Blog

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

• 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.

Video Broadcast on December 12, 2020

Science Scholarship (SS) Awards

• First awarded in 1969
• Award : K100 per month for majoring in Mathematics, Physics or Chemistry
  Regular scholarship provides K75 per month
• Applicant must gain Distinctions in the above three subjects
• Applicant must score 90+ marks in at least one of the above

1st BE Intake in 1969

• The majority graduated in 1975
• Some students
  Maurice Chee (Hla Myint Thein, M75), Co-chair of SPZP-2000
  HE U Win Khaing (M75) : Past President of MES, Organizer of SPZP-2004 and SPZP-2012
  Mar Mar Yee (M75) : Minthamee, Vocalist, Master of Ceremony

69ers

• The majority joined the first ever 2nd BE in November 1964
• Most graduated in 1969
• Some joined the Faculty
• Related posts
  Activities, Group Photos, GBNF of 69ers
• Memories of a 69er (by Hla Min)
• 69er HCF
  Major donors : Daw Myint Myint (C69), U Khin Maung Oo (Ivan, M69), U Sein Myint (EP69)
  Chair : U Aung Min (M69) : provides monthly and quarterly reports

Men on the Moon

• Apollo 11 : First Landing on the Moon
• See Video Broadcast : #126

Fifth SEAP Games

• Htay Aung (M69) represented Burma in Water Polo.
  U Mya Thee was the Coach
• Six RU Belles held the Placards for the Competing Nations in the Opening Ceremony.

Video Broadcast on December 9, 2020

Matriculation of 1964

• Dr. Cherry Hlaing (Than Than Tin, SJC)
  Tie in highest marks with Dr. Lyn Aung Thet
  Based on ILA, admitted to IM(1) as Roll Number One
  
• Dr. Lyn Aung Thet (MEHS)
  Tie in highest marks with Dr. Cherry Hlaing
  Lost the tie breaker using ILA
  
• Dr. Aung Win Chiong (SPHS)
  Second highest marks after Dr. Cherry Hlaing and Dr. Lyn Aung Thet
  Based on ILA, admitted to IM(2) as Roll Number One
  
• Indian Lady
  Third highest marks
  
• Dr. Min Lwin (Maurice Hla Kyi, SPHS)
  Fourth highest marks
  Based on ILA, admitted to IM(2) as Roll Number Two

Education System

• The then New Education System was established in November 1964
  
• Most Faculties of Rangoon University became autonomous Institutes with their own Rectors

Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT)

• Three batches of students were admitted to RIT in November 1964
  
• Eligible matriculates were admitted to the first ever 1st BE using the controversial ILA.
  Ko Zaw Min (St. Albert’s High School, Maymyo) was admitted as Roll Number One.
  
• Eligible students who had passed the last ever I.Sc.(A) examination were admitted to the first ever 2nd BE in order of merit (using marks).
  Ko Hla Min was admitted as Roll Number One.
  
• Eligible students who had passed the last ever I.Sc.(B) examination were admitted to the first ever 3rd BE.
  In the old system, the class was known as First Year Engg .

Luyechun (LYC)

• The first Luyechun Camp was opened in the Summer of 1964 at Shwe Waj Gyaing Camp in Ngapali.
  
• Outstanding students from 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th standards were selected as LYC.
  
• The following are some students who were selected LYC
  Ma Pwint Than (9th Std, Loikaw)
  Ko Kyaw Zaw (9th Std, TTC)
  Ko Win Aung (10th Std, TTC)
  Ko Oke Soe Kha (10th Std, MEHS)
  
• Some went on to become Multiple LYC

Olympics

• Sayagyi U Ba Toke led the Burmese Contingent to the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan

RUBC

• The last ever AGM elected the following EC :
  
• Ko Myo Tin (William Hone) : Captain
  
• Ko Htain Lin : Vice Captain
  
• Ko Zaw Lin : Honorary Secretary
  
• Ko Hla Min : Honorary Treasurer

Demonetization

• The first of three Demonetization (with increasing severity) occurred in 1964.
  
• The public was ordered to take K100 and K50 notes to the specified locations within a week.
  
• Amounts greater than K4200 would be taxed.
  
• Each family would get up to K500 (in other denominations) initially.
  
• IBM Unit record machines were moved to the RU Convocation Hall to register the currency notes being “surrendered” and calculate the amount to be given back (after taxes)
  
• 78% of the money were given back.
  The public “lost” 22% of the money.