Mr. Aries Paul D. Padron (M.Sc. in Aquaculture) and Mr. Arren Christian M. De Guia (Ph.D. in Aquaculture) received the Graduate Research, Education, and Assistantship for Science and Technology (GREAT) scholarship award from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council of Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD). This scholarship program provides graduate scholars with financial and technical assistance in conducting quality research work while pursuing their academic requirements for their masteral or doctoral degree. Furthermore, it also enables graduate students to complete their degree program on-time by providing sufficient financial and technical support through involvement in Research and Development (R&D) projects in the Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR) sector. One of the critical features of the program is that the recipient must be involved in a research project funded by DOST. Mr. Padron is engaged in the project entitled “Development of Cost-effective Nano (Zeolite-Silica) Composites for the Removal of Pollutants from Water and Soil for Freshwater Tilapia Aquaculture” under the leadership of Dr. Juvy J. Monserate; while Mr. De Guia is involved in the project entitled “Development of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles Immune Assay for the Rapid Detection of Bacterial Pathogens in Freshwater Tilapia Aquaculture” under the leadership of Dr. Karl Marx A. Quiazon. Both projects are under the nanotechnology program of CLSU spearheaded by Dr. Monserate.
Mr. Padron is a former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) scholar and conducted his undergraduate thesis on molecular identification and occurrence of fish parasites under the project of Fisheries Biotechnology Center (FBC). His undergraduate thesis won the best paper award during the International Conference on Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (ICFAS) held in Iloilo City last November 2018. Meanwhile, Mr. De Guia is a former BFAR, and Department of Science and Technology-Accelerated Science and Technology for Human Resources and Development Program (DOST-ASTHRDP) scholar during his bachelor’s and master's degree, respectively. For the past five years, he was involved in different research projects implemented by College of Fisheries (CF), and the College of Veterinary Science and Medicine (CVSM) at CLSU. His research involvements include, systematic and distribution studies of anisakid nematode; in vitro screening of selected medicinal plants against Aeromonas hydrophila; and molecular characterization and gene expression of TLR4 and MHC - DRB3 gene in lactating water buffaloes and goats.
The DOST-PCAARRD awarded the scholarship to Mr. Padron and Mr. De Guia last August 2018 and January 2019, respectively. Mr. Padron and Mr. De Guia are currently taking their masteral and doctoral degree in Aquaculture at CF-CLSU, respectively.
Benefits of the GREAT program include Php35,000 monthly stipend and Php 60,000 thesis support for master’s program, while Php 48,000 monthly stipend and Php100,000 thesis support for a doctorate program. Other benefits include a book allowance (Php 10,000/year), full tuition fee, other school fees and transportation allowance.
