Research: ‘Eye in the sky’

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Report

See complete report here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X22011717?fbclid=IwAR1bSHRotWOz-XXWUEQx6tTJr6lTdqcYVT8d6Ei66R345TaCs_FkSSzikz4

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume 186, January 2023, 114489

‘Eye in the sky’: Off-the-shelf unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) highlights exposure of marine turtles to floating litter (FML) in nearshore waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines

Neil Angelo S. Abreo, Remie M. AurelioJr, Vladimer B. Kobayashi, Kirsten F. Thompson

Received 20 October 2022, Revised 8 December 2022, Accepted 10 December 2022, Available online 20 December 2022, Version of Record 20 December 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114489 Get rights and content

Highlights

• Scarce data on marine litter and wildlife interaction needs to be addressed.

• Commercially-available UAVs are useful for litter and wildlife interaction research.

• Turtles are highly exposed to floating marine litter in nearshore waters.

• Improvements on the current methodology are needed.

Abstract

Litter is a serious threat to the marine environment, with detrimental effects on wildlife and marine biodiversity. Limited data as a result of funding and logistical challenges in developing countries hamper our understanding of the problem. Here, we employed commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a cost-effective tool to study the exposure of marine turtles to floating marine litter (FML) in waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. A quadcopter UAV was flown autonomously with on-board camera capturing videos during the flight. Still frames were extracted when either turtle or litter were detected in post-flight processing. The extracted frames were georeferenced and mapped using QGIS software. Results showed that turtles are highly exposed to FML in nearshore waters. Moreover, spatial dependence between FML and turtles was also observed. The study highlights the effectiveness of UAVs in marine litter research and underscores the threat of FML to turtles in nearshore waters.

Prof. de Cadiz in US Dept. of State security workshop

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Report

PNNL–UP CBRNE CoE Focus Group International Workshop

Published November 21, 2022

By OIL Admin

By: Imee Su Martinez, Ph.D.

Reposted from: https://oil.up.edu.ph/pnnl-up-cbrne-coe-focus-group-international-workshop/?fbclid=IwAR2rJ38nHgu1-szv2_U4JbXNTX1H9QisKNilRCvv3DMbno6vd8v5lbcaghw

UP Mindanao's Prof. Aleyla E. de Cadiz (Dept. of Biological Science and Environmental Studies) participated in a security workshop organized by the US Department of State. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), in partnership with UP System CBRNE Center for Excellence Focus Group and support from the US Department of State Chemical Security Program, conducted a workshop, “Strengthening Chemical Threat Agent Analysis and Source Attribution Capabilities in the Philippines”, from 8-11 November 2022 at the Sheraton Manila. Participants included UP System faculty members and local partners such as the Philippines Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry (PIPAC), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The PNNL experts who visited Manila included Dr. Jonathan Forman–PNNL Science and Technology Advisor and former Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Science Policy Adviser and Secretary to the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), who was accompanied by Dr. Michael Jones– Program Advisor, Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction, US Department of State.

UP Mindanao Strategic Plan 2022 - 2025

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Report

The digital copy of the Strategic Plan 2022-2025 of the University of the Philippines Mindanao is finally out!

The book contains the set of goals for UP Mindanao with the strategies to achieve them, grounded in the vision to be
A transformative university at the forefront of 21st Century innovation in education, research, creative works, and public service by 2025.

The UP Mindanao Strategic Plan was developed through a series of consultative processes and participative planning processes with internal and external stakeholders during the first 100 days of Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao.

Download the UPMin Strategic Plan: https://bit.ly/3WbH02s

DiWA, "Disease Watch and Analytics" Users' Training, 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Report

IMG 9116 RESIZE50

"Going Beyond R&D: DiWA Face-to-Face Public Launching and User's Training" was opened on November 25, 2022, at Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, for DiWA: Disease Watch and Analytics application, a new online innovative planning tool and integrative platform to aid decision-makers in disease prevention and control in Mindanao.

DiWA end-users from various government and non-government organizations from across Mindanao, students and educators from different academic institutions, welcomed the app with high hopes for disease surveillance and response.

The morning event had plenary talks from each of the Program Leaders who shared their research challenges overcome and milestones achieved through the collective efforts of its researchers.

"These efforts won't be realized without the help of our research partners," said Dr. Mata. While Dr. Logrosa, Dr. Del Mundo, and Mr. Dela Torre urged and hoped to continue and expand the collaborations to realize these efforts.

The talks were followed by an open forum where guests got the chance to ask questions to the Project Leaders pertaining to the DiWA app, mentorship through thesis coaching, and internship. "Our ideas would be more significant when put into concrete applications or actions," Dr. Logrosa explained.

Chancellor Murao quoted a line from Henry Ford, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”

The AMDABiDSS-Health Team extended its gratitude to Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao for the support in the event.

"We beat the disease with DSS, a Decision-Support System, for a health-resilient Mindanao!" they shouted.

UPMin, FEU hold 1st FRAMEwork Asia-Pacific Communication Conference, 2022

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Report

The University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) and the Far Eastern University (FEU) carried out their first successful collaboration on November 24-25, 2022, with the 1st FRAMEwork Asia-Pacific Communication Conference on the theme, "Disruptions and (re)constructions in the time of COVID-19: Turning the gaze on the Global South."

The conference, through its theme, assembled researchers and their papers on communication, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), social media, and the intersections with entertainment, digital markets, emerging digital bureaucracy, media, politics, disinformation, online relationships, fatigue and coping, pedagogy, community advocacies, and the pandemic death and survival narratives.

UPMin’s Assoc. Prof. Karen Joyce Cayamanda (Department of Humanities) joined the Roundtable Discussion on Day 2 on the topic, “Moving forward: Communication and media practices post-pandemic.” Prof. Cayamanda brings to the discussion the wealth of UPMin’s forums and studies on communication, health, disaster, risk communication, and related topics that were undertaken during the time of COVID-19 in 2019-2022.

UPMin’s Asst. Prof. Ma. Teresa Escano (Humanities) likewise served as a juror in the Best Paper Competition.

This initial collaboration was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by UPMin Chancellor Lyre Anni E. Murao and FEU President Dr. Michael M. Alba on October 21, 2022. The MOU stipulated that the two higher education institutions aim "to create, encourage, and develop a harmonious relationship through the exchange, collaboration, and mutual development of programs for students, faculty members, and academic personnel through research conferences, seminars and workshops, and special lectures.”

“This conference is truly relevant and responsive to the present time,” said Chancellor Murao in her remarks. “As we emerge from this pandemic, our learnings and experiences propel us to greater heights as a nation and as a global community. Our pandemic experience has opened up opportunities to rethink and relearn, and I am sure it has spurred exciting scholarly inquiry and reexamination in the field of communication,” she said.

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