From March 18 to 23, 2024, the UST College of Science held its annual Modified Enhanced Online and Onsite Week of Science (MEOOWS) with the theme 鈥淥pen Science鈥�. The Open Science initiative ensures that research outputs are available to all who need them. It fosters collaborations and encourages other scientists to validate the reproducibility of research results while ensuring equity, respecting diversity, and maintaining security and privacy.聽
The keynote speakers during the opening ceremonies of this year鈥檚 celebrations are Dr. Chelle Gentemann of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) who spoke on NASA鈥檚 Open Science initiatives and Academician Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Ph.D. of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) who discussed the importance of science communication in promoting open science initiatives. Dr. Santos is an associate professorial lecturer at the UST Graduate School.
Included in the many activities during the week-long celebration is the inaugural Mariano M. Pangan Lecture Series of the Department of Chemistry which was delivered by Academician Prof. Emeritus Fortunato B. Sevilla III, PhD. This lecture series pays tribute to the legacy of Prof. Dr. Mariano Pangan, who served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry, Dean of the College of Science and Faculty of Engineering, Assistant to the Rector for Academic Affairs, and Assistant Director of the Research Center for Natural Sciences.
The college week ended last March 23 with the first-ever Environmental Psychology International Conference (EPIC) hosted by the Department of Psychology. In attendance during the event was Sec. Robert Borje of the Climate Change Commission as well as well-known experts in the field of environmental psychology such as Dr. Susan Clayton of Wooster College (USA) and Dr. Ricardo Garcia Mira of the University of Coruna (Spain). This was the first conference in environmental psychology conducted in the Philippines.
The Department of Psychology hopes to come up with more research projects in environmental psychology. This is the college’s contribution to the partnership between the 探花精选 and the Climate Change Commission of the Philippines to help address climate problems in the country through instruction, research and community engagement鈥攁n essential contribution to the attainment of several sustainable goals.
Later that evening, the College of Science awarded the winners of The Outstanding Alumni of Science Tribute (TOAST) for 2024. The awardees included Edigio P. Elio, MD (BS General Science, 1977) for Humanitarian Service, Sheila Marie G. Hocson, PhD (BS Psychology, 1998) and Donnabel Kuizon-Cruz (BS Chemistry, 2000) for Industry Practice, Emmerson Gale Vista, MD (BS Biology, 2003) and Amado Ona Tandoc III, MD (BS Biology Accelerated, 1999) for Medical Profession, Hon. Fransisco Perez Altarejos, MD (BS General Science, 1976) and Elizabeth Amelia V. Tianco, MD LlB (BS Chemistry, 1976) for Government and Public Service, Prof. Edralin A. Lucas, PhD (BS Chemistry, 1986) and Acad. Prof. Emeritus Maribel G. Nonato, PhD (BS Chemistry, 1978) for Scientific Research, Dean Emeritus Prof. Carmen G. Kanapi (BS Zoology, 1959) for Science Education (Posthumous), Joel Claro Perlado, MSc, FASP (BS Mathematics major in Actuarial Science 1992) and Joel Santos Cruz (BS Psychology, 1989) for Business, Entrepreneurship and Industry Practice and Karl Ubial, M.D. (BS Psychology, 2015) as Young Thomasian Scientist. The Elio family was also honored with the Science Family Awards since all members of the family graduated from the College of Science and excel in their chosen fields of specialization.
All events held during this year鈥檚 Science Week are in line with the ten-year countdown of the College of Science as part of its centennial by 2026 which are anchored on the theme 鈥淓xpressing our Faith through Excellence in Science鈥�.
Open Science is supported by the United Nations, which called on governments to establish national and international policies on Open Science. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also highlighted the importance of Open Science principles for the benefit of humankind and planetary sustainability in its 2021 鈥淩ecommendations for Open Science鈥�. In the United States, federal agencies declared 2023 as a Year of Open Science and organized various events, which espoused the integration of open science initiatives into their policies.
