by Helen Paul Burtanog, COE
Alexander O. Mosqueda, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology (DChE&T) was a recipient of a month-long, Short Term Research in Japan Program (SRJP) of the ASEAN University Network/ Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network (AUN/SEED-Net) held at the Interdisciplinary Graduate School for Science and Technology of Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT) from October 17 – November 15, 2014.
His funded research was conducted at the TIT’s Department of Environmental Science and Technology. The research work entitled, “Hydrothermal Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste and Biomass” used a reactor for the hydrothermal treatment of municipal wastes.
Mosqueda had Professor Kunwo Yoshikawa as his host mentor.
Aside from the laboratory and equipment experience, he was also able to defend his previous study entitled, “Synthesis of Clay-based Ceramic Carbon Composite” during a SRJP seminar.
The SRJP Program of the AUN/SEED-Net selects thirty (30) qualified individuals from the ASEAN countries that fund their researches of choice at least once a year.
Earlier this year, ASEAN Engineer and DChE&T Prof. Eulalio Creencia also participated in a SRJP. He conducted a study on Gasification under the same host school and professor.
Mosqueda, when asked to share his experiences during the SRJP said that the culture and approach of research is commendable for researchers do it by groups, but every researcher has a separate individual focus on product and analysis. Researchers also have regular seminars at least twice a month, for the reports of their studies in progress, he added.
He also said that he appreciated the freedom given to grantees to do their work and it was clear that the mentors would see to it that the grantees would spend at least eight hours in the laboratory daily.
The SEED-Net Project was officially established as an autonomous sub-network of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) in April 2001.
The AUN/SEED-Net aimed at promoting human resources development in engineering in the ASEAN. As of today, the Network consists of 26 leading Member Institutions selected by the Ministries in charge of higher education of respective countries from 10 ASEAN countries with the support of 14 leading Japanese Supporting Universities.
AUN/SEED-Net is mainly supported by the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and is partially supported by the ASEAN Foundation. MSU-IIT is one of the youngest members of the said network.
Mosqueda with his host mentor, Prof. Kunwo Yoshikawa.
Topics : engineering AUN/SEED-Net