▷ TEEP STUDENTS
2026
Mr. Michael Anjoe D. Hambre, MS Geology Student
🏫 National Institute of Geological Sciences, University of the Philippines - Diliman
Duration: June 15, 2026 – August 14, 2026
Title of the Project: From Source Terranes to Basin Evolution (STroBE): Geologic Evolution and Paleoclimate Studies in the northern Cagayan Valley Sub-Basin
Project Details: The STroBE project is implemented under the Manila Economic and Cultural Office - Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (MECO-TECO) initiative. It is funded by the Department of Science and Technology and monitored by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development. It aims to reconstruct the provenance, depositional history, tectonic evolution, and paleoclimate on the northern portion of the Cagayan Valley Basin (CVB) by conducting integrated geological, geochemical, paleontological, and geochronological investigation. The project also aims to establish the timing and influence of volcanic activity in the region by analyzing zircon-bearing volcaniclastic layers. These activities are critical in understanding sediment source-to-sink relationships and the basin’s broader geo-dynamic significance.
Czarina Mei D. Laope, BS Geology Student (Graduated)
🏫 Mapúa University, Philippines
Duration: March 23, 2026 – July 31, 2026
Title of the Project: Long-Term Variability of Black Carbon Accumulation in the Okhotsk Sea: A 1.24-Myr Record from Marine Sediment Core MD01-2414
Project Details: This project reconstructs black carbon (BC) accumulation and isotopic variability over the past 1.24 million years using marine sediment core MD01-2414 from the central Okhotsk Sea. It examines how fire-derived carbon records relate to changes in climate, organic matter sources, and terrigenous sediment input across glacial–interglacial cycles. The study integrates BC concentration, BC flux, δ¹³C of black carbon and organic carbon, TOC/TN ratios, and published geochemical proxies to evaluate long-term environmental variability.
2025
Fatin Faidzal, MS Geology Student (Graduated)
🏫 University of Malaya, Malaysia
Duration: August 14, 2025 – October 16, 2025
Title of the Project: Unveiling Microplastic Dynamics in Malaysia’s Coast: Sediment Interactions and Sustainability Implications
Project Details: This study examines the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in the coastal sediments of Bagan Lalang, Malaysia. It compares microplastic abundance among tidal flats, mangroves, and sandy beaches under different monsoonal conditions. Sediment cores combined with 210Pb geochronology are used to reconstruct historical microplastic accumulation over approximately 150 years. Geochemical and sedimentological analyses further evaluate the environmental processes controlling microplastic transport, retention, and burial. The findings contribute to a better understanding of long-term plastic pollution in tropical coastal ecosystems.
Ellaine Jalos, MS Geology Student (Graduated)
🏫 University of the Philippines Los Baños-School of Environmental Science and Management, Philippines
Duration: August 1, 2025 – October 31, 2025
Title of the Project: Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk of Trace Metals in Coastal Sediments of Marinduque, Philippines.
Project Details: This study evaluated the spatial distribution, source apportionment, and ecological risks of trace metals in the coastal sediments of Marinduque, Philippines. Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to map the spatial distribution of trace metals and identify contamination hotspots. Source apportionment was conducted to distinguish between lithogenic (natural) and anthropogenic (human-induced) contributions. The findings provide baseline information to support evidence-based environmental monitoring, coastal resource management, and rehabilitation efforts.
Shimizu Ayaka, MS Geology Student
🏫 Kanazawa University, Japan
Duration: August 1, 2025 – October 31, 2025
Title of the Project: Reconstructing black carbon storage over the past ~96 kyr using a peatland sediment core from central Taiwan.
Project Details: Peatlands store a disproportionately large share of terrestrial carbon and are highly sensitive to both climatic and anthropogenic disturbances, including wildfires. Peatlands distribute 3-4% of the world’s land. They holds a small fraction (1.5 %) of the Earth's total estimated carbonstored , but a very large (25-30 %) share of the carbon contained in terrestrial vegetation and soils. They have one of the important roles in regulating gloval climate change. A wildfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation. It is thought that anthropogenic activities must have some impact on the frequency and/or intensity of fires.
