january 2012
UPLB CDC, UPD ComRes, declared CHED Center of Excellence
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Corro installed as... ◄PAGE 1
including the traditional Cebuano “Rosas Pandan.” UP president Pascual, along with other UP System officials, attended he ribbon cutting and unveiling of a marker, signaling the opening to the public of the second professional schools in the UP System. The new facility, which incorporates green architecture as conceptualized by Prof. Christopher Espina and Prof. Raymund Fernandez, was seen to be the center of graduate studies in UP Cebu. The ecofriendly architecture features natural lighting and passive ventilation, among others. Among the programs offered are master degrees in education, environmental science, computer science, and business management. The campus sits on a five-hectare lot donated by the Cebu City government during the ter m then mayor now cong ressman Tomas Osmeña. Pascual thanked Sen. Sergio Osmeña III for contributing to the completion of the building through his priority development assistance fund. In a message on behalf of Rep, Osmeña, Councilor Margarita Osmeña said the UP Professional Schools SRP Campus sits on a very expensive land, but was donated to UP because her husband believed that education is more valuable. In response, Pascual reiterated the university’s commitment to producing high returns on the city’s investment.
Stephanie S. Cabigao Photo by Jun Madrid
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has declared the UP Los Baños College of Development Communication (CDC) as a Center of Excellence in Development Communication for 20122014 . The conferment ended a thorough deliberation that started in August last year. CDC Dean Ma. Theresa H. Velasco learned of the good news from Prof. Ramon R. Tuazon, chair of the CHED Technical Committee for Communication and Development Communication, last December 12. Earlier on, the CHED identified the Department of UP Diliman as a Center of Excellence in Psychology. Republic Act 7722, or the Higher Education Law of 1994, authorizes the agency to identify centers of excellence and development among educational institutions in the country to serve as “potent catalysts for world-class scholarships, best practices, innovative curriculum, research and extension, and professional development in communication.” “We are truly grateful with this Christmas gift from CHED and the technical panel. The CDC is now doubly inspired to pursue excellence in all aspects of development communication education,” Velasco said. CHED has also designated the Visayas State University’s Department of Development Communication under the College of Agriculture and Food Science as a Center of Development for Excellence (CODE) in Development Communication. Named as the Center of Excellence in Communication is UP Diliman’s Depar tment of Communication Research under the College of Mass Communication.
Professors emeriti Zafaralla and Jimenez lead series on UP’s great minds
Professors Emeriti Jimenez and Zafaralla
To celebrate the various contributions of UP’s more than 280 professors emeriti, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Gisela Padilla-Concepcion launched a lecture series entitled “Celebrating UP’s Great Minds” last December 10 at the National Institute of Physics Auditorium. Newly proclaimed Emeritus Professors Macrina T. Zafaralla, Ph.D. (UP Los Baños) and Elsie C. Jimenez, PhD (UP Baguio) delivered the inaugural lectures. Completing the batch of professors emeriti appointed last March 29 are Prof. Erlinda S. Echanis, Ph.D. from the College of Business Administration (UPD); Prof. Nicanor G. Tiongson, Ph.D. from the College of Mass Communications (UPD); and Prof. Serafin Hilvano, M.D. from the College of Medicine (UPM). In 1970, Prof. Elsie C. Jimenez entered the College of Science at UP Baguio, signaling her journey t o join the university’s prominent natural scientist and chemist. Her presentation at the series was entitled “Great Publications, Great University. Jimenez also recalled the three factors that compelled her to pursue a career as an academician. First was her MS Biochemistry thesis under a faculty fellowship in UP Manila headed by national scientist Lourdes Cruz. She said Cruz urged her to submit her first scientific paper for publication. The paper is now listed in the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) journals and indexed in the Science Citation Index (SCI). Second was her UNESCO fellowship in Tokyo Institute of Technology, which enabled her to pursue further studies in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in 1980. Finally, she obtained her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Utah, USA under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) project with internationally distinguished scientists Dr. Baldomero Olivera and Cruz as mentors. Later, her work was once again published and SCI indexed, subsequently making her an academic collaborator at the Utah University. Jimenez also discussed the worsening conditions of researchers in the university. She noted that in UP Baguio and elsewhere, professors were overloaded with teaching units and large classes while pursuing research and creative productions. According to her, many constituent units lacked adequate research facilities and equipment. She suggested that increasing faculty and research associate items, as well as
upgrading laboratory equipment might encourage more graduates to pursue academic careers in the country. Dr. Zafaralla, a retired professor of Botany and Environmental ScienceInstitute of Biological Sciences at UP Los Baños, obtained her Ph.D. in Environmental Science in 1980 at UP. Earlier, she completed her coursework at Cornell University. In 2010, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in 2010 recognized her pioneering studies by presenting her the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)-Hugh Greenwood Environmental Science Award. Among her numerous researches and publications consist of a book on micro algae of Taal Lake with the support of NAST; a study about Laguna de Bay winning Best Paper Award; and a coauthored book titled “Saving the Present for the Future,” and “Philippine Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.” Zafaralla presented her study “On the Apparent Interrelationships Triggering the Occurrence of Freshwater Fish Kill in Taal Lake.” She theorized that the fish kill phenomenon could be due to too low oxygen levels and too much hydrogen sulfide—toxic gas emissions that depleted the lake’s oxygen supply. She also cited sudden increase in temperature, climate change, decomposing organic matter, and overstocking of the fish cages as probable causes of the fish kill. She added that other pollutants included garbage and refuse thrown on the lakeshores, notably animal manure being dumped along the shores. Dr. Zafaralla recommended the implementation of several control measures to protect the ecological conditions in Taal Lake, particularly the decongestion of the lake’s fish cages by bringing down the number of cages from the present average of 12,000 units to 6,000 units; complying to the recommended stocking and feeding rate; prohibition of non-ecologically sound practice of increasing cage depths to compensate for limited area; lakeshore clean up and improvement on solid waste management; application of the closedand-open seasons strategy; centralization of the issuance of permits for fish cages and facilitation of the identification of illegal cages; and the provision of equal opportunities for Filipinos to practice aquaculture within the limits of fish cage practice. The professor had been closely working with local government units in this study, as well as in the dissemination of newly found information regarding aquaculture
U.P. News 3
21 named new UP Scientists, 20 more restored to SPS status Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc
The UP System named 21 new UP Scientists in rites held last December 18 at the Executive House in UP Diliman, bringing the total of UP professors and researchers given the much-coveted distinction to 102. Twenty others who have previously joined the elite club regained their Scientific Productivity System (SPS) standing. The rank of UP Scientist is effective for three years, hence the new batch case will hold the distinction during the period 2012-2014. The conferment of the title comes with yearly monetary rewards of P120,000 for Scientist I, P144,000 for Scientist !!, and P180,000 for Scientist III. T he UP Scientists must remain productive within the system’s standards to maintain the title, or must surpass themselves to qualify for a higher title. The SPS, given every year, is now on its third cycle after its approval by the Board of Regents on August 26, 2005. Scientific productivity is evaluated based on scientific publications in refered reputable scientific journals and books, peer-reviewed technological outputs, and scientific and professional standing in the international science community. Named UP Scientist I were Professors Percival Amoro, Evangeline Amor, Clarissa David, Laura David, Christine Hernandez, Dennis Mapa, Maria Lourdes McGlone, Alfred Pawlik, Jonas Quilang, and Ronald Villanueva, all from UP Diliman; Inocencio Buot Jr., Cleofas Cervancia, Maribel Dionisio-Sese, Victor Ella, Merdelyn Lit, Teodoro Mendoza, and Oscar Zamora from UP Los Baños; and Annabelle Campos and Liberato Laureta Jr. from UP Visayas. Professors Eric Galapon, Marie Antonette Meñez, and Fernando Siringan, also all from UP Diliman, retained their title. Prof. Cynthia Hedreyda of UP Diliman was named UP Scientist II. Professors Windell Rivera and Cesar Villanoy from UP Diliman, and Damasa Macandog and Conrado Valdez from UP Los Baños retained the title UP Scientist II. Prof. Perry Ong of UP Diliman was named UP Scientist III. Professors Porfirio Aliño, Rhodora Azanza, Erniel Barrios, PAGE
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in various fishing communities. UP President Alfredo E. Pascual, who attended the public lecture, said he was interested in the processes that could stimulate research and publication in the university to enable greater contribution to the country’s national development, adding that it could contribute to raise the academic level and ranking of the university. He assured researchers that funding is not much of a problem as there are so much funding available mainly from government and private entities. Pascual stressed that more importantly, the university should focus on the challenge of promoting a culture of research and writing within the institution. Capping the lecture sessions was an open forum Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Antoinette BassHernandez acting as moderator.