SEARCA awards 6 new professorial chair grants

  • 8 June 2015

Cognizant of their outstanding achievements to inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development in the region, SEARCA has awarded six outstanding Southeast Asian academicians with the SEARCA Regional Professorial Chair in May 2015. The awardees are Dr. Victor B. Ella, Dr. Teodoro C. Mendoza, and Dr. Jezie A. Acorda from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Dr. Augusto E. Serrano from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), Dr. Dennis S. Mapa from the University of the Philippines Diliman, and Prof. Dr. Ir. Mohd Sapuan Bin Salit from the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Dr. Ella is a Professor 12 and UP Scientist II from the Land and Water Resources Division of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology. His lecture will center on Conservation Agriculture and its relevance to sustainable agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia. Dr. Mendoza is a Professor of Crop Science at the College of Agriculture with research interests in eco-physiology, farming systems, ecological agriculture, and energy accounting. His professorial chair lecture will be on “Reducing the High Energy Bill and Carbon Footprint for an Energy and Climate-Change Compliant Sugarcane Production.” Dr. Acorda, a Veterinary Medicine Professor, will discuss the role of acupuncture in increasing productive efficiency of water buffaloes for his professorial chair lecture.

Dr. Serrano, who is from UPV’s Institute of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences will deliver a lecture on the use of algae in the feed formulation for aquaculture species.

Dr. Mapa, currently Dean and Professor of the School of Statistics, will discuss the relation of rice, job misery, and hunger incidence, using an econometric approach.

Lastly, Dr. Sapuan, a Professor of Composite Materials and Head of the Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products will conduct and discuss the results  of his research, titled “Sugar palm fibre reinforced biodegradable sugar palm starch composited: Development and Characterization.”

The SEARCA Regional Professorial Chair, which started in 2011, was established to recognize exemplary Southeast Asian academics who have made significant contributions in the field of agriculture and related science. The award carries with it a USD 5,000 reward.