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Science and Engineering Curriculum Review: PhD Skills, Research Funding, and Exchange Programs 31 st Annual PAASE Meeting & Symposium (31 APAMS) University of the Philippines National Science Complex 2011. Core members: Rigoberto Advincula – radvincula@uh.edu
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Science and Engineering Curriculum Review: PhD Skills, Research Funding, and Exchange Programs31st Annual PAASE Meeting & Symposium(31 APAMS)University of the PhilippinesNational Science Complex2011 Core members: Rigoberto Advincula – radvincula@uh.edu CarlitoLebrilla - cblebrilla@ucdavis.edu Ed Mendoza - mendoza@lmu.de Tina Binag - cabinag@yahoo.com Maribel Nonato - pandans2001@yahoo.com O. Manuel Uy – manny.uy@jhuapl.edu Patrick Lim – patrick.john.lim@gmail.com Felix Buot – fbuot@gmu.edu Ester Garcia - garcia.ester.a@gmail.com Irene Villasenor – ivillase@yahoo.com
What are the challenges and issues? • Perception that there’s no money in PhD – lack of good examples, heroes, or gainful employment. • Lack of mentors for sandwich programs and connections abroad. • Balik Scientist Program - Lack of sustainability and possibly no follow thru on programs. • Extramural Research Funding is not stable and predictable including lack of facilities. • Excessive academic units requirement for Ph.D. course work completion. • Lack of merit incentives including financial incentives for Faculty. • Too much regionalism and focus on Filipinized science – best practices can come from the best places – “science is science”
SOLUTIONS • Expect all incoming graduate students as Ph.D. students, let them have an option for opting out with an MS degree after completion of academic requirement • More Filipinos should aspire to get their higher education abroad – regardless of whether they stay in the Philippines or not – Filipino is a Global Scientist and technical ambassador. • PAASE and Balik Scientists can serve as pool of experts that could function as dissertation adviser, mentor, reviewer, host. • Funding mechanism should target and include also industrial support. • Balik Scientist program should be sustained ; increase in level of funding and tie up with PhD training • Plan on inviting world-renown experts to return home and build institutions on their expertise.
SOLUTIONS • Ensure an open NSC available for researchers from other public and private universities and industry. • Look at best practices in Korea, Taiwan and Singapore and Europe on how they have utilized science funding. • Target science high schools and encourage them for straight PhD career pathway, with a goal of a short path to BS-MS-PhD. • Reduce number of core courses and focus more on skills development . Enable more elective courses tailored to expertise. • Tap alumni and industry to provide start-up grant for new faculty to do research: • Financial incentives to faculty by merit and by reduction of course load. • Study best practices in other universities. Avoid limits to innovation by what is available or is from the Philippines.
Acknowledgements • Other members of the group: AlnarDetalla, Roselyn Gabud, Evelyn Flordelis, DamasaMacandog, Gillian Macusi, Hilbert Magpantay, Joel Dela Paz