QOTD

QOTD #1
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by PAM

UST Graduate School Solemn Investiture, 3rd April 2012

"It's one thing to be schooled, it's another matter entirely to be educated." 

        - Rev. Fr. Norberto M. Castillo, O. P.
          former Rector of the University of Santo Tomas; Dean, Faculty of Philosophy

***
I was "in the zone" with my research students in the lab yesterday when a Grad School staff sent a text message, reminding us, faculty, about the Grad School Solemn Investiture this afternoon.  It was 'painful' to extricate myself from 'the zone'... but I did it - mostly just physically! 

After the ceremony, I was so glad I did make an effort to attend (well, it's my responsibility as a faculty member to attend, actually).  Aside from happily listening to the Dean's Year-End Report, communing with the "brainiacs" (more of them this time!) in the University once again was 'sweet'.  And yeah, Dr. Lilian J. Sison, the Dean of the Grad School, is truly admirable... in her leadership, vision and steadfast commitment to steer the Grad School to where it is today - a place of progress and exciting dynamism, a haven for 'hardcore' academicians in the University.  This, despite the recent attempt of the filthy side of the local political world and the unscrupulous on-line journalists who patronize it to drag the name of our Grad School to the quargmire where some politicians and their minions in the journalism world dive and swim with relish on a daily basis.  Dr. Sison resisted the pull of filth with integrity, grace and poise the way a real educated educator should. 

Still... perhaps, it's true what other wise people in the School say, that Dr. Sison's success as leader has a lot to do with the people that surround her.  She has a good team... a visionary leader that she is, she sets the course of the Grad School, and she is surrounded by an abundance of talented and committed individuals who share her vision and passion for excellence.  And they all work together to accomplish the task before them willingly and unselfishly - no matter how formidable and daunting the task might be.  Once again, TEAMWORK WORKS!  

Congratulations to the Graduates... and congratulations to the Grad School Admin!

***

"Ball-iful" day...

...and what a day, too! :)
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by PAM


So, I woke up to this video today... 



...so Nike shows us what happens when the 'beautiful game' meets the 'game for the gentlemen' with Rafa Nadal and Cristiano Ronaldo - on grass.  Then again, we have already seen that happening before in that Gillete commercial of Roger Federer and Thierry Henry (and Tiger Woods) sometime back... although there wasn't a "major action" like this one with Rafa and CR7. 

Alright, yeah, yeah, yeah... let's include basketball in the mix.  Why not?  Since Michael Jordan is no longer active, for as long as Lionel Messi is in it, it can be 'beautiful', too! :)

Aw, ball-iful! 

Alright, I think I have enough inspiration and energy now to work in the lab... even when most people are already on vacation!  Hmmm... I'm one of them, 'lucky ones'. ;)

*** 

Video credits:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.

Sunday foodie

Rainy days are here.... Huh?  Rainy days?

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by PAM

  

Wait... it's supposed to be summer in this part of the world these days, isn't it?  So, why are we being hammered by torrential rain... and even bothered by flash floods?  Hmmm... probably la niña? Or, it must be... simply climate change.  Ugh, climate change, you are so not welcome!  Please go away!

So, what happens when rain comes when it's not supposed to?  You might find yourself getting out of bed in the middle of the night, tip toe into the kitchen, scan the cupboard for this... tablea pure cocoa.

Something for the "unexpected" rainy days...



Saturday photo(s)

The 2012 Thomasian Engineers Solemn Investiture

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by PAM

The big deadlines taken care of, the semester is over... and, yeah, fantastic five years of learning, awesome discoveries, successes and failures, back-breaking and spirit-squirming struggles to clear formidable hurdles, breathtaking discovery of God's love and mercy through Thomasian ideals, the warmth of camaraderie, young love (and lost loves... and lost-and-found love, and unreciprocated love) and crushes, drama (lots of drama!), exhilarating fun and... more fun - crazy fun... a thousand and one miracles and last-minute breakthroughs later... and they're off - to graduation!   Whew!

Our Thomasian Engineers Neocentennial Batch gathered at the the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion this afternoon - a first for the Faculty of Engineering, dressed impeccably in their academic gowns, to receive their Thomasian degrees. Their loving parents, their friends, our support staff, and us - their mentors - joined them as they passed an important milestone in their lives.  

Five (or more) long years of hard toil... and then this!  Ah, sweet!

Break, break, break...

...please!
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by PAM


When the going gets tough, the tough, uhm... takes a break? :)  However the 'saying' goes, I need a break right now.  Therefore, 'footie beauty' time:

Uh, let me clarify, it isn't so much about Pepsi (just a bit), it's more of the 'beauty of footie', and the awesome 'supermen' who play it... the best of 'em all is in the video - Lionel Messi, of course! :) 

No work is ever a "torture" if you're accompanied by something "beautiful".
It's the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal days... good days! :)

Yep, footie could be that one fun company on these sleepless nights of grading test papers, problem sets, and lab reports - a teacher's "Waterloo" - well, at least, it's mine.  Whew! 

Communing with 'brainiacs'...

...is a fantastic way to end the Academic Year and a reason to look forward to a more exciting one!
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by PAM

Ah, exhilarating teamwork... like FC Barcelona playing the 'beautiful game'!

Yeah, the Caleruega Retreat Place might be one of the most serene estates you could ever find in the Philippines, but the excitement of communing with among the biggest brainiacs in my University was absolutely pandemonium!  With recipients of the Ten Outstanding Young Scientists of the Philippines Award, a Presidential adviser on Science and Technology, Fulbright Scholars, a handful of awesome DAAD Grantees, JSPS and Ronpaku Scholars, and card-carrying certified brainiacs - highly accomplished all - around you... it was basically impossible not to feel awestruck, starstruck and be-dumbed by all that positive energy that they generate relentlessly... and effortlessly!  But what 'killed' me really was how down-to-earth, humble and teeming with crazy sense of humor my colleagues are at the UST Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences (RCNAS).  Indeed it's true what wise people say: you see true success when you see humility and simplicity in spirit... an engaging presence that doesn't ask to be admired, and yet, you can't help but admire. 

Sunday Foodie

...and the 'innovation mercury' rose at the UST Grad School, too!
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by PAM


And so, my Food Science class at the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School took their new products to the "Grad School market" yesterday - a first! :)


'Hard science' can be yummy, too!


They were "mobbed"!


They "rocked" the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex with finger-lickin' good innovations.

And they were happy... me, too, of course! :) 

Our "food nerds"... nerding it out! :)

Thanks, guys!  Nice job! :)

***

Saturday photo(s)

The 2012 Baccalaureate Mass at USTe...
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


One of the things that can be considered unique about the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (UST), the Catholic University of the Philippines, is the celebration of the Baccalaureate Mass for its Graduates.  It is unique not only because it is an endearing tradition of giving thanks to God, first and foremost, for another year of goals fulfilled, dreams realized and love manifested, but also because it is a celebration of friendships - old and new - friendships that are destined to last a lifetime... because they were forged with the fire of God's boundless love... and unending grace!

Therefore, not even sickness could prevent me from joining the celebration....


A Day of Thanksgiving... giving thanks to God.

For most Thomasian educators, the Baccalaureate Mass is something to look forward to.  It's always a wonderful experience to be joining our Graduates as they sang praises to our Almighty God, whose nurturing love propelled them to seeing their dreams and their parents' aspirations for them fulfilled, in their Baccalaureate Mass. 


A celebration of goals fulfilled... dreams realized.

"Walkin' on sunshine..."

...I wish!
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by PAM


Sick-oh!

I've been getting tired of staring at the ceiling above my bed... and there are no live football or tennis matches on TV to make this
Leo Messi... ooh-some! 'suffering' bearable... and, aside from Roger Federer's win in Indian Wells, putting his numbers to 39 wins in his last 41 matches so far, and FC Barcelona's usual brilliance, there aren't many happy news to cheer me up on local and cable news channels either, plus HARDtalk airs (the same interview) thrice a day only.  While totalBarça is keeping me entertained whenever sleep eluded me, keeping me abreast of FC Barcelona's run this season and Lionel Messi's latest exciting and record-breaking exploits over the past how many days - I'll definitely talk about those when I feel a little better - I wish there were more things to do when sickness attacks and I'm waiting for the medicine to do its job - give me a restful sleep while it fixes the trouble inside my body.  But, isn't this one of the reasons why iPad came into being?  So, we could read our fave e-magazines, e-broadsheets and blogs, check and respond to our e-mails, watch our fave videos on YouTube... and even post an entry on our blog even when we're lying down, hammered flat by sickness, and living normally wasn't possible?  Exactly! :)


Therefore, let's have iPad do its job - make sick days seem like normal days.  Is that sad... or sad?  It is, but no point in crying.  Therefore, here it is... my wish - to walk on sunshine with Xi-, er, McFloat in hand! ;)  Pa-parapapa...

Hmm... once this sickness goes away, I swear I'd down a McFloat Summer Medley... not just because, ahem, Xian Lim is endorsing it, but it would mean full-recovery from sickness!  =)  How's that for a motivation to get well? ;)   Aaal-right, sure... and there's work to do, too - tons of it.  Ugh!  :(  Ooops, I think that was the thermometer breaking - mercury shooting out of the glass tube!  =)  Oh, no!


***
Video credit:  Thanks, Youtube, for the link.
Photo credit:  Lionel Messi's photo was grabbed from Zimbio - thanks!

Wednesday nostalgia...

Welcome home... Thomasian Chem. E. 'goddesses'!
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by PAM


So, my "dear friend", sickness, is paying me a visit again.  *sigh*  And, from the looks of it, it has no intention of leaving soon.  Looks like it will prevent me from attending our much awaited "Meet the Parents" event for our graduating students on Friday.  While I really do not have the energy to stop my friend's aggressive and brutal desire to bring me down physically, it cannot touch me spiritually.  Therefore,  I'm using this medium to reach our students.  I guess that if the spirit was willing, even a sick body would be no obstacle... electronically, that is! Thanks, blogspot! :)

***
Ah, 'goddesses' of excellence in Thomasian chemical engineering education!

Speaking of International Women's Day a couple of weeks back, it's still Women's Month... and I'm taking advantage! :)

With our Neocentennial Chem. E. Batch at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) graduating soon, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic... and inspired to write a little tribute to one aspect of their stay with us.   I was telling them last Saturday in a seminar that they are one very lucky Batch!  It's because during their five-year of stay in the University, they had that wonderful opportunity to have listened to four of the 'Goddesses' of Excellence in Thomasian Chemical Engineering via seminars and symposia.  And, I think it's worth it to go over the experience... because, I believe, that this occurrence is no coincidence.  There is a reason behind this... and it's up to Batch 2012 to figure it out.  I believe they can! :)


***
The energetic and feisty 'goddess'....

Back in their sophomore year, our Neocentennial Batch had the opportunity to experience the enthralling presence of Engr. Valarie Ku during that year's "Course Orientation" event.  Val is one of our Department's prized 'goddesses'.  She graduated summa cum laude in 2001, won the BPI Science Award, one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 2001 awarded by the Philippine President no less, hailed as an Ayala Young Leader, a Rector's Academic Excellence Awardee in 2001, and finished #2 in the Chemical Engineers' Licensure Examination in November 2001.  Those are just a few of her many exciting accomplishments as a student.  These, in spite of her rather "typical" younger days of adventures and misadventures - boyfriend(s), heartbreak(s), funny "indentity crisis" (haha...) and "awkward" teenage rebellions (ah-haha...).  



The energetic goddess... in action!


A high achiever as always, she is now "rocking" the Pilipinas-Shell world - mostly a "Man's World" - with her string of "first" this and that feats... this while balancing career and motherhood and, at some point, pursuing and finishing with flying colors her Graduate Studies at the De La Salle University in Manila.