The University of the Philippines - Marine Science Institute hosted a day-long seminar on Philippine Marine Biodiversity last March 30, 2016. The seminar discussed the current status of the on-going research on the Verde Island Passage (VIP) by a team of scientists from the California Academy of Sciences led by Terry Goslinger, Richard Mooi, Kent Carpenter, Meg Burke, and Gary Williams. Before anything else, Dr. Goslinger highlighted the goals and overview of the VIP project. It was followed by an informative report by Dr. Mooi regarding the newly discovered species in the Verde Island Passage, and an enticing lecture by Dr. Carpenter on the patterns of fish diversity.
In the afternoon, Dr. Burke addressed the importance of communicating biodiversity to the local communities, and how their research could benefit both local and international communities and scientists. She also discussed the different ways that awareness could be spread among the local communities to help preserve and protect the surrounding marine biodiversity. Dr. Mooi and Dr. Carpenter discussed different biodiversity tools that could be accessed online such as World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), and biodiversity softwares like EstimateS. They have also included educational or instructional websites such as Khan Academy. Overall, the interest and willingness to help preserve our astounding marine biodiversity are not enough. Action and self-awareness are also keys to maintain our marine biodiversity, not only for our generation and the next, but also for the other inhabitants of our forever home.
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“Research not published is research not done.” - National Scientist Mercedes B. Concepcion Publishing a scientific paper serves as the last step in completing the scientific method, which is to “report”. Paper publications enable the dissemination of current findings as well as advancements to the scientific community. Additionally, in academe, it serves as a benefit particularly for ones more impressive curriculum vitae to aim for higher teaching position and greater pay. The maxim “publish or perish”, that infers that people in academe are required to publish journals and scientific papers, and if not, lose their positions in teaching, pushes the academic community to publish more. However, the long process of meticulous reviewing of papers that requires repeated revisions lessens the interest of researchers to publish their paper. In this regard, deceitful groups offered rapid publication in “peer-reviewed journals” and invitation to “scientific conferences”. These are the so-called “predatory” journals and conferences that prey on authors wanting publications and asking them to pay for excessive rates, or simply put – corruption in open-access journals. These journals are not peer-reviewed and has no credibility to publish. The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST-PHIL) conducted the “Symposium on Predatory Journals and Conferences” last March 28, 2016 at Hotel Jen, Manila, Philippines. The symposium, moderated by the Chancellor of University of the Philippines Diliman, Academician Michael L. Tan, aimed to inform the scientific community about the dangers of predatory journals and conferences and to recommend measures to prevent falling into it. Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo, Vice Chancellor for Research and Development and Professor of Mathematics in the University of the Philippines Diliman, expounded the awareness through his talk, “Threats to Academe: Predatory Publications and Conferences”. He mentioned a number of characteristics of a predatory publisher such as high acceptance rates, faulty grammar, fake editorial board, minimal or non-existent peer-review, and often associated with the terms: global, multidisciplinary and international. Dr. Nemenzo enumerated proven predatory journals listed as follows:
Furthermore, Dr. Nemenzo mentioned predatory conferences including the World Academy of Science, Engineering, and Technology (WASET, https://www.waset.org/). He mentioned that the conferences within the organization are set up to the year 2019 that occurs in various parts of the world. Acceptance of papers happen no more than two (2) weeks upon submission that is doubly and somewhat implausible, if the papers undergone legitimate screening process. It was reported that some of these predatory conferences never really happen given that wanting participants paid registration and hotel fee, and if some happens, it only occurs in a small bare room with nothing but a piece of paper for registration, and there are no presentations and all else. In light of the numerous predatory journals and conferences, Dr. Nemenzo recommended measures to be able to successfully identify and discriminate reputable from non-reputable journals. These measures are listed as follows:
Among the reactors at the symposium were: Dr. Jose Florencio F. Lapeña Jr., Professor in College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines Manila; Academician Jose Maria P. Balmaceda, Dean of College of Science of the University of the Philippines Manila; Dr. Franco G. Teves, Director of Research and Professor of Microbiology of the Mindanao State University; and Academician Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, Chair of Publications and Website Committee and Former Secretary of NAST Philippines. The symposium ended with closing remarks from National Scientist Gelia T. Castillo. The reactors, as well as other participants during the open forum, reiterated the need of awareness and dissemination of information to prevent further damage in the scientific community. It is requested that the information be spread to provide knowledge and notice for faculty, researchers, and students against these predators. Further information regarding the predatory journals and conferences can be found at the NAST Philippines website (www.nast.ph), wherein lectures are soon to be uploaded, as per NAST organizers. By: Katreena P Sarmiento, M Sc Symposium in Predatory Journals and Conferences organized by NAST PHIL together with University of the Philippines Diliman, last March 28, 2016 at Hotel Jen, Manila, Philippines. Academician Jose Maria P. Balmaceda, Dean of College of Science of the University of the Philippines Manila, giving her reaction on Predatory Journals and Conferences. Jacqueline Marjorie R. Pereda, Katreena P. Sarmiento and Precious Maricor D. Pattugalan, attended the symposium at Hotel Jen, Manila, Philippines.
Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc., the sole Esri distributor in the Philippines invited the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute to the 2016 Philippine Esri User Conference last February 23 - 24, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. As their valued client, the NFRDI was entitled to one (1) complimentary seat during the conference. On be half of Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Jennifer A. Poniente, Aquaculturist 1 attended the conference.
The conference is an annual meeting of Esri Technology users, GIS professionals, educators, decision makers and business owners of the country. The theme of the conference was "Applying Geography Everywhere". There were plenary session and formal opening of map gallery and exhibit during the first day of the conference while industry-focused sessions, technical breakout sessions and cocktails as a culminating activity happened during the day of the event. Participants were provided the information on ArcGIS as a complete GIS/ location platform for knowledge workers in an organization, for application developers and also the stakeholders that are part of organization's ecosystem. In addition, participants had the opprtunity to learn about real-world applications of GIS, test new products, improve technical development skills and learn new mapping techniques. |
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