On 30 July, JSPS Bangkok Office organized a JSPS guidance seminar at De La Salle University (DLSU), a private university in Manila, Philippines that was founded in 1911 as the first Catholic university in the country.
Before the seminar, we made a courtesy visit to Prof. Raymond Girard Tan, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and took a tour of their research facilities.

Courtesy visit

Prof. Raymond Girard Tan (left)

Some 40 researchers joined the seminar, and it started with an opening address by Assoc. Prof. Jonathan R. Dungca, Dean, Gokongwei College of Engineering, followed by the presentation of JSPS’s outline by Prof. Kuniaki Yamashita, Director of JSPS Bangkok Office, and the introduction of its international programs by Ms. Noriko Furuya, Deputy Director.

Assoc. Prof. Jonathan R. Dungca

Prof. Yamashita

Ms. Furuya

In addition, 2 researchers, Prof. Iris Ann Martines, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman and Prof. Michael Anglo B. Promentilla, Head, Waste and Chemicals Manegement Unit, DLSU, made a presentation.
Dr. Martines, who had obteined her PhD at Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2010 through JSPS RONPAKU (Dissertation PhD) Program, talked about why she had wished to do research in Japan and her difficulty in making her dissertation. She also said that RONPAKU Program’s system was suitable for her.

Prof. Iris Ann Martines

On the other hand, Dr. Promentilla, who had researched at Hokkaido University as a JSPS Post-doctoral Fellow, talked about not only his experience in Japan but also the key points to be researchers and delivered participants a passionate message, wishing them to be a world-wide researcher.

Prof. Michael Anglo B. Promentilla

Group photo