MODERATORS
April 23, 2019
DR. CHARLOTTE KENDRA GOTANGCO
Chair, Department of Environmental Science, Ateneo De Manila University, Philippines
Charlotte Kendra Gotangco works on human-environment dynamics and the systems approach; climate change and disaster risk management research and policy; science-policy nexus; and Integrative science education. She studied BS Physics minor in Philosophy from the Ateneo De Manila University and earned the distinction of summa cum laude and Class Valedictorian. She obtained her Masters degree from the Ateneo De Manila University and University of San Francisco in the United States. Kendra finished her PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Science from Purdue University, Indiana, USA, as a Fulbright Scholar. She won runner up in the NAST Talent Search for Young Scientist in 2015. She is currently the Chair of the Environmental Science Department, Ateneo De Manila University.
DR. MARCOS VALDEZ, JR.
Research Fellow, Far Eastern University, Philippines
Marcos Valdez Jr. is a geneticist who works on the establishment of several inbred lines of chickens that are currently used as general experimental animals in the fields of biomedicine, transgenic research, immunology, and population studies; elucidation of sex determination in Aves. He is a recipient of Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) of the Philippines and NAST Talent Search for Young Scientist in 2012, ASEAN Science Diplomats in 2018 and other scientific awards. He took his PhD in Animal Genetics in the University of Nagoya, Japan. He is presently a Research Fellow of Far Eastern University.
DR. RICHARD LEMENCE
Research Fellow, Far Eastern University, Philippines
Richard Lemence is the foremost differential geometer in the Philippines, having almost single-handedly promoted research and interest in Riemannian and complex manifolds. Lemence is involved in studies such as class generalizations of Einstein spaces, parallel travel and relative causality in space time manifolds, phylogenetic trees and network structures in Philippine languages, graph orientation and its applications to biological networks and computational sciences. He was conferred by the National Academy of Science and Technology as one of the Outstanding Young Scientists in 2014. He is also a recipient of ASEAN Science Diplomacy. He obtained his PhD in Niigata University, Japan.
DR. JOMAR RABAJANTE
Professor and Scientist, University of the Philippines Los Banos, Philippines
Jomar Rabajante is an advocate of quantitative literacy for the general public, and of the promotion of the relevance of mathematics in solving practical and pressing problems in society. One of Rabajante’s contributions is the discovery of novel patterns in host-parasite interaction that provide new insights on the control of diseases. Jomar pioneered the use of mathematical models to investigate foraging behavior of native stingless bees that can help optimize pollination of crops. He won the Talent Search for Young Scientists Award, National Academy of Science and Technology and the ASEAN Science Diplomats Award. He took his PhD in Shizuoka University, Japan.
DR. ERIC PUNZALAN
Assistant Dean for External Affairs and Lasallian Mission, De La Salle University, Philippines
Eric Punzalan is recognized for his work on the chemistry of organolithiums leading to better understanding and appreciation of metal-halogen exchange reaction as synthetic tool. Dr. Punzalan’s work on the development of a general protocol for the preparation of primary alkyl lithiums generated appreciation of the ease and practical utility of procedure in the synthesis of this important class of organometallics. He is currently the Assistant Dean for External Affairs and Lasallian Mission, De La Salle University. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) of the Philippines in 1999. He took his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut, USA
DR. AUNCHALEE AUSSANASUWANNAKUL
Professor and Scientist, Kasetsart University, Thailand
Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul analyzed the Thai Government’s flagship “Food Innopolis” program, translating concepts into services and proposing strategies using the “Triple-Helix model” (university-industry-government). She raised awareness of the role STI plays in building knowledge economy. Aussanasuwannakul holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology from Chulalongkorn University, a Master’s Degree in Food and Nutrition for Development from Mahidol University, and a Ph.D. in Animal and Food Sciences from West Virginia University in the United Stated (US). She is a recipient of ASEAN-US Fellow for Science and Technology in 2016 and ASEAN Science Diplomat Award in 2018.
DR. CHHUON KONG
Head of Research Unit, Water and Environment, Institute of Technology of Cambodia
Chhuon Kong, an Environmental Engineer, is dedicated to find solution on the different environmental problems. He is working on water resources assessment and climate change adaptation and mitigation projects in Cambodia through stakeholders engagement. He is also engaged with the Department of Climate Change under the National Committee for Sustainable Development to strengthen the linkage between science and policy on climate change through training programs, proposal writing, policy brief formulation, and accessing grants for University students. He is the ASEAN Science and Technology Fellow and this year’s ASEAN Science Diplomat Awardee.
DR. DENI SHIDQI KHAERUDINI
Senior Researcher, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology, Research Center for Physics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Indonesia
Deni Shidqi Khaerudini’s research work focuses on affordable renewable energy including utilization of biomass waste of banana peel into useful renewable energy and hydrogen production through microbial fuel cell technology for youth community in East Java. He is a mentor for management and utilization of the by-product of municipal solid waste incineration as raw materials for valuable brick materials for Kembangan Utara Society, West Jakarta. He is also engaged with Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mercu Buana University as Faculty Member focusing on Energy Conversion and Harvesting Technology. Deni is a Doctor of Engineering in Energy Conversion Engineering from Hirosaki University, Japan. He is a recipient of the Postdoctoral Research Fellow from National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)-Japan under Fuel Cell Materials Group, ASEAN Science Diplomats Award and currently the Head of the Laboratory of X-ray Diffraction and Senior Researcher of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology, Research Center for Physics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
DR. JOHN MARK VELASCO
Research Faculty, NIH Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippines
John Mark Velasco Velasco finished his BSc Biology (Cum Laude), Doctor of Medicine, Masters of Public Health from the University of the Philippines and Masters of Science in Clinical Trials from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London. He has a graduate certificate in Emerging Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the University of Iowa, USA. He is the former Regional Clinical Investigator of the Department of Virology, United States Army Medical Component Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMC-AFRIMS), a special foreign activity of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). He is also a Research Faculty of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the Philippines National Institutes of Health and a Clinical Associate Professor of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. He is a recipient of Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) of the Philippines for Public Health, Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in 2014, and ASEAN Science Diplomats Awards in 2017.
DR. YE WINT AUNG
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Communications Manager, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Myanmar
Ye Wint Aung supports the organization to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of program activities in Myanmar Parliament, assuring quality and compliance, distilling learning and best practices and communicating program. He also supports the development and implementation of a monitoring, evaluation and learning framework that supports adaptive program management and coordinate program monitoring and evaluation, including maintaining monitoring databases. He is the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Communications Manager, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Myanmar. He obtained his PhD in Electronic Engineering from Yangon Technological University. He is the ASEAN Science Diplomat 2019.
