Mr. Sirichai Arunrugstichai (MUIC Class of 2011)
Mr. Sirachai Arunrugstichai graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science major in Environmental Studies degree. He then pursued a Master’s degree in Marine Biology at Prince of Songkla University.
Currently, he is an award-winning photojournalist, with specific interest in conservation and social issues, a freelance photographer who contributes photos to several publications, and also an active participant in major photography competitions. He is currently under a mentorship program under Thomas P. Peschak, an assignment photographer of the National Geographic Society. He received many national and international awards as a photographer: He won the IUCN GMPP Oceans Photographer of the Year 2016 award, competing against 375 entries from 47 candidates worldwide. This year, he is also the Marine Conservation Photography Grant winner of Save Our Seas Foundation, a non-profit organization which raises awareness about the beauty of marine ecosystems and their fundamental importance to human survival; it should be added here that he is the only Asian finalist. In 2015, he was given the Commendatory Award (DSLR Category) in the Thailand Dive Expo Photo Competition, the biggest international underwater photo contest in Thailand. Other recent achievements include the Grand Prize and the Popular Vote in the Behavior & Biodiversity Category and the 1st Runner-Up and Popular Vote in the Macro Category at the 4th Marine Science Conference 2014; the Grand Prize in the La Mer Love the Sea Competition in 2013; the Grand Prize (Landscape Category) in the Koh Tao Photo Contest; and the Grand Prize (Compact Camera Category) in the Thailand Dive Expo Photo Competition. In 2012, he was the Grand Prize Winner (Underwater Category) in the Koh Tao Photo Competition
