Invited Speakers

Dr. Hui Lin Ong is currently an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Malaysia, and Guest Professor at the College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts, Batangas State University, Philippines. She was a Deputy Dean of Centre for Graduate Studies, Universiti Malaysia Perlis from year 2011 to 2013. She is a founding member of the Innovation Center for Clean Water and Sustainable Energy (WISE) in Malaysia since 2017. She obtained her PhD in Advanced Materials, from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia in 2010. Her research interests are on nanomaterials from agricultural waste and polymer based nanocomposites for packaging, membrane and energy storage applications. Dr. Ong has successfully complicated ten research projects funded by Malaysian government, L’Oreal and UNESCO, Malaysia, Toray, Japan and Ministry of Education, Taiwan. She received several innovation awards at national and international levels, which include Gold Medal at International Invention, Innovation Technology Exhibition, Malaysia, Special Award and Gold Medal at Malaysia Technology Expo, Malaysia, and Silver Medal at Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, Switzerland. Dr. Ong served as Visiting Professor in De La Salle University, Philippines during year 2014 – 2019, and Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia in 2020. She was also a Visiting Scholar at National Chiao Tung University (2017), National Tsing Hua University (2018) and National Kaohsiung University Science and Technology (2019), Taiwan. She has been invited as speaker to share her research in industries, conferences and universities in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and United States of America. She published more than 70 papers in international journals and conferences. Dr. Ong was named one of the three top young women scientists in Malaysia in 2011 and was awarded the For-Women-In-Science fellowship (FWIS) by L’Oreal and UNESCO Malaysia. In 2019, she received an Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Research Leadership Award provided by Department of Education and Training, Australia. With her current achievements, Dr. Ong has been featured as a leading woman on SoutheastAsianWomen.org.

Dr. Sukendah is an associate professor and is currently the Vice Rector 1 for Academic Affairs in University of Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur, Indonesia. She was also a member of the editorial board in Journal of Nature Studies in 2018-2019. Dr. Sukendah has eight (8) Patents in Kopyor Coconut Technology: 4 were granted and 4 were registered in Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, Republic of Indonesia. She also published thirteen (13) papers in the last five (5) years including the papers entitled; “Direct and indirect plantlet regeneration from explants of Albizia (Albizzia falcataria)”, and “Stomatal Behaviour of Soybean under Drought Stress with Silico Application.” She also attended as a speaker in nine (9) international conference/webinar in the last five (5) years. She got an Indonesian Journal Biotechnology (IJB) award as the first winner given by the Indonesian Journal of Biotechnology, Gajahmada University on paper entitled, “Isolation and analysis of DNA fragment of genes related to Kopyor trait in coconut plant”. She was also awarded as the Best Paper Presenter in the Research Month given by Institute for Research and Community Service, UPN “Veteran” East Java for paper entitled, “Development of clonal kopyor dwarf palm for a new germplasm by apical meristem splitting and somatic embryogenesis”. Her paper entitled, “Regeneration of Kopyor Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) by Somatic Embryo Culture” won as the best poster in the Multi-Year Research National Seminar given by Indonesia Higher Education. She also received an Academic Researcher: Inovation in Kopyor Coconut, given by Defense Ministry Republic of Indonesia. Dr. Sukendah did her PhD research on tissue culture and molecular analysis of Kopyor coconut from Indonesia.

Dr. Chayanis Krittasudthacheewa is the Asia Centre Deputy Director of SEI based in Bangkok, Thailand. She has been working in the Mekong Countries for 20 years with extensive experience in leading multi-country projects with multi-disciplinary experts. She is strong in multi-stakeholder engagement, network development, programme management and coordination with the stakeholders across sectors and levels, monitoring and evaluation, and specializes in the fields of hydrology, integrated water resources management, climate change adaptation and sustainable development. Since 2011 she has been managing and currently serving as the Director of Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET, www.sumernet.org), a regional research network of 300 members delivering credible research to influence sustainable development policy in the Mekong Region. In Myanmar, she has been leading the Ayeyarwady Futures (2013-2014) and Chindwin Futures (2015-present), the programs that collaborated with state and non-state agencies to support evidence based multi-stakeholder engagement in water resources management and sustainable development in the Chindwin River Basin and Ayeyarwady River Basin. For the Water and Energy for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development (WE4F) South and Southeast Asia Regional Innovation Hub (RIH), she advises the RIH on technical and policy related issues in her role as the Regional Advisory Body Member. She previously worked at the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to manage the hydro-meteorological database, conduct the hydrological studies and build relevant capacities of national line agencies in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam in collaboration with MRC dialogue countries (China and Myanmar) and as a water resources engineer for a number of consulting firms in Thailand. She holds a Ph.D. in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan with two distinguished prizes.

LTC Joan Lagunda is a former assistant secretary of Administration, Human Resources and Legislative Affairs in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). She is currently the executive director in Concurrent Capacity of Pasig River Coordinating and Management Office (PRCMO). She is a genuine influencer who thrives on tough challenges and translates visions and strategies into actionable, value-added goals. She is disciplined and flexible problem-solving approach that balances business goals with employee needs. She is also an empowering leader who supports organization and top executives with a unique perspective and appreciation that human capital is every organization’s greatest asset. A strategic and innovative HR Executive who translates business vision into HR initiatives that improve performance, profitability, growth, and employee engagement. LTC Lagunda was also a Council Member of Workers of the Informal Sector -National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC-WIS) from 2011-2015 and also the founder of 1- APTO or Alliance of Public Transport Organizations, a nationwide grassroots coalition of tricycle drivers whose focus is to increase mainstream awareness and secure spaces for active consultation of small public transport drivers-operators in policy formulation and reviews related as accessibility of public transport. On December 12, 2016, she was appointed as PCUP Commissioner. she works on the following policy program Agendas which cover pressing issues such as access to housing, decent work and sustainable livelihood, social welfare issues such as health, education, and social protection, peace, empowerment of the Urban Poor through participation and governance, and lastly training in disaster risk reduction management for the informal workers sector.

She took her BS in Accountancy and Master of Public Service and Management at Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City, and her Doctor of Management from the same school. She acquired her doctorate degree in Public Administration in Xavier University. Other special studies include: Governance and Leadership Institute in Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan and Special Course in Urban Transport Planning and Management at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

Mr. William Granert is an executive director of Soil and Water Conservation Foundation, Inc. in Cebu City. Before he became the executive director, he was a technical advisor. He was also an Agroforestry Consultant in a Ten Year Development Planning Project for Mananga River Watershed, Manjuyod River Watershed and Murcia catchment of the Bago River Watershed. Canadian International Development Agency and Rotary International. He published 49 publications and among those are the: Manual on nursery and out planting of beach forest trees, Extension for conservation farming: problems and needs, Soil and water conservation in watershed areas: focus on Cebu’s watersheds Soil and water conservation in watershed areas: focus on Cebu’s watersheds, and Developing and maintaining a terrestrial biodiversity reserve at schools.

He graduated with his Master of Science in Botany from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.