IAFOR > The Southeast Asian Conference on Education (SEACE) > SEACE > Speakers

Speakers

Speakers will provide a variety of perspectives from different academic and professional backgrounds. This page provides information about presenters. For details of presentations and other programming, please visit the Programme page.

  • Chih-Pu Dai
    Chih-Pu Dai
    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
  • Ariana Eichelberger
    Ariana Eichelberger
    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
  • Mary Hattori
    Mary Hattori
    East-West Center, United States
  • Daniel Hoffman
    Daniel Hoffman
    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
  • Peter Leong
    Peter Leong
    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
  • Shamila Janakiraman
    Shamila Janakiraman
    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
  • Michael Menchaca
    Michael Menchaca
    University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
  • Apipol Sae-Tung
    Apipol Sae-Tung
    IAFOR, Japan

Become a Speaker

Excellent plenary speakers are central to our conferences, ensuring that timely, innovative and engaging content is presented to our audiences around the world. If you would like to be considered for a speaking slot at one of our conferences, please apply below.

Apply to Speak

Previous Speakers

View details of speakers at past SEACE conferences via the links below.

SEACE2024 SEACE2023 SEACE2021 SEACE2020
Chih-Pu Dai
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Dr Chih-Pu Dai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His research interests include Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education, Extended Reality, Game-Based Learning and Simulation-Based Learning.

Specifically, he designs and studies immersive and experience-oriented advanced learning technologies to enhance teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for diverse K-12 and adult learners. He aims to support and enhance learning with design features and solutions, as well as with the applications of AI and machine learning techniques in advanced learning technologies. As such, in a research project, he examines the effects of learning support for preservice teachers when they practise teaching in virtual reality with AI-powered virtual student agents.

Dr Dai uses quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and AI and machine learning approaches to address research questions. His work has been published in academic journals such as Computers & Education, Educational Technology Research & Development, British Journal of Educational Technology, Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence, and International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. In addition, he speaks at conferences of International Society of the Learning Sciences, American Educational Research Associations, and Association for Educational Communications and Technology.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration

Previous Presentations

Featured Panel Presentation (2024) | Change for Resiliency: One Department’s Strategies for Implementing Culturally Relevant Education with a Focus on Asia and the Pacific
Ariana Eichelberger
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Ariana Eichelberger is the Director for Technology and Distance Programs in the College of Education at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Ari manages the Instructional Support Group of the College and coordinates the College’s faculty professional development program. As a faculty member of the Department of Learning Design and Technology, Ari teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in instructional design and technology integration. She is also an instructional designer with the College’s Technology and Distance Programs.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration

Previous Presentations

Featured Panel Presentation (2024) | Change for Resiliency: One Department’s Strategies for Implementing Culturally Relevant Education with a Focus on Asia and the Pacific
Mary Hattori
East-West Center, United States

Biography

Dr Mary Therese Perez Hattori is a daughter of Guåhan (Guam), of the clan Familian Titang, born to Paul Mitsuo Hattori† of Kalihi, O’ahu, Hawaii and Fermina Leon Guerrero Perez† of the village of Chalan Pago, Guam. She currently serves as Director of the Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) with the East-West Center and previously enjoyed a long career in various technology and education-related positions. PIDP is a regional organisation, a founding member of the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific and secretariat of the Pacific Islands Council of Leaders.

Dr Hattori is also affiliate graduate faculty in Pacific Studies, Learning Design and Technology, and several Educational Doctorate programs, a community organiser, advocate for Pacific Islanders in the United States, public speaker, author, and poet. She is co-founder and co-organizer of cultural events such as the Cultural Animation Film Festival and the Celebrate Micronesia Festival, both held annually in Honolulu. She serves the state of Hawaii as a member of the Board of Education and Associate Member of the Consular Corps of Honolulu.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration
Daniel Hoffman
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Dan Hoffman is an Associate Professor of Learning Design & Technology (LTEC) at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. He is the principal investigator of the Advancing Culturally-Relevant Computing project and the president of the International Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. A former classroom teacher, his research focuses broadly on the complex relationships between education and technology. In addition to his research, Dan enjoys working as an Associate Editor for the IAFOR Journal of Education - Technology in Education issues.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration

Previous Presentations

Featured Panel Presentation (2024) | Change for Resiliency: One Department’s Strategies for Implementing Culturally Relevant Education with a Focus on Asia and the Pacific
Peter Leong
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Dr Peter Leong is Chair of the Department of Learning Design & Technology at University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa. Dr Leong has extensive experience in the development and delivery of online courses and distance education. He was honoured as one of Hawaiʻi’s 2007 top high-technology leaders and was recognised with the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents’ Medal for Teaching Excellence award in 2012. He was the President of the Pan-Pacific Distance Learning Association and the President of the International Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, as well as an executive board member of the International Council on Educational Media. Dr Leong was previously a co-principal investigator on the RadGrad National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to evaluate new approaches to improving engagement, diversity, and retention in undergraduate computer science. He is currently a co-principal investigator on the Advancing Culturally-Relevant Computing NSF grant.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration

Previous Presentations

Featured Panel Presentation (2024) | Change for Resiliency: One Department’s Strategies for Implementing Culturally Relevant Education with a Focus on Asia and the Pacific
Shamila Janakiraman
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Shamila Janakiraman is an Assistant Professor in Learning Design & Technology (LTEC) at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. She teaches graduate level courses in LTEC and her research interests are in emerging technologies, attitude change instruction, online teaching and learning, and competency-based education. Shamila is keen on exploring the use of emerging technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, game-based learning in facilitating attitude change regarding the learning of different subjects, and attitudinal and behavioural learning regarding environmental sustainability and other socio-scientific topics.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration

Previous Presentations

Featured Panel Presentation (2024) | Change for Resiliency: One Department’s Strategies for Implementing Culturally Relevant Education with a Focus on Asia and the Pacific
Michael Menchaca
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Michael Menchaca is a professor at the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States. He specialises in distance education, and has designed, implemented, and coordinated online and hybrid programs for over 20 years. He serves as editor for the IAFOR Journal of Education: Technology in Education Edition. He was an IT specialist for many years in the public and private sector. As an educator, he teaches and conducts research in the areas of online learning, technology integration, and social justice with technology.

Panel Presentation (2025) | Promoting Cultural Awareness in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Education: East-West Collaboration
Apipol Sae-Tung
IAFOR, Japan

Biography

Apipol Sae-Tung is an Academic Coordinator at IAFOR, where he contributes to the development and execution of academic-related content and activities. He works closely with the Forum’s partner institutions and coordinates IAFOR’s Global Fellowship Programme. His recent activities include mediating conference reports for the Forum’s international conference programme and facilitating the IAFOR Undergraduate Research Symposium (IURS).

Mr Sae-Tung began his career as a Program Coordinator for the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He was awarded the Japanese Government’s MEXT Research Scholarship and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University, Japan. His research focuses on government and policy analysis, particularly on authoritarian regimes. He currently takes part in research projects on international student education in Thailand, Southeast Asian politics, Japan-Asia digital economy, and AI-language model training.

Mr Sae-Tung holds an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Thammasat University, Thailand, where he studied foreign policy analysis and Thailand-China relations. He also holds a BA in History from the same institution, with a focus on modern Western and Southeast Asian comparative history and historiography.

Mr Sae-Tung has interned for the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) in Japan, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Thailand. He served on the Lifelong Learning Team while with UNESCO, working specifically on projects enhancing education access through online platforms among Thai NEET individuals and supporting Myanmar migrant children, providing shelters and access to proper education along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Forum Discussion (2025) | TBA