Aligned with the vision of the University President Dr. Ma. Carla A. Ochotorenaโs pursuit of meaningful international partnership through academic excellence, faculty-student collaboration and research innovation, the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) welcomed Dr. Lawrence M. Liao, a Visiting Associate Professor of the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life at Hiroshima University, on his visit to WMSU on May 26, 2025.
His visit was emphasized during the Research Forum entitled โBridging Research and Practice: A Collaborative Explorationโ held at the University Amphitheater, 2nd Floor Science Hub Building, Campus B, which was organized by the Research and Development Evaluation Center (RDEC) in collaboration with NICER Native Chicken Phase 2 Project.
Dr. Liao, whose Ph.D. degree was obtained from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a leading figure in the fields of marine botany, phycology, and environmental biology.
His lecture during the Research Forum at WMSU focused on scientific literacy and the critical role of science in shaping society, addressing a diverse audience that is composed of WMSU CSMโs third-year BS Biology students, staff from the WMSU NICER 2 Project, staff from WMSU-RDEC, faculty members from WMSU CSMโs Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, as well as faculty-guests from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
Expressing great importance in promoting scientific discourse with the general masses, Dr. Liao articulated, with clarity and conviction, that scientific discoveries and pertinent knowledge shouldnโt be limited within scientific circles, but must be translated into practice with the goal of public engagement to resulting changes and policies, most especially in developing countries that may be rich in natural resources yet vulnerable to ecological degradation.
Beyond his discourse on science and society, Dr. Liao expressed his continued support for Filipino scholars who aspires to strengthen their academic backgrounds on their chosen field, encouraging them to pursue postgraduate studies, both locally and internationally, extending an invitation to study in Japan. With this, he emphasized the importance of cultivating a mindset of global collaboration in the field of research while still maintaining a rooted national development goals.
As part of his visit, Dr. Liao also met with officials from the College of Science and Mathematics to explore potential avenues for joint research projects, bridged academic programs, interdisciplinary fieldwork, and capacity-building initiatives. These discussions aim to lay the groundwork for long-term academic cooperation between WMSU and Hiroshima University.
His presence then at WMSU not only symbolizes the strengthening of potential academic ties between Japan and the Philippines but also continues to affirm WMSU’s place as a rising regional research hub in Mindanao, embracing both local relevance and global engagement. (Arkin Garon A. Sarmiento, RCh-NICER Native Chicken R&D Project 2)
