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DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Pena recognizes UPMin's research programs

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

Secretary Fortunato de la Peña of the Department of Science and Technology recognized the importance of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao’s Niche Center for the Region (NICER) in Research & Development for being one of the few dedicated to health, in remarks made during his visit to DOST-supported projects in UP Mindanao on June 28, 2022.

“We have approved 43 of these NICER centers all over the country but not many of them are in health and this is one of those. It is the niche center that is focused on modeling to help in making decision support systems related to health. It is one of those that are considered important,” he said.

The secretary was referring to UP Mindanao’s Center for Applied Modeling, Data Analytics, and Bioinformatics for Decision Support Systems in Health (AMDABiDSS-Health), a research program focusing on assessing the risk and vulnerability of communities to infectious diseases using mathematical and biological tools, which was awarded as an “Outstanding NICER for Research & Development” in May for its disease surveillance in the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPMin, DOST kick off second batch of TBI

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

 The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao's UP Growing and Developing Enterprises (UPGRADE) co-organized the nationwide HEI (Higher Education Institution) Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship (HEIRIT) 2.0 Kick-off on June 23, 2022, in Davao City, for the second batch of HEIs and their proposed technology business incubators (TBI). 

 UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao officially opened the Kick-off. “We are forging an agreement to transform our region’s innovation landscape. We are building a promising future for the next generations, a future where innovation flourishes and is supporting local economies…Let us fashion a new breed of resilient entrepreneurs who will champion Filipinnovation,” she said in her message. Ms. Russell Pili, chief of the DOST's Research Information and Technology Transfer Division (RITTD), individually called the HEIs from northern to the southern Philippines, many of which were represented by their heads.

 A highlight of the Kick-off was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (in photo, left) to deliver the capability-building training for the proposed TBIs. Prof. Nestor Nisperos of De La Salle University's Animo Labs, Chancellor Lyre Murao representing UP Min's UPGRADE, Dr. Luis Sison of the University of the Philippines' UPSCALE, and Andrew Wong, founder of E3 Hubs (Malaysia), signed the memorandum for the training series that began the following day.

 The second TBI effort is named "Handholding Starting Incubators from HEIs for Readiness towards Innovation and Technopreneurship -  Preparatory and Skills Acceleration for TBI Managers Optimizing Regional Startup Ecosystem" or HIHEIRIT PA MORE. This aims to create more technology-based businesses or startups in the HEI's communities. It continues the original "Higher Education Institution Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship," or HEIRIT program, which was started in the Davao Region by the University of Mindanao, the University of Southeastern Philippines, and UP Mindanao, each of which now has their TBIs and startups, some of which had booths in the exhibit hall. The program is funded by the DOST's Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research & Development (PCIEERD).

 Asst. Prof. Miguel Guillermo (in photo, right), UPGRADE's project lead, said, "The technology business incubator in the universities will be the focal point in building the next generation of entrepreneurs in the regions. If someone with a good idea that solves a problem in the community needs to get some assistance and support for their funding and ideas, they should approach the nearest technology business incubator that is located in a higher education institution."

ASIMOV Program-wide Congress, June 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

UP Mindanao's research program named Autonomous Societally Inspired Mission Oriented Vehicles [ASIMOV] held its ASIMOV Program-wide Congress on 13 June 2022, Davao City. ASIMOV is composed of: Project 1: Harmonized Aerial Watch and Knowledge-based Survey (HAWKS); Project 2: Robot for Optimized and Autonomous Mission Enhancement Responses (ROAMER). The conference featured a demo of a prototype robot vehicle with navigation capabilities and the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the program and the agricultural partners in the banana industry.

Davao City Mayor and now Vice President-elect of the Republic of the Philippines, Sara Duterte-Carpio, in her message, said, "Filipinos are known for gadget uses; hence I am optimistic that with their current engagement with technology, you’ll be able to encourage more Filipinos to be involved in empowering their field of research and development, including related endeavors. These artificial intelligence projects are anticipated to produce technological breakthroughs to address specific gaps and bring beneficial transformation to various industries both in the private and government sectors in the succeeding years. Today’s crucial event may open new opportunities for everyone to generate more effective methods that will help in the goal of bringing the country to a more progressive state. Congratulations and good luck in all your future endeavors!"

Program Leader Prof. Jose Ildefonse "Joe" Rubrico (Dept. of Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science) acknowledged the presence of the Department of Science and Technology through the Philippine Council for Industry Energy & Emerging Technology Research & Development, the DOST Advanced Science & Technology Institute team of Project Roamer, the Philippine Space Agency, the Davao del Norte Provincial Agriculturist’s Office, the Biao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative, the Diamond Individual Farmers Cooperative, the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Southern Mindanao Campus and the PSHS Zamboanga Peninsula Region Campus, and the University of the Philippines Mindanao, lead implementing agency.

Message of the Chancellor, June 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

IMG20220606085110CROP33 Message of UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao

06 June 2022

Good morning to everyone. Today is my 98th day in office and in two days I will reach 100 days. First of all, I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for welcoming me into the administration and helping me facilitate the mission and the vision of this new administration.

For the past 98 days, I have found new treasures. I have seen resilient, passionate, and kind people. I have seen the genuineness in their hearts. Thank you for these people. I hope we can continue. You are jewels of the university.

To be honest, this is a very challenging task for me. This is a new challenge for me but, you know, as I journey through this new phase in the past few days I have also met people, some of them in high positions, in the same boat as well, who have taken on the same challenges and I found inspiration in them. Because despite these new challenges I saw in them the determination to move forward and to bring these challenges really to heart and accomplish something that is worthwhile in the society’s institutions that we serve. I would take on the challenge as well and we bring up something worthwhile for our institution within the next years. Now we have started crafting our strategic directions for the next years. I’m really glad that we have started that. We are working on the skeleton and in the past days, we have now placed the meat. Because I am a biologist and my examples are biological in nature. So the skeleton is there so now we have to put the organs, the muscles, into the plan so that it will take shape. And it’s now taking shape and I’d like to thank everyone who has participated in shaping our strategic plan. In the next days we will continue to work on the plan. Making a strategic plan is not easy. It is going to take a while. It's going to be a long process. It will take some iteration but I will ask for your patience as we get through this arduous but successful experience for us. Because once we have this plan before us and we know where we are going, we are now guided on what to do in the next few years.

Market Validation and Research, June 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

The University of the Philippines Mindanao Growing and Developing Enterprises (UPGRADE), a Technology Business Incubator in UP Mindanao that aims to build, launch, and accelerate impact- driven profitable, and scalable startups in the region, is conducting a 5-day virtual workshop on the topic: Introductory Course to Market Validation and Research on June 7, 14, and 21, and 28, 2022. This module will be facilitated by our resource person, Dr. Sylvia Concepcion. She is a former Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Mindanao and she’s currently an Adjunct Professor at the same University as well as a Value Chain Consultant to various leading companies and organizations in the country.

This module will run for 5 sessions with a combination approach of lecture, workshop, assignment, and pitching in the duration of its delivery. The individual enrollment amounts to Php 5,000.00, inclusive of training materials and certificates. The details of the payment process are written in the registration form.

We offer ongoing promos for early registrants:
PARTICIPANTS DISCOUNT

STUDENTS 30% DISCOUNTED PRICE PHP 3,500.00

PROFESSIONALS

2 WEEKS BEFORE THE DEADLINE 10% PHP 4,000.00

1 WEEK BEFORE THE DEADLINE 10%. PHP 4,500.00

Participants may register at https://forms.gle/XXvy2YVMmLhdFKD48. Access to the online workshop will be sent to those registered. Registration will end on June 4, 2022, at 11:00 PM.

For questions or concerns, please email .

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