UP Newsletter March 2012

Page 1

U.P. Newsletter 1

Wired UP ENG’G CLASSES FOR FREE Stanford engineering classes for free? You might want to visit see.stanford.edu for online undergraduate and advanced courses for students and teachers.

University of the Philippines Community Newspaper V O L U M E X X XIII

NUMBER 3

MARCH 2 0 12

DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY

Read UP Newsletter online at http://www.up.edu.ph/upnewsletter.php

‘The Philippines is a biological hotspot’ – Gosliner Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

Photos courtesy of Prof. Terrence Gosliner

Five of the 50 new species of nudibranchs discovered by Gosliner and his team during the expedition.

The “hottest of the hotspots.” The “center of the center.” These were the terms with which Prof. Terrence Gosliner, dean of Science and Research Collections at the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), described the Philippines during his lecture on the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition at UP Diliman (UPD) last February 9. Gosliner and his CAS team conducted the marine and terrestrial expedition with

UP scientists, researchers and students last year from April 26 to June 8, mostly on the island of Luzon. According to Gosliner, new species were discovered during “almost every dive and hike” and that the number of these new species may be in the hundreds. While cataloging and documenting of specimens are still ongoing at the CAS, Gosliner said during his lecture that there were “many new records of octocorals

‘Kapihan’ on ethics and public service UP Los Baños (UPLB) organized a “Kapihan” with President Alfredo Pascual last February 8 at the UPLB College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Auditorium. The Kapihan focused its discussion on ethics and public service. Pascual said that as a secular university, it is “the responsibility of UP to be able to come up with our standards of our secular ethics.” He added that “there are meeting points” since “ethics are based on natural law.” Pascual said he plans to develop

courses or parts of certain courses in the general education program that shall discuss issues of moral standards. In everyday life, according to Pascual, we rely on our values hoping that these values are based on solid ground. “Values can also be based on money. Some people have values designed to produce more wealth, others more glory or popularity, but in our case,” said Pascual, “the common good is the strong foundation of our ethical behavior.” UPLB Chancellor Rex Cr uz said

2012 UP Artists honored

Photo by Jun Madrid

Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

“One becomes a true artist not only because of skill and talent, but because of his deep understanding of the human condition, because of his solidarity with the sentiments and aspirations of the nation, and because he keeps his feet on the ground while looking at even the remotest aspects of reality,” UP President Alfredo Pascual said during the awarding ceremony of the UP Arts Productivity System last February 13 at the Executive House, UP Diliman (UPD). The title of UP Artist was conferred on six UPD faculty members. College of Fine Arts (CFA) Dean Florentina Colayco was named UP Artist I along with Prof. Jimmuel Naval and Prof. Helen Yu-Rivera of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL). Prof. Reuel Aguila of CAL and Prof. Olivia Cantor of the College of Mass Communication were named UP Artist II. Finally, Prof. Nestor Vinluan of CFA was

2

UP links up with Philippine IP office to support innovation and technology

that he wished the students to be role (Continued on page 8) models when they leave the university. He added that under Pascual’s leadership, the university will integrate ethics into the curriculum. As stated in the UP charter, he said that UP being a public service university shall develop students as “truly public servants.” Dr. Edna Epifanio Co opened the Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc kapihan with a statement on “the theoretical The results of the latest round of perspective of ethics and public service.” Quoting Donald Menzel, she defined board examinations administered by the ethics as “morality in action.” She cited Professional Regulation Commission three factors that are “crucial and decisive” (PRC) still had UP graduates passing and in the practice of ethics: 1.) ethical topping the examinations in Architecture, reasoning, which is a space for discerning Metallurgical Engineering, Pharmacy and on the “right” and the “wrong”; 2) ethics in Physical and Occupational Therapy. In Architecture, 38 of the 38 examinees action, which is realized with the presence from UP Diliman (UPD) passed, beating of efficiency, efficacy and economy; and 3.) moral agency or exemplary leadership the national average of 50.83 percent. Two of the two takers from UP Mindanao which “breathes life to ethics in action.” Dr. William Padolina, former deputy (UPMin) also passed. Sudarshan Varsovia Khadka Jr. tied director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), presented his with a student of University of San Carlos take on ethics and public service in relation for No. 1. The other top ten placers from to the research and development sector. UP were Maria Francesca Salido Latay, No. “Without new knowledge, there can be 2; Kim Patrick Legaspi Pullante, No. 3; no new wealth,” said Padolina. He added Marinel Landeta Siega, No. 4; Paul Henrick that we “have to ameliorate the human Martinez Letana, No. 5; and Carlo Richfield condition through knowledge.” The ethical Bayona Gonzales and Walfrido Carlos issues he discussed related to research were Simbul, both No. 7. In Metallurgical Engineering, five of authorship, peer review (gray literature), data management, research misconduct the five examinees from UPD passed. (such as fabrication, falsification and There were only eight takers and only six plagiarism), and biomedical research (with passers nationwide. In Pharmacy, 34 of the 34 examinees animals and with human subjects). Prof. Aleli Ester Domingo of CAS from UP Manila passed. The national Institute of Mathematical Sciences and passing average is 51.94 percent. The UPM graduates swept the top 10 Physics, discussed “servant leadership,”

2012 board exam results show UP still ahead

(Continued on page 8)

Prof. Vinluan, UP Artist III

I

4

N

S

NCPAG organizes series on PublicPrivate Partnerships

Arbeen Acuña

and potential new species,” “many new polychaete annelids,” “at least 30 new species of barnacles,” “one to two new species of echinoids and many new records” and “50 new nudibranch snails” in shallow water research alone. Other research categories in the expedition included deep water research, terrestrial research and animal husbandry. Educational outreach programs and media coverage were also important components of the expedition. Gosliner said that the team wanted to disseminate as much information to a diverse audience as quickly as possible. During the expedition,

(Continued on page 9)

I

5

D

(Continued on page 9)

E

UP Mindanao signs agreement for agro-forestry project in Marilog

9

UN comment prompts plan for concerted action vs criminal libel


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
UP Newsletter March 2012 by University of the Philippines - Issuu