. Coursera course
May 10, 2025
Metallurgy
Video Broadcast on December 31, 2020

Sayas
- U Thit (GBNF)
  BS (Lehigh), MS (Queensland)
  Lecturer and Head of Department
  Wrote “History of Metallurgy Department” for CD Supplement of HMEE
  Taught us “Materials and Processes” in 2nd BE
- Dr. Saw Pru
  Studied in Germany
- Dr. Khin Maung Win (GBNF)
  Moved to Vocational and Technical Education as Director General
- U Than Tin
  Moved to USA
- U Aung Hla Tun
  Retired Associate Professor
  National Literary Award Winner
  Chief Editor, RIT Annual Magazines
  Lead Author, HMEE-2012 and HMEE-2018 Projects
- Dr. Pe Win
  Retired Rector
- U Win Kyaw (Met71)
- U Thein Aung (Met72)
- U Nyunt Htay (Met73)
- Dr. Naing Naing Aung
Miscellaneous
- Notable Alumni
  HE U Nyan Tun U
- Material Science
May 10, 2025
Mining Engineering
Video Broadcast on December 28, 2020

Discipline
- Schools
  e.g. Colorado School of Mines
- Degrees
  BA, BS, BAS
  MA, MS, MAS degrees
  Ph.D
- Subjects and Related fields
  Geology
  Excavation
  Ventilation
  Minerals
  Mining techniques
  Project Management (e.g. Exploration, Feasibility study, Production)
  Environmental Laws
  Other engineering disciplines
BOC College of Engineering and Mining
- U Soe Khaw
  Part-time Lecturer and Head of Mining Department
  Worked in Mining Directorate
  Joined UN service in Thailand
  Moved to USA
- U Soon Sein
  Succeeded U Soe Khaw as Head of Department
  Retired as Professor
  Maw Gun Win Third Class
- U Win Kyaing
  Lecturer
  Head of Petroleum Production, Sub-department of Mining
  Nephew : Ko Maurice Chee
Some Alumni
- U Win Thein Zaw
  Hluttaw member
  Pen name : Wai Lu
- U Kyaw Tint
  Saya
  Victim of 8-8-88
- Sai Tun Aye
  Worked in Canada and Asia
  Attended SPZP-2000
- U Zaw Win
  Bilingual writer
  Pen name : Zin Yaw Gyi
  Fourth from left (in the back row)
- U Aung Myint
  Thamankyar Ko Myint (actor, guitarist, vocalist)
May 10, 2025
Mathematics
Video Broadcast

U Aung Hla
- Saya is an early native Professor of Mathematics at the University of Rangoon.
- Wrote musical notes for Burmese songs.
- Spouse : Daw May Than (distinguished vocalist)
- Son : Mya Than (Lead Guitarist)
U Kar
- Senior lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Rangoon
- Served as Minister of Education in the Caretaker Government
- Later, Rector of the University of Rangoon
- Sons : Dr. Thein Maung (EENT), Dr. Tin Maung (UCC, DCS, ICST).
U Ba Toke

U Ba Toke
- Phwa Bet Taw of Rangoon University and the First RU Student Strike in December 1920.
- Studied at Mandalay University and Harvard University.
- Joined the faculty at the University of Rangoon
- Taught Mathematics to Science and Engineering students
- Professor of Mathematics at RASU
- Rector at MASU.
- Voluntarily requested transfer to RIT as Professor of Mathematics.
- Camp Commander of a Lu Ye Camp
- Member of the RU Sports Council
- Leader of the Burma Olympic Team.
- His life journey is recorded in the book by Maung Thin Char (Dr. Khin Maung Swe).
- Passed away on December 2, 2020.
Dr. Chit Swe
- Studied at Mandalay University, University of London (for B.Sc. Special), University of Glasgow (for M.Sc.) and University of Liverpool (for Ph.D. In Mathematical Statistics).
- Founded Universities’ Computer Center (UCC) with the help of Saya U Soe Paing, Saya U Myo Min and Saya U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF).
- During the planning stage, the volunteers of the UCC project had to use some rooms at the Department of Mathematics in RASU, and conducted orientation and training courses at Mandalay Hall.
- Allowed me to work on several of his projects : High School Mathematics, Children’s Treasury of Knowledge (CTK) and Team of System Specialists (TOSS).
- Passed away in Sydney Australia in November 2019
Rangoon Institute of Technology

Mathematics teachers at RIT include
- U Aung (Alphoso)
- U Hla Myint
- U Hlaing Oo
- Daw Khin Lay Myint
- Daw Khin Nwe Yee
- Daw Khine Nyan
- U Ko Gyi
- Daw Myint Nyan
- U Sein Shan (Lecturer and Head of the RIT Mathematics)
- U Shwe Hlaing (Chemical Engineer, Mathematician, Taught Engineering Mechanics)
- U Thein Han (Burma Basketball Selected)
- U Tun Shein
  
  Note : There are many sayas who taught Mathematics at RIT after we graduated.
- Sayagyi U Ba Toke (GBNF, Professor)
- Daw Myint Myint (GBNF, Head of Department)
- Dr. Saw Tin (GBNF, Head of Department)
Mandalay University
- U Net (Professor)
  Daughter : Khin Ma Mar
  Grand son : Wunna Ko Ko
- Dr. Ba Kyi
  He and Saya Chit were two sayas with Maths doctorates in the mid 1960s
- U Ba Min (SPHS56)
  Masters at the University of California at Berkeley
  Taught Mathematics and Astronomy at RASU and MASU
  Due to medical reasons, he resigned when he was transferred to Myitkyina College
  Opened a shop in Mandalay Zay Cho. One day, some Japanese students visited their shop. They were surprised that U Ba Min was a classmate of their professor. They took photos to show them to their professor.
Sayas from various Departments

Met several sayas from RASU (Rangoon Arts and Science University and its affiliated Colleges), Institute of Education, Institute of Economics, BERB (Burma Education Research Bureau) and worked with some of them. They include
- U Aung Sein
  Holds the record for highest marks in Honors exam
  Brother : Dr. Maung Di
- U Hla Myint
- Daw Khin Ma Ma
  Spouse : U Soe Nyunt
- Dr. Khin Maung Swe (Maung Thin Char)
  Spouse : Myint Myint Khaing
- Dr. Khin Maung Win
- U Ko Lay
- Dr. Kyaw Nyunt
- Dr. Kyaw Thein
- U Maung Maung Tin
- Dr. Min Oo (SPHS63)
  Second in the Matriculation examination in 1963
  Lu Ye Chun in 1965
  Later a Staff saya at a Lu Ye Chun Camp
  Received two doctorates in Mathematics from Germany
  Taught in Canada, Germany and as Visiting Professor in USA.
- Daw Myint Myint
- Daw Myint Myint Khaing
  Father : Arzani Mahan Ba Khaing
  Spouse : Dr. Khin Maung Swe
- Dr. Pyke Tin
- Dr. Saw Tin
- U Sein Min
- Dr. Sein Win (Doctorate from Germany)
  Father : Arzani U Ba Win
- U Sein Win (Astronomy)
- U Soe Min
- U Soe Naing
- U Soe Nyunt
  Spouse : Khin Ma Ma
- Dr. Thein Myint
- U Tin Hlaing
- Dr. Zaw Win (from Nyaung Oo)
  Second in the Matriculation examination in the early 70s.
  Doctorate from the same school as Min Oo.
Curriculum Committee

Members of the Mathematics Curriculum Committee include
- U Ba Shan
- U Myint Than
- U Myint Thein (now Dr.)
- U Kyaw Soe (now Dr.)
- U Yan Naing
UCC Connection
- U Aung Zaw
  Transferred to UCC as Systems Programmer.
  MSc (Computer Science), University of Southampton in the UK.
  Training at the University of California at Santa Cruz
  Taught at UCC before moving to CSO
  Taught at Assumption University in Bangkok and in Sydney, Australia
  Wrote two books : “Bawa and Dhamma” and “Cetana Thi Thar Kan“.
ICST Rectors
- Dr. Tin Maung (GBNF)
  Succeeded Dr, Chit Swe as Director of UCC.
  During his tenure, DCS and ICST were established.
  First Rector of ICST
- Dr. Kyaw Thein (GBNF)
  Conducted tutorial classes for our I.Sc.(A) class.
  Succeeded Dr. Tin Maung as Rector.
- Dr. Pyke Tin
  Taught Computational Mathematics at ICST.
  Succeeded Dr. Kyaw Thein as Rector of ICST.
Magazine and Book
- Dr. Khin Maung Swe (Maung Thin Char, GBNF) and U Soe Naing (Geometry and Puzzles) were Editors and/or Publishers of the Thin Char Sar Saung.
- Dr. Khin Maung Swe interviewed Sayagyi U Ba Toke and wrote a book about Sayagyi’s life journey.
- His spouse Daw Myint Myint Khaing (daughter of Arzani Mahn Ba Khaing) transcribed the interviews.
- The book was sponsored by the RU Thin Char Mi Thar Su and was published to commemorate Sayagyi’s 90th birthday.
Dr. Khin Maung Swe
May 10, 2025