Study Break: Pearl Phaovisaid, Ed.M.'13

[caption id="attachment_11812" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Martha Stewart"][/caption]

Program: Technology, Innovation, and Education Program
Tool for Change: Technology
Hometowns: Chicago and Ranong, Thailand

In person, there's a quietness to Pearl Phaovisaid that seems a stark contrast to what one might expect from a West Point graduate who spent 15 months in Iraq, flying more than 200 combat hours on the aircraft she chose to master: the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. She admits that she's definitely an introvert, but she says, "There are quiet professionals wherever you go." And in some ways, the Army actually made sense for her after high school: She knew she wanted to help others. Since then, this Chicago-born daughter of first-generation Thai immigrants has done just that, particularly in Ranong, the small village in Thailand where she was raised for many years, in part by her aunt, a teacher. After West Point, Phaovisaid went back to the village to teach basketball — one of her passions — to adolescent girls, and self-defense to low-income women who had moved to Bangkok, often alone, for work. She also traveled the country, through the U.S. Embassy Speakers Program, and spoke to Thai students and monks about American classroom culture, English, and Buddhism. Now, with a year of the Ed School behind her, she is looking at ways that technology — and a small academic scholarship program that she started while in Iraq for three high school seniors each year — can help students all over Thailand improve their lives.

Your three Petch Intanin Scholarships are:

• One for excellence in academics
• One for excellence in art
• One for excellence in athletic

At West Point, why pick the Black Hawk? It's funny; I don't even own a car! But I was very ambitious. I also wanted to be where the action was.

Scariest part about flying Black Hawks: Hovering. Why? It looks so peaceful, but there are a lot of motor skills involved.

You said every pilot has a "come to Jesus" moment. What was yours? It occurred in flight school when we transitioned from flying in the daytime to flying at night. This training consisted of a few weeks of unaided flight — no night vision goggles. As you can imagine, operating a helicopter in a three-dimensional plane is challenging enough when you have full range of vision. Trying to accomplish that same task when you can't see very well is quite unnerving for a novice aviator.

Your height, on a good day: 5 feet 2 1/4 inches.

One piece of technology you can't live without: Laptop
Why? Living without my laptop would seriously dampen my productivity. If I ever got stuck on an island with electricity and wi-fi, I would be just fine as long as I had a laptop with me.

Your favorite authentic Thai dish: Lemongrass soup. It's coconut based and hard to get right.

One lesson your aunt taught you: Teaching is a demanding profession.

Eventually you'll go back to live and work in Thailand because: So many people are doing great work in the United States. I'd make a bigger difference there, in Thailand.

You're a big basketball fan. Who's your current favorite player? Jeremy Lin Why? I admire his humility and faith. He's a great team player. He's also an underdog who constantly worked against the odds. It's nice to see someone like that make it.

If you were coaching an Ed School faculty b-ball team, which faculty would be your starting five?

• Point guard: Monica Higgins
• Shooting guard: Joe Blatt
• Small forward: Karen Brennan
• Power forward: David Dockterman
• Center: Chris Dede

Ed. Extra: Watch a video on Pearl Phaovisaid.