Carl Ian John Hallazgo | Biology Department | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Faculty members of the Biology Department and students of its Masters of Science in Biology program engaged in two biodiversity research course training modules last November 2-7 and 14-18, 2022 at the Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines.

Hosted by the Ateneo Biodiversity Research Laboratory, the international Biodiversity Teaching in a Philippine– Cambodian – German Network (BIO-PHIL) project aims to train graduate students and junior faculty members coming from member universities in doing biodiversity research to be on par to the global standards. Dr. Astrid Sinco, Dr. Christine Lovelle Cardente, Dr. Maria Rhotsyn Dacar, Ms. Julie Ann Butron, Mr. Franklin Mancia, Mr. Paolo Antonio Fudalan, Mr. Carl Ian John Hallazgo, Mr. Reggie Ladera, Ms. Johnette Bornalo, Mr. Rey John Magbuhos, Mr. Proceso Perturbos III, and Mrs. Queenie Joy Salang participated in the two-week training modules.

Module 4 was about “R software, GIS, Biogeography & Morphometrics" wherein the participants were taught on how to use various softwares to analyze and visualize data including the utilization of geographic information system (GIS) and morphometrics to study the systematics, ecology, and biogeography of species. Mr. Samuel Bernardes and Dr. Thomas von Rintelen of Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN)’s Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Dr. Ronald Allan Cruz, and Dr. Hendrik Freitag of Ateneo de Manila University served as the trainers of the said module.

Module 5 was about “Biodiversity Data Management and Imaging” wherein biodiversity data standards, biodiversity databases, and microscopic digital imaging techniques were utilized to be integrated on the research and publication works of the participants. Mr. Eran Wolff and Dr. Thomas von Rintelen of MfN, and Dr. Jayson Ibañez of the Philippine Eagle Foundation were the facilitators of the module.

The five-year collaborative project started on June 2018 with three prior training modules focused on writing and publishing research papers, presenting successfully at conferences, using identification field keys, utilizing appropriate sampling and collection techniques, recording secondary field data, familiarizing basic lab procedures in molecular systematics and basic molecular phylogenetic data analyses, interpreting molecular systematic data for species identification and phylogenetics, and providing sequence data and associated information in global databases.

The consortium is composed of Ateneo de Manila University, Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, Father Saturnino Urios University, National Museum of the Philippines, Royal University of Phnom Penh, and Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. BIO-PHIL is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with Dr. Thomas von Rintelen (MfN) serving as the overall project coordinator and Dr. Hendrik Freitag (AdMU) serving as the project coordinator of the Philippines.

XAVIER ATENEO DELEGATES WITH THE MODULE 4 TRAINERS. Standing from left to right: Mr. Proceso Perturbos III (XU); Ms. Queenie Joy Salang (XU); Mr. Franklin Mancia (XU); Ms. Johnette Bornalo (XU); Mr. Reggie Ladera (XU); Mr. Samuel Bernardes (MfN); Mr. Paolo Antonio Fudalan (XU); Mr. Carl Ian John Hallazgo (XU); Dr. Astrid Sinco (XU); and Dr. Hendrik Freitag (AdMU). Photo by Astrid Sinco.

XAVIER ATENEO DELEGATES WITH THE MODULE 5 TRAINERS. Standing from left to right: Mr. Reggie Ladera (XU); Mr. Paolo Antonio Fudalan (XU); Dr. Christine Lovelle Cardente; Mr. Rey John Magbuhos (XU); Mr. Proceso Perturbos III (XU); Mr. Eran Wolff (MfN); Dr. Maria Rhotsyn Dacar (XU); Ms. Julie Ann Butron (XU); and Dr. Hendrik Freitag (AdMU). Photo by Christine Lovelle Cardente.