SESAM to feat outstanding grads in the upcoming 2021 Alumni Symposium

The School of Environmental Science and Management-University of the Philippines Los Baños (SESAM-UPLB) announced its three outstanding alumni awardees for 2021, namely Dr. Junel B. Guzman, Dr. Maria Theresa M. Mutia and Dr. Sonnie A. Vedra. The awardees will be given recognition on this year’s SESAM Alumni Symposium on October 19, 2021 via Zoom.

The awarding will be in line with this year’s UPLB Loyalty Day celebration, with the theme “Bigkisang UPLB sa Alumni para sa Matagumpay na Pagbangon mula sa Pandemya”. The outstanding alumni awardees will present their latest ventures and achievements in their respective fields. 

Dr. Guzman, a PhD Environmental Science graduate in 2009, is this year’s Outstanding Alumna for Academic Leadership. Dr. Guzman is the Vice President for Research Development and Extension, Cagayan State University, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. She has the distinct recognition of championing her university in active and engaged research and extension work that provides strong science-based decision making particularly in northern Philippines. Dr. Guzman’s efforts in performing active academic leadership resulted to the development of a well-organized university-wide research and development and extension programs. She has introduced transformative strategies that improved the overall efficiency of the University’s RDE program worthy of emulation by other State Universities and Colleges of the country. 

Dr. Mutia, is this year’s Outstanding Alumna for Government Service. She is an MS Environmental Science graduate in 1997 and a PhD Environmental Science graduate in 2016. Dr. Mutia is a Chief Science Research Specialist at the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute-Freshwater Fisheries Research and Development Center (NFRDI-FFRDC) of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Research-Department of Agriculture (BFAR-DA) stationed in Taal, Batangas. Dr. Mutia’s dedicated service build the culture of research in NFRDI, which has been instrumental in the government’s efforts of strengthening its agri-industrialization and fisheries program.

Dr. Vedra, a PhD Environmental Science graduate in 2012, is this year’s Outstanding Alumnus for Research. Dr. Vedra is Professor VI at Mindanao State University-Naawan Campus, Naawan, Misamis Oriental. He has been active in the field of environmental management and provides a prime example among the younger peers particularly in engaging in active research and extension work in Northern Mindanao. 

The 2021 SESAM Alumni Symposium will also invite other alumni to serve as panelists on the discussion entitled “Strengthening Environmental Management and Governance through Academe-Government-Industry Collaboration”. The 2021 Alumni Symposium is organized by the SESAM Alumni Association, SESAM ad Hoc Committee on SESAM Alumni Homecoming and Loyalty Day Celebration and the Continuing Education and Training Division.