Leadership
Spotlight (Week 1)
Weekly an
Asian team member serving in a leadership (i.e., central or academic
administration) capacity for the Health Science Center will be
recognized.
Week 1 -
Chanchai Singhanayok McDonald, PhD
Week 2 -
Mukta Panda, MD, FACP
Week 3 - Ken Sakauye, MD
Week 4 - Syamal K. Bhattacharya, PhD
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Activities Page
Week 1
Leadership Spotlight
Chanchai Singhanayok McDonald, PhD
Chanchai Singhanayok McDonald, PhD, is the assistant vice chancellor for
Institutional Research and Educational Technology. She has oversight of the
design, development and delivery of database systems needed to support
institutional programs, facilitate faculty research, and enhance the educational
enterprise.
Before coming to UT Health Science Center, Dr. McDonald spent eight years at
Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tenn.) where she was an assistant professor
and director of Educational Technology, Biomedical Research Education and
Training. For two years she worked as a consultant in the Office of the
Scientific Director, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research,
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. She has also consulted in the
private sector. Prior to that, Dr. McDonald was chair of the Department of
Educational Technology at Chiangmai University, Thailand. She holds a PhD in
curriculum and instruction from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
We (Office of Equity and Diversity) also learned some
additional interesting things about Dr. McDonald during a recent interview and
they are as follows:
Q.
What is your favorite fast food restaurant and what item do you order most often
from the menu when visiting that particular restaurant?
A. I don’t go to fast food restaurants often enough to be able to rate
my favorite. I love French fries and all fried food, but I hardly ever order
them since my doctor asked me to watch my cholesterol levels. I have to be
careful because Asians have hereditary problems with high cholesterol and heart
problems too.
Q. What was the last movie/motion picture you watched at a movie theatre?
A. I don’t remember what the last movie was that I saw in the theatre.
However, I know that my favorite movie of all time is “Life Is Beautiful
(Italian: La vita è bella)” and I did see it at a movie theatre.
Q. Do you have a favorite dessert, and if so what is it?
A. I love “Mango and sticky rice”.
Q. What was the last book you read?
A. The last book I read was “The Ladies Auxiliary” by Tova Mirvis.
Q. What are some of your hobbies?
A. Cooking and gardening are two of my hobbies.
Q. Have you visited Graceland (i.e., Elvis Presley’s home)?
A.
Yes, I went to Graceland with guests visiting from Washington, D.C.
Q. What
kind of music do you like, and is there a favorite song?
A. Yes, I love all music. I think life would be so boring without music. My
favorite song is “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python.
Q. What do you like most about working at UT Health Science Center?
A. I love to interact with all of the hard working students, faculty, and
staff here at the Health Science Center.
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