Two faculty members of the University of the Philippines Cebu, Dr. Weena Jade S. Gera and Dr. Dennis E. Montera, are awarded UP Scientist Rank and UP Artist Rank respectively, within the UP Scientific Productivity System (SPS) and the UP Arts Productivity System (APS), as approved by the University of the Philippines Board of Regents.
Instituted in 2006, the UP SPS aims to support the development of science and technology and reward scientific productivity. Meanwhile, the UP APS aims to encourage outstanding productivity in the creative arts or in arts scholarships for national development. Deserving scientists and artists are conferred the title “UP Scientist” and “UP Artist” with a monetary award, given annually for three years.
A milestone for the youngest constituent unit of the UP System, this is the first time for UP Cebu to have faculty members given such awards and recognition.
Scientific Productivity System
The University of the Philippines has been supporting its scientists through provision of research funds and honoring those who have distinguished themselves in their specialized disciplines.
The scientific productivity in academia is universally measured by the ability to publish in refereed reputable journals and books.
Scientific and professional standing in the international science community is measured by peer recognition of one’s achievements and scientific contributions, gauged in terms of membership in prestigious international bodies and peer review groups, and prestigious international scientific awards.
Arts Productivity System
The counterpart of the Scientific Productivity System for the arts is the UP Arts Productivity System. This aims to encourage outstanding productivity in the creative arts or in arts scholarly work for national development.
The University of the Philippines is home to the largest group of the finest artists in the country. These artists consistently bring honor to the university through the excellence of their creative and scholarly works. These artists in the academic community whose diverse talents and skills in the production of art enhance their effectiveness as educators.
“The UP Scientist”
Dr. Gera, Associate Professor of Political Science of the College of Social Sciences, is among the 106 faculty members from the different UP campuses who received the Scientist Rank Award under the UP Scientific Productivity System (Batch 2020-2022). 53 of them are new awardees, including Dr. Gera who is recognized with Scientist I rank.
Dr. Gera is currently UP Cebu’s Vice Chancellor for Administration (term 2019-2021). In 2018, she was conferred the Gro Brundtland Award for her outstanding research work in sustainable development, conferred by the National Cheng Kung University and Tang Prize Foundation. She was among the five recipients of the award established by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland in 2014 to recognize the contributions of distinguished female researchers in the developing region, in the field of public health and sustainable development.
In 2019, she was granted the Bernd Rode Award (Senior Researchers Category) by the ASEA-UNINET (ASEAN-European Academic University Network) for her research collaboration entitled “Examining the coherence of legal frameworks for ecosystem services toward sustainable mineral development in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)”.
Read also: UP Cebu CSS prof receives 2019 Bernd Rode Award
“The UP Artist”
Dr. Dennis E. Montera, Professor of Studio Arts of the College of Communication, Art and Design, received the award of Artist II rank under the UP Artist Productivity System (Batch 2019-2021). There are 29 other faculty members from other UP campuses who were also given the award of Artist Rank.
Dr. Montera is a world-class visual artist, and currently Vice-head elect in the National Committee on Visual Arts for the NCCA (term 2020-2022). Armed with his international exposure in art exhibitions and cultural research, Dr. Montera has garnered awards from major art competitions, and earlier this year, he staged his 25th solo exhibition with (and in) Mandani Bay.
Read also: Prof. Dennis Montera exhibits Creativity and World-Class Vision
Dr. Gera and Dr. Montera were awarded the titles during the 1365th Board of Regents meeting on 04 November 2021.