WIN BIOLOGIST
Biography
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Watcharapong Hongjamrassilp (WiN) is a biologist without borders and a faculty member at the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Born and raised in Thailand, one of the most biodiverse hotspots in the world, he developed a fascination of extraordinary creatures which brought him to the world of biology.
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Beginning his dream of being a biologist, he was awarded a fully funded scholarship from the Royal Thai Government to study biology from bachelor to doctoral degree. In his undergraduate study, he participated in research on medical genetics, marine ecology, and entomology to strengthen his scientific skills. He completed his bachelor's degree in biology from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand with his publication in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research "Nesting biology of a carpenter bee in Thailand" which was awarded the grand champion trophy from Hitachi Company, Japan.
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In 2014, he continued his master's study at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego. His work on the evolution of fish behavior and morphology integrated results from geometric morphometry, behavioral ecology, and molecular biology to understand how behavior generates morphological diversity. As a result, he was asked to be an academic assistant for Japan's national public broadcasting organization (NHK) in their making of an underwater documentary on behavior which broadcasted throughout Japan on April 16th, 2017.
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In 2017, he started his Ph.D. study at the University of California, Los Angeles. With an intention to apply basic scientific knowledge to conserve animals and improve human well-being, he deciphered the mystery of the semiaquatic mass migration of freshwater shrimp known as "Parading Behavior" and studied the effects of ecotourism on shrimp migration in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
Photo by: S. Kangsdalwirun
September 18, 2023
WiN and his colleagues published a new study on the evolution of the Longjaw mudsucker in the Journal of Fish Biology​
January 4, 2024
WiN gave an interview to National Geographic Thailand.​
September 3, 2023
WiN is featured in a popular YouTube channel, "Farose Channel" in Thailand. In the video, he took us to La Jolla Cove in San Diego to learn about marine mammals and to Scripps Institution of Oceanography to see the the Naga head (aka Oarfish). ​
"Kai Bann" from Farose Channel (in Thai) - Deciphering the secret of Naga picture (Oarfish) in the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (700K views)
January 20, 2023
WiN first published a collaborative project with National Geographic Thailand. This project is a series of 12 articles, "Learn Biology through Disney cartoon". In celebrating Chinese New Year, he wrote about the biology of Cricket in Mulan. The article is in Thai.
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Parading shrimp - Macrobrachium dienbienphuense
Read other articles from this series here
Sarcastic Fringehead - Neoclinus blanchardi
November 20, 2022
WiN joined Witcast Ep.122 to share about this research on animal behavior and evolution.
November 18, 2022
WiN and his colleagues have been awarded 'Paper of the Year' award by the Journal of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, UK
October 30, 2022
WiN gave an interview to ChulaRadio Plus regarding Marine Insects and Animal Behavior research.
October 29, 2022
WiN gave an outreach talk for National Geographic Thailand entitled "Biology outside a classroom: Search for animals in cartoons"
Paper of the Year award by Journal of Zoology,
Zoological Society of London
October 14, 2022
WiN research is featured in the New York Times and National Geographic
Talk at the Sustainability Expo 2022 (Starting at 16.10)
Contact
Email: watcharapong.ho [at] chula [dot] ac [dot] th
Research Interests
• Evolutionary Biology
• Behavioral Ecology
• Marine Biology
• Animal Communication and Signaling
• Conservation Behavior and Ecotourism
Address
Department of Marine Science (SCI10), Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Phaya Thai Road, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
October 6, 2022
WiN and his colleagues published their research on Sarcastic Fringehead behavior in Ecology.
Read about this work here
September 29 – 30, 2022
WiN and his National Geographic explorer friends participated as speakers at "Postcards from Planet Possible" event and organizers of the "Once Upon A Coastline" workshop at the Sustainability Expo 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand