UPLB Research and Extension News

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension at UPLB has approved the implementation of 11 new basic research projects for 2010. This grant is given annually, endowing a special fund facilitating  the jump-start  of basic researches proposed by new and young researchers and faculty members.  These studies are expected to open new research ideas of which results may generate potential benefits to the general public.

The 11 recipients are among the 34 applicants who applied for the grant.  The successful proponents will be nurtured and guided through-out the implementation of their respective projects.

Approved fields of study were well distributed among disciplines, four were from the agriculture and biological sciences, three from statistics, mathematical and engineering sciences and four from the fields of human and  social development and communication.

Across colleges, thirty-six percent (36%) came from the College of Arts and Sciences, twenty percent (20%) each from the Colleges of Agriculture and Development Communication and the rest came from the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, College of Human Ecology and BIOTECH. 

Majority of the approved studies had their goals toward addressing the current concerns of our society from food product innovation, biotechnology, increasing agricultural productivity, waste treatment, weather forecasting techniques, to policy and social awareness.

The University of the Philippines will confer the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa on Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Tuesday at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UP-Los Baños), Laguna, for her achievements as a global leader in sustaining rural and agricultural development and in promoting education and science to improve the lives of farming communities in Asia and the world.

IMANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday said Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, second daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, will be paying an official visit to the Philippines from November 15-18.

Princess Sirindhorn will attend the 6th International Rice Symposium on November 16 upon the invitation of the International Rice Research Institute.

President Arroyo will host a dinner for the Thai Princess in Malacañang on November 16.

On November 17, Princess Sirindhorn will be conferred a Doctor of Law Degree (Honoris Causa) by the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.  The Princess is also expected to tour the University’s facilities.

While in Los Baños, Princess Sirindhorn will visit IRRI and grace its 50th anniversary, the Philippine Rice Research Institute, the Philippine Carabao Center, and the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity.

In simple ceremonies held at the UPLB Operations Room last July 29, university officials led by Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco formally received from Department of Agriculture (DA) – Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar representing Secretary Arthur C. Yap a check of P 30M which will fund a UPLB-led participatory program aimed to ensure and sustain rice self-sufficiency.

Dubbed “Collaborative Research, Development and Extension Services for Food Security” the program will focus on the rice producing areas of Regions 4A, 4B and 5.

During the turn-over program, Director Eleazar shared that the concept for the project came about during a series of consultations that DA-BAR held with various institutions, including UPLB and other state colleges and universities, when the DA started streamlining the implementation of its FIELDS program.