Dr. Eliezer A. Albacea, born on 2 January 1961 in Bacolod City, started teaching in UPLB as Instructor in the then Department of Statistics and Statistical Laboratory in November of 1981, where he took his BS Statistics for 3.5 years and graduated cum laude. In 1983 he was sent to Australia to take his MS Computer Science (Honours) degree in the University of Wollongong and came back in 1985 to assist in the development of the UPLB Computer Science program. He went back to Australia in 1989 to take his PhD Computer Science at the Australian National University, ACT. Soon after his MS and PhD degrees in computer science he rose up in ranks and eventually became a full professor of Computer Science at a very young age. He was recognized as an outstanding teacher having published a number of books and other educational materials in computer science and information technology. He was also an accomplished researcher with a long list of publications in computer science, information technology, statistics and mathematics, and he served as the founding director of the UPLB Institute of Computer Science, in which he served three terms. He was designated an Academician by the National Academy of Science and Technology, the highest recognition and scientific advisory body of the Philippines. Dr. Albacea passed away on October 5, 2022.
One of Dr. Albacea’s dream is to establish a scholarship grant to enable undergraduate students to conduct research in the computational sciences. Specifically, the research has to be in line with one of the identified areas of the UPLB Computational Interdisciplinary Research Laboratories (CINTERLABS).
NATURE OF THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GRANT
In its initial offering in the Second Semester of Academic Year 2022-23, five grants were awarded. For this Academic Year 2023-24, at least another five grants will be awarded to deserving undergraduate senior students currently enrolled in a computational research thesis or special problem. Each grant consists of PhP 20,000.00, the first part (25%, or PhP 5,000.00) of which will be given at the start of the semester, and the second part (75%, or PhP 15,000.00) will be given upon completion of the research and submission of an approved manuscript at the end of the semester.
In return, the grantees are expected to present (individually or jointly with the adviser) a paper based on the results of the research in a scientific conference. A written certification of such commitment must be made together with the adviser and be submitted as part of the application requirements.
The Board, consisting of representatives of Dr. Albacea’s family, Chair of CINTERLABS and selected faculty members, reserves the right not to give an award for a given year, or to forfeit or reduce the amount of the second part if the research is not completed within the semester.
Application Process for Second Semester, AY 2023-2024
Undergraduate students in UPLB who are currently enrolled for the semester in their last units of thesis or special problem in computational research in computer science, statistics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics or related fields, are eligible to apply. They must have an approved thesis or special problem outline, and they must have a written endorsement by their academic adviser. Copies of the approved outline, the endorsement letter, and a proof of enrollment, must be submitted on or before February 19, 2024. Applications should be submitted via a designated Google form (link: https://forms.gle/nNLof96ahdyvTyLZA). The notice of award, as decided upon by the Board, will be given approximately two weeks after the deadline of submission.
Application Requirements
- Approved thesis outline or special problem proposal
- Endorsement letter from the research adviser
- Proof of enrollment in the last units of thesis or special problem
- Certification of commitment
CONTACT DETAILS
[email protected]
CINTERLABS
4th floor of Francisco O. Santos Hall (Physical Sciences Building)
University of the Philippines Los Banos,
College, Laguna 4031