Researchers from the University of San Carlos won major awards in the Regional Research and Development (R&D) Symposium conducted by the Central Visayas Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (CVAARRDEC) on October 26-27, 2022 at St. Mark Hotel, Brgy. Kamputhaw, Cebu City in a hybrid set-up. 

For the Research and Development category, Dr. Maria Kristina O. Paler (see photo below) bagged the Best Research Paper for her study entitled, “Diversity of Plastic in the Mangroves Around Cebu Island, Central Philippines”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Francis Dave C. Siacor (see photo below) grabbed the third place for his research, “Structural Characterization of Microplastic deposited in the Coastal Mangrove Areas Olango Island, Cebu via FTIR Spectroscopy.” 

On top of the two awards in research, Dr. Alvin P. Montilla’s poster titled “Backyard Seaweed Farming: A Cheap Culture System for Green Seaweed Production” was awarded as the Best Scientific Poster in the Development Category. 

The R&D Symposium is intended to share research accomplishments and generated technologies in the form of paper and scientific poster presentations as well as poster-making contests in the areas of Agriculture, Aquatic, Forestry, and Natural Resources (AAFNR). 

The panel of evaluators is composed of experts chaired by Dr Esperanza Maribel Agoo Professor DLSU-manila, Dr Synan S. Baguio, Director, Livestock Research Division PCAARRD, Ritchel A. Niepes, Msc Assitant Profesor IV of Mindanao State University and Maria Nela P. Seco Msc., Senior Science Research Specialist IPB-UPLB.

by Syrine Gladys Podadera