This year’s USRC showcased a total of 122 research papers presented by undergraduate and graduate students under the Science and Technology Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources (S&T AANR), S&T Food, Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technologies (FIEET), Social AANR, Social Non-AANR, and Education categories.

In his welcome remarks, VP for Research and Extension Roscinto Ian C. Lumbres reminded students of the purpose behind their academic work saying, “Research is an avenue for the students to share scientific and cultural stories.”

BSU President Kenneth A. Laruan urged graduating students to apply a scientific mindset in their future careers. He reminded them that they are actually being shaped to become scientists who helps improve communities through research.

“Carry with you the experience of presenting your research… and of course what it can do for the community,” he added.

The keynote speaker, retired UP Professor/Scientist I, Erlinda Castro-Palaganas reminded BSU students of the values every good researcher must have which includes curiosity, ambition, enthusiasm and passion, resilience and hard work, discipline, confidence, and humility. Castro-Palaganas who is a key member of the Cordillera Regional Health Research and Development Consortium was introduced as a leader who “not only teaches in the classroom, but also transforms communities.”

She encouraged students to stay curious, ask questions like a toddler, have ambition that uplifts others, and pursue their work with passion. Her favorite value, she said, is humility “Be like the bamboo. The higher it goes, the deeper it bows.”

Afterwards, the mechanics and criteria for evaluation were presented, and the evaluators were introduced. Student researchers presented their papers simultaneously under different categories.

Ivy Jane V. Miguel, co-chair of the USRC documentation team presented a synthesis during the closing program. She stated that evaluators reminded students to “close the loop,” meaning research findings should be shared with relevant institutions for input, feedback, or policy-making, emphasizing that “research should not end in journals, it must lead to action.”

Likewise, VP for Academic Affairs Janet P. Pablo encouraged students to pursue research with purpose, saying, “True excellence in research is measured not just by the gaps, problems that you answered in your research, or questions of our evaluators that you just have answered, but by the community problems that it solves and the lives that it touches.”

One evaluator from each category shared their feedback and appreciation to the presenters commending the students’ efforts and dedication. Also, the presenters under each category shared insights gained throughout the event and their research endeavors.

This was followed by the awarding of winning papers from various categories announced by Intellectual Property Right Office (IPRO) Director Cynthia D. Garambas.

Finally, Office of Research Services (ORS) Director Ruth S. Batani ended the event by commending students for their dedication and research excellence. She was also inspired by the high school students.

She emphasized that all participants were already winners by joining the event and thanked faculty advisers, evaluators, and university leaders for their support.

“Let’s nourish this, let’s flourish as future researchers,” she said, encouraging continued growth in research and academic pursuits.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦:

𝐒&𝐓 𝐀𝐀𝐍𝐑- 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Mt. Data National Park: Assessment of Spatiotemporal Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Change, Tree Species Diversity and Socio-Economics Drivers by ALDRIN V. BANIAGA, College of Natural Sciences

2nd BEST PAPER: Organophosphate Degradation and Plant Growth-Promoting Activity of Soil Bacteria Isolated from Vegetable Farms in Benguet, Philippines by JAYSON D. KOMICHO, College of Natural Sciences

3rd BEST PAPER: Agronomic Performance and Physiological Responses in Inbred Rice (RC 512) Using Drone Seeding Technology by RANDY T. SORIANO, College of Agriculture

𝐒&𝐓 𝐀𝐀𝐍𝐑- 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Bioremediation Potential of Heavy Metal and Pesticide Tolerant Poaceae Endophytes from an Open Pit Mining Area in Luneta, Itogon, Benguet by NATASHA C. CAYABAN, DESIREE F. PADKIW, & GERALDINE P. TICA-A, College of Natural Sciences

2nd BEST PAPER: Isolation and Characterization of Rice Rhizosphere Bacteria in Kapangan Benguet with Antagonistic Potential on Brown Spot of Rice (Cochliobolus miyabeanus) by MIKAELA F. ABELANES, College of Agriculture

3rd Best Paper; Blue Carbon Stock Assessment of Mangroves in Barangay Tinib, Casiguran, Aurora through Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Regression Techniques by MITZI ISABEL T. RODRIGUEZ, SHIENTANY SAN C. ROQUE, & VASHEKA C. SITO, College of Forestry

𝐒&𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐄𝐓- 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

BEST PAPER: Iron (Fe)-Treated Activated Carbon (FeTAC) from Coffee Wastes: Characterization and Nitrate Adsorption by EDELYN B. PADSUYAN, College of Natural Sciences

𝐒&𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐄𝐓- 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Enhancing Safety and Quality of Green Ice Lettuce (Lactuta sativa) Through a Cost-Effective Ultrasonication Method by BENLLY BRAINE T. REYNANTE & ABEGAIL F. MODAWAN, College of Natural Sciences

2nd BEST PAPER: Optimizing Sweet Potato and Water Ratios for Enhanced Fermentation and Quality of Wine by PAMELA T. BOSILO, JEAN K. COMILES, & ABRAHAM L. LINGGON, College of Home Economics and Technology

3rd BEST PAPER: Effects of Land Use and Land Cover and Elevation on Land Surface Temperature: A Multi-temporal Analysis in Baguio City, Cagayan De Oro, La Trinidad, and Quezon City by BRILLAINNE MAE R. BALLASIO, ANGELICA S. DOCAYAG, & LAWRENCE M. ULAO III, College of Forestry

𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐀𝐍𝐑-𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Economic Valuation of Forest Fire Damage in Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet by MARICEL D. PAQUITOL, College of Forestry

2nd BEST PAPER: Elasticity of Demand for Commercial Rice Among Households in Camiling, Tarlac by FREDERICK R. GODOY, College of Agriculture

3rd BEST PAPER: Agriculture and Fishery Technology Adoptation Landscape: The Case of Fifth Class Municipalities in Benguet Province by JEFFREY D. SOTERO, College of Agriculture

𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐀𝐍𝐑-𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Carbon Storage and Perceived Ecosystem Services of an Urban Green Space: The Puguis Communal Forest in La Trinidad, Benguet by LOUREENIELLE T. ALICAN, CRYSTAL JAE L. ANIBAN, & JEDUTHON M. SERRANO, College of Natural Sciences

2nd BEST PAPER: Ecotourism Potential of Lubo Lake in Barangay Lubo, Kibungan, Benguet by ANDREW G. CATAYAO III., YVONNE DANICA D. ROLLAN, & ALPHA MAY L. PALICOS, College of Natural Sciences

3rd BEST PAPER: Correlation of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) of Poultry Farmers and Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli Isolated from Layer Poultry Farms in Tuba, Benguet by CASSANDRA JANE R. OYAN, College of Veterinary Medicine

𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐀𝐀𝐍𝐑-𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Beki Nataraki: An Autoethnographic Study of Coming Out Journey as A Gay Cordilleran by REVIN XAVIER LOPATE IGNACIO, Open University

2nd BEST PAPER: Writing Cordilleran Creative Nonfiction Integrating Style Markers and Linguistics Innovations by KRYSTLE JOY P. CORAL, College of Arts and Humanities

3rd BEST PAPER: Pagsipat sa Gawain ng Begnas Di Bauko: Batayan sa Pagbuo ng Tekstong Impormatibo by MELECIO D. PALSAAN, JR., College of Arts and Humanities

𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐀𝐀𝐍𝐑-𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Ayari, Examining the Decline of Ba-diw among Ibaloy in Bokod, Benguet, Philippines by JAY RALPH G. Galunza, College of Arts and Humanities

2nd BEST PAPER: Spatial Analysis of Road Traffic Accidents in Baguio City by RALPH LLOYD C. GABUDAO, KERVIN KURT T. PABINAL, & BEVERLY JOY G. QUICHO, College of Numeracy and Applied Sciences

3rd BEST PAPER: Forecasting the Monthly Dengue Cases in Baguio City Using SARIMAX Model by GINA V. MAPILI, JOSH GABRIEL S. ROLDAN, CHELCY B. WONG, College of Numeracy and Applied Sciences

𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍-𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐄

1st BEST PAPER: Development and Validation of FRACTION-Matiks; A Web-Based Application on Learning Fractions by PAUL MIKE S. DOMINGUEZ, AARON T. BAYANGAN, MARK KENT G. DELA CRUZ, LUCILENE A. MESA, & MARON HARVEY SANCHEZ, College of Teacher Education

2nd BEST PAPER: MAdjectives: Development and Validation of an Intearactive Game on the Order of Adjectives in English by DARIEN FE S. BOMOWEY, JESPER S. LICANGAN, JEMIMA D. MARINAS, SHERILYN SALBINO, GRACE B. TAGUBA, & ROXANNE I. TAWANA, College of Teacher Education//JRBanisa, UPAO Intern