The University of San Carlos (USC) celebrated Civil Engineering Month with its inaugural Civil Engineering Student Research Conference on November 23, 2023, at the Rigney Hall of the Lawrence Bunzel Building in USC Talamban Campus.
With the theme, “Fostering and Adopting Research in Societal Development”, the event was aimed to emphasize the importance of research in societal development.
Civil engineering students from all year levels as well as faculty and distinguished local and international research speakers attended the research conference.
USC Director for Research, Development, Extension, and Publication, Dr. Patrick John Lim was the keynote speaker. He highlighted the role of research in societal development and he also showcased the University’s government-funded research centers dedicated to the creation of products and services that benefit humanity.
Meanwhile, Engr. Angelika Alcantara, a Carolinian alumna who is currently a Ph.D. student and and a research assistant in Kongju National University, also graced the event.
She presented her research entitled, “Enhancing Precipitation Error Estimation and Data Fusion with Time-Variant Quadruple Collocation”, which offers a new method of accurately estimating precipitation errors, potentially improving global climatic models.
Joining the roster of speakers was Professor Sanjukta Sahoo, the civil engineering head of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, a private instutition in India.
She presented a portion of her Ph.D. study, “Providing New Livelihood Options and Better Ecosystem Services through Artificial Reefs and Seaweeds Cultivation in Coastal India.”
Aside from the distinguished speakers, eight research groups were selected to showcase their research studies, covering topics such as construction management, surveying and mapping, geotechnical engineering, and construction materials engineering.
Moreover, two CE students who took part in the CE Student Exchange Program funded by a European agency, ERASMUS+, shared their experiences during their stint at Hanze University and Rotterdam University in the Netherlands.
The conference concluded with a Q&A session, providing students an opportunity to engage with the speakers. The event’s success reflects USC’s commitment to cultivating a research-oriented mindset among its civil engineering students for future contributions to societal development.
By Kathrina Marie Borgonia