Category Archives: News
DLSU is the lone PHL private university in THE Emerging Economies Rankings
DLSU’s I-Nano facility embarks on DOST’s spacesuit project
De La Salle University’s I-Nano Solutions, a research facility committed to developing nanotech products and services for both industry and society, has embarked on a Php15 million collaborative, Department of Science and Technology-funded project on abaca fabric for spacesuits application.
DLSU is undertaking the project in collaboration with Technological University of the Philippines, FEATI University, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, and the Philippine Textile Research Institute.
Entitled “Fabrication and Characterization of Hydrophobic Nanocomposite Plated Abaca Fabric for the Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding (EMI-SE) and Thermal Resistance (TR) for Spacesuits Application,” the project seeks to produce a less expensive but competitive Thermo Mechanical Garment (TMG).
TMG is the outermost layer worn by a space explorer. Also, it is responsible for the protection from electromagnetic waves and extreme temperature changes.
The study aims to fabricate a layered structure of fabric out of Abaca fibers coated by nanocomposite material for electromagnetic interference shielding and thermal resistance.
“Since 1960s, when extra vehicular activity (EVA) has been introduced, there is a higher demand for more protective and mobile spacesuits for space explorers. Exposure to harmful electromagnetic waves and extreme temperature condition in the outer space are the most life-threatening factors to consider in designing spacesuits,” according to Dr. Gil Nonato Santos, Vice Chancellor of the DLSU Laguna Campus and head of the I-Nano team.
Funded by the DOST EXECOM, the research broke ground this February and is set for completion by January 2022.
DLSU hosts testimonial dinner for new Lasallian diplomats
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) hosted the first testimonial dinner for its four graduates who passed the highly competitive Foreign Service Officer (FSO) examination and joined the Philippine Foreign Service Officer Corps last October 11, 2019 at the Roof Deck of the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall. The honorees were Bea Antonio (AB-ISE ‘11), Anna Clariza Briones (MA IS), Louie Dane Merced (AB-ISA ‘09), and Reisha Olavario (AB-ISA ‘10).
This is the first time that four DLSU graduates passed the FSO at the same time. St. La Salle scholar and summa cum laude graduate Merced topped the 2017 FSO Examination with a grade of 86%.
The four Lasallians have finished their six-month cadetship last June 2019 and are now serving as career diplomats.
In his welcome remarks, DLSU President Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC exulted the four graduates to be honorable diplomats who will not only look for inspiration and guidance from the “reason of state”, but also from their conscience and values. He reminded them that diplomats are human beings who must be truthful not only to their profession, but also to their conscience and values.
For her part, CLA Dean Dr. Jazmin Llhana told the honorees that they may come back to their alma mater as lifelong learners, who may either take short courses when they need to or share their courses, share their experiences, and expertise for the lifelong learnings of others.
DLSU alumnus Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Jr. gave the inspirational talk by sharing his experience as the Philippine ambassador to Washington D.C. from 2011 to 2016. He recounted his experience in strengthening the two countries’ alliance in the face of the growing tension between the Philippines and China because of their territorial dispute in the South China Sea. He also observed that all Lasallian ambassadors have been political appointees, and expressed hope that the four Lasallian diplomats will become career ambassadors in the future.
On behalf of the four honorees, Merced thanked De La Salle University for providing them the knowledge, skills, and attitude that enabled them to pass the FSO and become members of the Philippine diplomatic corps. He also thanked his alma mater for the gift of scholarship he received when he entered the University as a freshman in 2006.
All DLSU Gokongwei College of Engineering programs now ABET-accredited
All of De La Salle University’s undergraduate degree programs in the Gokongwei College of Engineering have been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
The following programs are now ABET-accredited: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Management, and Mechanical Engineering.
ABET accreditation assures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies, and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.
“The ABET accreditation is a testament to the University’s commitment to providing quality education that prepares graduates to enter the global workforce,” says DLSU President Br. Raymundo B. Suplido FSC.
Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision, and safety are of the utmost importance.
Developed by technical professionals from ABET’s member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation reviews look at program curricula, faculty, facilities, and institutional support and are conducted by teams of highly skilled professionals from industry, academia, and government, with expertise in the ABET disciplines.
ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization with ISO 9001:2015 certification. It currently accredits 4,005 programs at over 793 colleges and universities in 32 countries.
More information about ABET, its member societies, and the accreditation criteria used to evaluate programs can be found at www.abet.org.
For more information about DLSU Gokongwei College of Engineering, visit dlsu.edu.ph.
DLSU implements university-wide digital transformation
Finance domain: (From left) /a/b/s/ Account Manager Riza Destacamento; Oracle Philippines Senior Alliance Manager Mara Conde; Oracle Philippines Country Manager Mina Lim; DLSU President Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC, /a/b/s/ Senior Project Manager Jennifer Chua; and DLSU Vice Chancellor for Administration Dr. Arnel Onesimo Uy
A leader in educational innovation, De La Salle University has embarked on a university-wide digital transformation initiative starting this Academic Year 2019-2020.
This move aims to drastically improve information access, streamline organization processes, and enhance services for university stakeholders.
DLSU coins this transformation drive as the BITUIN Project. BITUIN stands for Banner Initiative to Transform, Unify, Integrate, and Navigate.
“This is in response to the ever-changing needs and challenges inside and outside the classroom,” says DLSU President Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC. “This will change the landscape of how we facilitate learning, conduct our operations, and provide services to our stakeholders.”
BITUIN’s flagship initiative Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is a three-year project involving financial management, human resources management, and student life cycle.
Student Life cycle: (From left) CAMU Co-Founder AR Swaminathan; SMST Director IT Solutions Ernesto Cruz; DLSU President Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC; and DLSU Vice chancellor for Administration Dr. Arnel Onesimo Uy, and SMSGT President Anthony Christian Angeles.
The BITUIN project committee, together with faculty members and personnel and industry consultants, determined the gaps and the “pain points” in the student lifecycle, financial lifecycle, and HR lifecycle. To address these, DLSU engaged with key partners for the said domains.
For the student lifecycle, the University works with Camu, a leading educational technology solution serving more than 200 institutions in six countries. Together with its local implementing partner, SMS GT, Camu provides customized offerings in the areas of, but not limited to, student recruitment, assessment, admissions, enrollment, extracurricular activities, support services and lifelong learning.
DLSU partnered with Genie Technologies, Inc. to focus on the concerns and challenges in the human resources domain. Recognized in the region for its quality business solutions, consulting, and support services, GTI’s scope of work include Core HR 201, employee benefits, labor and relation, time and attendance, global payroll, learning and performance management, succession planning, recruitment and on-boarding.
Human Resources domain: (From left) Mr. Manik Sarkar, Regional Delivery Head, Ramco Systems HCM; Genie Technologies, Inc. General Manager for Asia Pacific Mr. Arun Dhaka; DLSU President Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC; Genie Technologies, Inc. Chief Operating Officer, Mahesh Gopinath; and DLSU Vice Chancellor for Administration Dr. Arnel Onesimo Uy.
Likewise, Active Business Solutions, Inc. (/a/b/s/) was tapped by the University to address the gaps in the financial domain. With their expertise in financial management solutions, /a/b/s/ will offer improvements in process documentation, implement Oracle Fusion, and provide user training and technical support.
The partnerships with Camu, Genie Tech, and /a/b/s/ were formalized in a contract signing ceremony last September 24 at DLSU. The event was attended by University administrators and key representatives from the three companies.
“Harnessing digital technology will allow DLSU to maximize our resources and enable us to deliver quality education that befits our aspirations as a university of regional standing. Our shared commitment to the Lasallian mission and our individual desire for lifelong learning will ensure the success of this digital transformation,” shares Br. Ray.
DLSU hosts NASA International Space Apps Challenge hackathon
MANILA, Philippines – Now in its 8th year, Space Apps is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others in cities around the world, where teams engage with NASA’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space. Space Apps 2018 included over 18,000 participants at more than 200 events in 75 countries.
Since its inception in 2012, NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge has become the world’s largest global hackathon, engaging thousands of citizens across the globe to use NASA’s open data to build innovative solutions to challenges we face on Earth and in space.
The NASA International Space Apps Challenge (or Space Apps) is an international hackathon that will take place over a 48-hour period in cities around the globe between October 18 and 20, 2019. The event embraces collaborative problem solving with a goal of producing open-source solutions to challenges we currently face on Earth and in space.
In the Philippines, it is the fourth time for this event to take place again in Manila on October 18 to 20, 2019. “I am thrilled and excited to continue the tradition of inviting students and professionals, beginners and veterans from the Philippines to join this prestigious global hackathon by NASA,” software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas said, who is currently leading the hackathon since 2016. “In fact, a Pinoy team winning globally last year makes Filipinos inspired to use these technologies in helping the society we live in, especially now that a law has been passed creating the Philippine Space Agency,” he added.
The Pinoy winning team who developed an app seeking to use scientific data to benefit fishermen, even without Internet connection, is being incubated at Animo Labs, the technology business incubator of De La Salle University in partnership with DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development. “Animo Labs looks forward to see these kinds of projects being developed by Filipinos with the help of NASA data and resources, and we are happy to host it again at De La Salle University,” Animo Labs Executive Director Federico C. Gonzalez said.
For more information, please contact nasaspaceappsph@gmail.com
DLSU and UniLaSalle students take part in Ecology field trip to the Br. Alfred Shields FSC Marine Station
As part of the requirements for the Ecology course, 11 out of 13 students from UniLaSalle, a La Sallian University in France, and all 13 students from the BS Human Biology, BS Biology and BSEd Major in Biology programs of DLSU spent their field trip at the Br. Alfred Shields FSC Marine Station in Lian, Batangas last November 10-11, 2018.
The students performed laboratory techniques learned in their lab classes in testing the water quality of one of the freshwater streams connected to Talim Bay. They were also able to appreciate the rich marine biodiversity of the area through a guided snorkeling activity of the nearby coral reef with the Lian Fisherfolk Association (LFA), a fisher community fostered by DLSU’s COSCA. Members of the class also went on an early morning hike up Mt. Tikbalang where they saw the interconnectivity of the upland and marine ecosystems of the area. Finally, the class together with COSCA facilitators, Leo Tadeña, Annadel Sapugay and Roel Quenamot, experienced a focused group discussion (FGD) with a new fisher community organization called SAMLOK (Samahan ng mga Mangingisda sa Sulok) to learn more about the socio-economic situation of our fishermen and help in the creation of sustainable development plans for the area.
The faculty organizers for the trip were Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan and Dr. Chona Camille Abeledo of the Biology Department. They were assisted by Ysa Mendoza and Princess Zyrlyn Mordeno of the SHORE Center.
Br. Andrew Gonzalez, FSC receives posthumous award from the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering
Manila, Philippines- De La Salle University (DLSU) Former President Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC was given the Distinguished Vanguard of Philippine Science Award by the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) last October 24, at the National Institute of Physics, Diliman, Quezon City.
The posthumous award was given to Br. Andrew for his path-breaking and innovative contributions to the field of education. A staunch advocate of Science and Technology, he was highly instrumental in transforming DLSU from a teaching institution into a research-centered university.
Br. Andrew supported the deployment of DLSU engineering faculty in order to take PhDs in Australia, Japan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom under the Department of Science and Technology Engineering and Science Education Project (DOST ESEP). This subsequently established DLSU as the flagship private university geared towards building the country’s science and engineering capacity. In addition, he forged strong linkages with academic institutions in the Europe, Japan, and the United States, making DLSU a university of global repute.
The Professor of Language and Literature, University Fellow, and National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Academician was lauded for his numerous academic achievements throughout his lifetime. He is also most well-known for serving as DLSU’s president from 1994 to 1998. He was also a former Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS).
DLSU offers new courses on Islamic Banking
Beginning this term, De La Salle University is offering course electives on Islamic Banking to all graduate students of business.
A pioneering initiative in the country’s academic sector, the programs are offered in pursuit of Senate Bill (SB) 668 or the Philippine Islamic Financing Act.
This move seeks to address the growing need for young professionals versed in Islamic finance both locally and within the region. It also aims to promote SB 668, which provides for the opening of the local Islamic finance sector to new players.
The courses will be under the tutelage of the Amanah Islamic Bank CEO and Chairman of the Board, Alex Bangcola. Amanah Islamic Bank is a subsidiary of the Development Bank of the Philippines.
Bangcola has over 20 years of professional work in finance, marketing, and energy development. His experiences in these fields include, among others, working as advisor for the Bangsamoro Affairs for Amanah Islamic Bank from 2012 to 2015, vice-president for World Energy Corporation, and group finance manager for the Lootah Group of Companies (Dubai, UAE). He also taught in Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology and Ateneo de Davao University.
DLSU College of Law wins top award in international mediation competition
Reanne Nichole Lelius Apostol (left) with YIMC officials
HONG KONG – The De La Salle University College of Law (DLSU COL) bagged one of the top awards from the recently concluded 4th Youth International Mediation Competition (YIMC) organized by the prestigious Vis East Moot Foundation Ltd. held in Hong Kong.
Senior year law student Reanne Nichole Lelius Apostol received the Toscar Award, which recognizes the best mediation client during the competition.
The DLSU COL delegation was composed of sophomore student Vin Ching, who took part as mediator, and senior student Fidea Encarnacion, who worked alongside Apostol as counsel. Last year’s Colin J. Wall Award for Best Mediator Awardee, Romeo Lanzarrote, served as the team’s coach.
The YIMC is a competition organized by Vis East Moot Foundation Ltd. Delegates are made to take part in a 2-day training program before commencing with the competition proper. It is an international arbitration mooting competition, which is attended by more than 120 teams from all over the world.
