UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two Penn State College of Education Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows will speak during the annual American Association of University Woman (AAUW) State College panel discussion on Jan. 30 at The Graduate State College.

The Humphrey Fellowship Program is a one-year, nondegree program of combined academic and professional development opportunities. It brings accomplished mid-career professionals from designated countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East to selected universities in the U.S. for public service, advanced study, professional training and work-related experiences.

The theme of the discussion panel is “International Perspectives on Women in Society.”

Kallaya Tantiyaswasdikul, associate professor of architecture and planning at Thammasat University in Thailand, and Nauzika Kovacs, vice dean for education and associate professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary, will be part of the panel. Both are currently Humphrey Fellows at Penn State.

Tantiyaswasdikul is a strategic foresight practitioner specializing in scenario planning and design thinking, trained through the Oxford Scenarios Programme at Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford in England. Tantiyaswasdikul holds a doctorate in policy science from Ritsumeikan University in Japan.

With international experience working alongside Adam Kahane, a leading facilitator of cross-sector collaboration to address complex global challenges, her research focuses on using strategic foresight to inform policy recommendations, particularly in the areas of innovation and sustainability. During her Humphrey Fellowship, Tantiyaswasdikul aims to develop a collaborative network with U.S. lifelong learning institutions to create a global platform of expertise, supporting lifelong learning initiatives in Thailand. 

During the event, Tantiyaswasdikul plans to discuss the topic “Resilience Through Learning: Women Navigating Change.”

“Lifelong learning is a powerful tool for advancing women’s empowerment and serves as a critical driver of innovation and resilience in our ever-changing world,” she said. “By continuously acquiring new skills and knowledge, women can challenge traditional norms, embrace emerging technologies, and lead transformative innovations across diverse fields — from science and technology to social entrepreneurship.”

Tantiyaswasdikul said her goal is to share a case from Thailand and highlight Thai role model women who inspire young women in Thailand to recognize the importance of lifelong learning and adopt the mindset of being lifelong learners.

“As someone who considers myself a lifelong learner, I am deeply curious and constantly eager to seek new knowledge and improve myself,” Tantiyaswasdikul said. “Over time, I have come to understand that we are living in a dynamic and ever-evolving world where change is the norm. To thrive in such an environment, we must cultivate adaptability and resilience — and lifelong learning is the foundation for doing so.”

Kovacs, in her current role, focuses on academic program development, quality assurance, and fostering innovation in engineering education. With a doctorate in civil engineering from Budapest University of Technology and Economics, she has been recognized for her achievements in academic research, participating in international conferences and contributing to significant research projects. During her doctoral studies, she gained international research experience at the Technical University of Lisbon in Portugal and was a research scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Kovacs said she is excited about the opportunity to engage with a diverse network of professionals and gain fresh perspectives that will shape the future of higher education.

At the event, Kovacs plans to share how the life of women has been changed during the past 100 years as Hungarian society has changed with a focus on her own family as an example.

“My great-grandmother was a stay-at-home wife with limited access to education,” Kovacs explained. “My grandmother was the first woman in our family who had been working in a factory after World War II to contribute to rebuilding the country. My mother was the first woman in our family to have a white-collar job doing administrative work during the socialism years in Hungary, and my sister and I are the first women in our family to have a college degree and have the opportunity to travel the world.”

The panel will be moderated by AAUW State College’s Carolyn Donaldson.

“I was looking for professional development and the Humphrey program seemed perfect for me,” Kovacs said. “In the last couple of years, I was thinking about spending some time abroad, not only for professional reasons but to stay a culturally openminded person. This is the reason why I brought my husband, 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son with me — to teach them how to interact with people from other countries and to open their horizon, as well.”

The Humphrey Fellowship Program is administered by the Institute of International Education and the primary support for the program comes from the U.S. Department of State.

“As a Humphrey Fellow, I have had the privilege of exploring lifelong learning institutes in the U.S., engaging in policy innovation, and collaborating on initiatives to address global challenges,” Tantiyaswasdikul said. “I have been profoundly inspired by the opportunity to engage with other fellows from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. These exchanges have enriched my understanding of global perspectives and reinforced the importance of collaboration in tackling complex international issues.”

The event, which is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., includes a lunch buffet. Those wishing to attend must register in advance by Jan. 23. To register, send a check for $26 payable to “SCAUW, Inc.” c/o Christine Bishop, to 205 First Ave., State College, PA 16801. Late payments will be accepted at the door, but registration is required by Jan. 23. For more information, contact Bishop via email at cbishop@ccysb.com or via phone at 814-441-3571.

The event is co-sponsored by Community Diversity Group, Global Connections, the Penn State Humphrey Fellows, and Soroptimists International of Centre County.