Chula Turns Old Smartphones into 2,500 Microscopes for Schools

Chulalongkorn University, in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, will retrofit 500 old smartphones donated by Thai Samsung Electrics, Co., Ltd. with CU Smart Lens invented by Professor Sanong Akasit, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, and turn them into microscopes.  The microscopes will be donated to 500 marginal schools throughout the country as part of the “2,500 Microscopes from Old Cell Phones for Marginal Schools“ project, which supports equal opportunity in science education for all.

On Monday, November 9, 2020, Professor Polkit Sangvanich, Ph.D., Dean of Chula Faculty of Science, welcomed Mr. Warit Charanyanond, Senior Manager – Corporate Marketing, and Ms. Patarun Petchsiri, Assistant Manager – Corporate Marketing, Thai Samsung Electrics, Co., Ltd, at the ceremony to receive 500 smartphones, donated to be modified into microscopes. 

The “2,500 Microscopes from Old Cell Phones for Marginal Schools” project is a cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and Chulalongkorn University to use discarded cell phones instead of microscopes in schools throughout the country that are deprived of science equipment.  By revamping these old smartphones with CU Smart Lens, an invention by Professor Sanong Akasit, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, Chulalongkorn University, the phones can be modified into microscopes. The project was created to promote equal access to quality education for students across the country, while reusing old equipment.