Curators, museum and project staff, and former interns recently attended the Philippine Native Plant Conservation Society Inc. 7th International Symposium at Northwestern University in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte from 15-17 November 2023.
The UPLB Museum of Natural History recently marked its 47th Founding Anniversary with a two-day celebration this 28-29 September 2023. With the theme, “Beyond Museum Walls: Forging Bridges between Nature and Society,” the museum reaffirmed its commitment to the preservation of Philippine natural history.
After spending almost a month working at the UPLB Museum of Natural History, four BS Biology students from Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology– Jannah Amerol, Holden Seraid Andoy, Cara Mia Digo, and Elanie Lou Tabuada– completed the museum’s internship program last 8 September 2023.
And to ensure that its VRT is responsive to user’s needs, the museum recently partnered with the UPLB’s College of Development Communication (CDC), by way of a student’s thesis, to evaluate the potential of the digital platform for biodiversity education.
According to a thesis research by Zsarla Angeli Peñaflor, a new graduate of BS Development Communication, the UPLB Museum of Natural History’s 360° VRT was found to be an acceptable digital learning resource by students.
Several curators and staff from the UPLB Museum of Natural History once again joined more than three hundred other biodiversity advocates, conservationists, and students from all over the Philippines, this time converging in Sorsogon City, during the 31st Annual Philippine Biodiversity Symposium (APBS) held 22-25 August 2023.
The UPLB Museum of Natural History organization is happy to report that after almost two years, the re-inventory and physical maintenance of its DS Rabor Wildlife Collection is now 100% completed.
Seven BS Biology students from UPLB’s Institute of Biological Sciences recently finished their internship at the UPLB Museum of Natural History to fulfill the requirements of their BIO 198 practicum/internship subject.
Last 3 August 2023, three BS Biology students from the Bulacan State University completed their 300-hour internship at the UPLB Museum of Natural History (UPLB MNH) with an exit presentation at the OVCRE Annex Main Conference Room.
Staff of the UPLB Museum of Natural History and its interns from the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) including staff from the UPLB Land Grant attended a scientific botanical illustration workshop led by Mr. Paul Alfonso Ondoy, an MS Botany student at UPLB. The workshop was held at the UPLB MNH Botanical Herbarium on August 7, 2023.
Last 20-23 June 2023, the UPLB Museum of Natural History’s DOST-NICER funded CAVES program held an online training on “CAVES 101: Into the Cave and Karsts Areas of Region IV-A”. The event was attended by the NICER CAVES program’s partners from selected state universities and colleges and local government units in CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
More than twenty biodiversity researchers from the Philippines attended the UPLB Museum of Natural History’s online “Biodiversity Data Mobilization” workshop last 23-24 March 2023. The participating researchers came from UP Los Baños, UP Diliman, UP Mindanao, Philippine National Museum of Natural History, DOST-funded research programs, and other organizations across the country.
The workshop served as the participants’ introduction to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an online platform which can be used by researchers and organizations to publish openly and online various biodiversity-associated data papers.
Eight BS Biology students from the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) completed their 150-hour face-to-face internship at the UPLB Museum of Natural History last 17 March 2023.
In a simple gathering held at the OVCRE Annex Building, Kylle Jae Bigsot, Nathalia Eicellrose Bueno, Abigail Castro, Francis Ryan Catarig, Ernest Paul Hernaez, Naomi Kraisantha Mayos, Aira Nadine Pascua, and Jhyason Joeshua Rubio were recognized as “graduates” of the UPLB MNH Internship Program which was held from 20 February 2023 to 17 March 2023
The Philippine Journal of Science recently announced, through its upcoming 152nd volume, the discovery of the 6th species of Helicia in the Philippines.
According to the journal, foresters from the University of the Philippines Los Baños led by Professor Pastor L. Malabrigo, Jr. found the new tree species, now named as Helicia danlagunzadii, thriving within a small population inside the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MPPL) in Palawan island.
Cristian Lucañas, an insect taxonomist at the UPLB Museum of Natural History, is a young man on a mission. Just below his 30s, he has already described/co-described more than 14 species of cockroaches and other insects.
Last week, as a result of his continuing studies to revise the cockroach genus Periplaneta, he furthered his beloved “notoriety” as being the Philippines’ foremost and youngest expert on cockroaches by erecting two new genera of this group of crawlies.
Held on 17-18 January 2023 at the annex building of UPLB’s Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension, the training-workshop on “Interpretive Writing and Exhibition” was conducted for 20 of the museum’s regular and project staff.
Three resource persons were invited to facilitate the training design: Dr. Ruby Roan Cristobal of Science Communicators Philippines, Inc’, and Jhaydee Ann Pascual and Ma. Yohana Frias of the National Museum of the Philippines.
The museum’s communication staff Julianne Q. Afable recently completed a 5-day media training and capacity-building workshop on science communication and environmental journalism hosted by the UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) in collaboration with the Alliance of Young Environmental Journalists (AYEJ) last 12-16 December 2022.
The Philippines will host the 17th International Auchenorrhyncha Congress simultaneous with the 13th International Workshop on Leafhoppers and Plant Hoppers of Economic Importance (2024 IAC PH) on 25-29 March 2024. Since 1973, the IAC has been held triannually as scientific gathering of experts whose biological disciplines focus on auchenorrhynchous insects, namely the cicadas, spittlebugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, and planthoppers.
Lead by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the Philippines will host the 17th edition of the IAC. Scientists, researchers, and extension personnel from UPLB’s Institute of Weed Science, Entomology, and Plant Pathology; National Crop Protection Center, and the Museum of Natural History will provide the needed support for the successful conduct of the congress.
Imaging of biological specimens from the field, whether in their natural habitats or in the collections or laboratory rooms, plays a key role in the study of organisms and their conservation.
On 1-2 December 2022, six junior staff of the UPLB Museum of Natural History attended the hands-on training “Introduction to Biological Imaging,” facilitated by Florante A. Cruz, University Extension Specialist II. The event is part of the LAKSAMBUHAY Workshop which held its first session on 28 November 2022.