MAIN CAMPUS, CDO - When buildings, bridges, flood controls, dams and the like collapse because the earth underneath moves, a branch in civil engineering called geotechnical engineering comes to investigate the scene. If the term sounds too technical to ordinary minds in the Philippines, it is actually not the case in developed countries.

Mindanao University of Science and Technology, in cooperation with the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineering, Inc. of Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro Chapter, spearheads once again an engineering milestone as it brings geotechnical experts and specialists to conduct a lecture series on geotechnical engineering in Grand Caprice Restaurant, Lim Ket Kai Center of this city on May 7, 2010.

The lecturers are members of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), a renowned global organization whose secretariat office is based in London, United Kingdom. Prof. Pedro Pinto from the University of  Coimbra, Portugal and past president of ISSMGE will speak about Interaction Between Eurocode 7 - Geotechnical Design, and Eurocode 8 - Design for Earthquake Resistance of Foundations. Prof. Dennes Bergado of Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand will handle on the Behavior of Lightweight Geomaterials Using Recycled Tire Chips - Sand Mixtures Reinforced with Geogrids: Test Results and Simulations. Dr. Lai Yip Poon, the managing director of Wall Sdn Bhd in Malaysia  and Dr. Teik Aun Ooi of the Insitute of Civil Engineers also in Malaysia will talk about Design and Construction of Reinforced Soil Wall and Its Performance in DMM Improved Ground, and Geotechnical Failures, Issues, Dispute Resolutions and Mitigation, respectively.

Dr. Ruth Cabahug, VP of Academic Affairs of MUST is strongly endorsing the event as engineering is one of the S& T fields that the University specializes. A civil engineer herself, she is convening all civil engineers, architects and other professionals from allied fields to attend the exceptional event.   The registration fee is minimal at Php 1,000.00 to cover the snacks, lunch and certificate of participation. Anyone interested to reserve or get more information can contact Engr. Gretchel R. Robles (mobile: 09279372402 /email: gretchel_robles @yahoo.com) or Dr. Ruel R. Cabahug (mobile: 09162300373/email: ruel/ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Two faculty members, Ms. Maria Luisa B. Salingay and Ms. Alma N. Abug of the Department of Chemistry and Life Sciences, presented their research papers in an international conference held at Sunee Grand Hotel and Convention Center, Ubonratchathani, Thailand early this year.

Organized by the Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment of Indore, India, the 4th International Congress of Chemistry and Environment or ICCE-2009 was attended by delegates from 50 countries worldwide. It was conducted in association with Ubonratchathani University and Chemical Society of Thailand.

Initially, Ms. Salingay submitted two research studies to the Congress scientific committee, which were later accepted for oral presentation. These papers were entitled Applicable Masking Agents in the Dichromate Chemical Oxygen Demand Determination which is co-authored by Dr. Romeo M. Del Rosario, and Quantitative Determination of Pesticide Concentration and Other Water Quality Parameter in Bubunawan River and Lapinigan Creek  of Libona, Bukidnon, Philippines, which is likewise co-authored by Grace Marrie Barber and Jhon Al L. Apdian.

Ms. Abug presented a research paper entitled Comparative Study of Lead and Chromium Concentrations of Some Bivalves Found in the Coastal Areas of Puerto and Tagoloan which is co-authored by Florigil Q. Abella, Maan, Cassandra B. Acasio and Melanie G. Bernas.

Their works will be published in a book of proceedings which will be a special issue of a peer reviewed international quarterly journal called Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment (ISSN 0972-0626). The journal is indexed and abstracted in Chemical Abstracts, Science Citation Index Expanded (SciSearch®), SCOPUS and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition.

The remarkable impressions of a University faculty who has just come home from an international technological training should now be impinging on industries still seeking for technological solutions for their industry needs.

After a six- week training in Nanyang Polytechnic University in Singapore, Engr. Erich P. Abad of Mindanao University of Science and Technology recalls of his amazing experience when he was able to affirm on the directions that MUST is doing towards fulfilling industry needs. He found out how much similar, although done in a much larger scale, do international universities such as Nanyang fabricate technological innovations for industries in their countries.

Dubbed the "Technical and Technology Training," it had its focus on the theories and applications of Industrial Electronics, in three modules, namely: Microprocessor, Motion Control and Programmable Logic Controller. One of its highlights was on Embedded Systems, otherwise Robotics.

Engr. Abad teaches at the College of Industrial and Information Technology in MUST. He expects that the knowledge and skills he gained from the international training will benefit the entire MUST community, most particularly on the integration of the culture and practices in the BSECT curriculum of the College of Industrial and Information Technology, and other allied courses.

The training, which reeled from March 15 to April 24, 2010 was sponsored by Temasek Foundation-NYPi-Philippines, in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).