The 5th annual FAB LAB Asia Network (FAN5) Conference held last May 6-11, 2019, in Seoul Innovation Center, South Korea showcased an international variety of innovation cultures and stories from innovation centers around the globe. The delegation from MSU-IIT was among the FAB LAB review presenters with Gideon Emmanuel D. Chiu, a BS Civil Engineering senior from the College of Engineering and Technology showcased the collaborative efforts of the MSU-IIT innovation ecosystem and the role of FAB LAB Mindanao in being a technology access center, training provider and collaboration hub. The MSU-IIT students and FAB LAB Mindanao staff shared their ideas and knowledge anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals and Social Impact. Emphasizing on FAN5’s desire to change the lives of people through innovation, Jay Arniel A. Gajudo from the Institute’s Department of Computer Applications of the College of Computer Studies conducted a workshop on a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle using image recognition for sustainable reforestation.
One of the highlights of FAN5 was the Global Hack-a-thon participated by teams from India, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan. The Global Hack-a-thon’s task was to solve urban problems through traditional and digital fabrication methodologies. Gajudo along with FAB LAB Mindanao Internal Operations Manager, Dexter Ken P. Lopera was awarded by the Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Seoul the Bronze Award. With MSU-IIT in full march to attain research university status, participating in FAN5 has created opportunities of international research and innovation collaborations focused on developing solutions to local problems that create impact and empower the communities that together,WE CAN MAKE CHANGE.
March 13, 2019- Dr. Rabby Lavilles, the Assistant Dean of the School of Computer Studies presents the research project, “Technologies and Innovation Spaces for Disaster Response: Philippine-UK Links for a Disaster Research Network.” Dr. Lavilles, while he was still a PhD student at the De La Salle University, had joined in the consortium project of DLSU-CHED-Newton Fund. The project reconciles the functionality of ICT in the disaster preparedness and response. Dr. Julio Teehankee of the DLSU and the incumbent of the Philippine Political Science Association is the principal investigator of the project. The latter also joined Dr. Lavilles during his presentation at the Cassalida Theater. The opportunity to disseminate the research was headed by the Political Science, co-sponsored by the History Department. This project certainly sounds promising given that natural disasters are at the forefront of the many concerns of the national government. Disaster preparedness and response can be done at different levels and the application of the ICT should be regarded as highly important given that nowadays people have wider access to internet and technology. It is always a better approach to maximize the use of technology for a good purpose, much more to alleviate societal concerns. “We are in a digital age where many things can be accomplished in reliance on technology, therefore it is high time to create disaster mitigation interventions that are technology-based,” said Dr.Lavilles.
This project is clearly innovative as it aims to intersect technology and social science knowledge to mitigate disasters. Given that the institute has always been active in its Disaster Risk Reduction Program, it is good to know that Dr. Rabby Lavilles of MSU-IIT has taken part of this project and an innovative projects such as this can really propel disaster preparedness and response program in the country.
