DEE PARTICIPATES IN CEAT’S 109TH ANNIVERSARY
Last February 2021, the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology celebrated its 109th Founding Anniversary. The month-long celebration included programs such as Radio Guesting with UPLB’s DZLB 1116 Ang Tinig ng Kaunlaran, Webinar Series, and Awards Night, which were participated by CEAT alumni, students, faculty members, and staff.
Radio Guesting
DEE alumnus Engr. Carmela Michelle Esteban shared her TatakUPLB experience, and how it helped her in building her career. She is currently an M.S. Candidate – Integrated Organic Electronics Lab (IOEL) at the School of Electrical Engineering of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. As an aspiring young student, she mentioned that her parents inspired her to become an electrical engineer. Reminiscing about her time in UPLB, she described her student life as initially challenging, but later on became very rewarding. Her favorite spot in the campus was the Chapel of St. Therese, where she often went to during exams and challenging times. When asked about the attributes that engineers should have in order to succeed, her advice was to be a fast learner, pro-active, and flexible to challenges. She ended with an inspiring note to never be afraid of taking chances and opportunities. That is indeed a TatakUPLB trait.
CEAT Webinar Series
Last February 24, DEE’s very own aProf. Elvin Dulce gave a talk about the UPLB Power Supply: Dynamics and Benefits of UPLB’s Direct WESM Membership and the UPLB Competitive Procurement of Power Supply (UPLB CPPS) during the 3rd episode of the Webinar Series. This was held live via Zoom, and was facilitated by Engr. Rock Christian Tomas. The webinar aimed to highlight the research project involvement of the department in securing UPLB’s power supply. aProf. Dulce was part of the UPLB Power Supply Team which explored possible options for UPLB’s power supply due the expiration of its 10-year Contract with Aboitiz Power Renewables, Inc. (APRI). Based on their findings, their team identified issues on power supply and connection to the grid. After performing pre-market surveys, peak demand forecasting, and power supply planning, the team’s recommendations ultimately led to UPLB’s direct WESM membership and the UPLB Competitive Procurement of Power Supply (UPLB CPPS). The UPLB CPPS enabled the university to enter into a 5-year power supply agreement (PSA) with San Miguel Electric Corporation (SMELC) after the public bidding. aProf. Dulce also explained that one of the benefits of this new setup was the savings obtained due to lower electricity rates. Looking ahead, he said that the team hopes to recommend possible improvements to the government procurement process for power supply.
Aside from being the guest speaker of the Webinar Series, aProf. Dulce was also the recipient of the 2021 CEAT Outstanding Junior Faculty Award. He was also among the list of faculty members recognized for their 10 years of service in the university. | Gabriela Monica Gonzales