Invited Speakers

Dr. Inocencio E. Buot is a professor of botany, taxonomy, ecology and environmental science and current head of the Plant Systematics Laboratory and Curator of the Plant Biology Division Herbarium at the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB). He obtained his PhD from the University of Chiba, Japan in 1998 and later, his postdoctoral research in Landscape Ecology at the National Institute of Forestry in Kyoto in 2005 through the auspices of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). His research is about vegetation structure along elevational gradientin bioculturallandscapes. He also studiesthe leafstructure,in relation to taxonomy of many confusing species, he encountered in the field, testing the hypothesis that leaf venation and architectural diversity is genetically fixed. As a scholar, Dr Buot has published more than 200 articles in journals, book chapters and books published by SEARCA, the Univ of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology, Springer Nature and Taylor and Francis. To enhance teaching in the university, he wrote laboratory manuals utilized in botany classes. He has been mentoring students and faculty about doing right research process for national development in the Philippines and in Southeast Asian universities. He is Editor of the Journal of Nature Studies of the Philippine Society for the Study of Nature (PSSN) and a member of the Editorial Board of two Web of Science indexed journals, Journal of Wetlands Biodiversity of the Museum of Braila, Romania and that of The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal in Bangkok. Dr Buot was previously, Deputy Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), College of Arts and Sciences, UPLB in 2006-2010 and the previous dean for 6 years in the Faculty of Management and Development Studies, University of the Philippines Open University. Dr Buot had been a recipient of university Professorial Chair Lecture Award in botany, ecology and systematics from 2003-2024, 2023 Outstanding Filipino JSPS Fellow in the field of Botany and Biodiversity, 2022 Outstanding Researcher in the Natural Science Category of UPLB, 2023 College of Arts and Sciences-UPLB Outstanding Extension Personnel, Achievement Award by the Philippine Society for the Study of Nature in 2021, Senior Fellow, Philippine Public Safety College in 2021, among others. He is also a UP Scientist in the field of Botany and Ecology under the Scientific Productivity System of the UP since 2009. He has collaboratively named 2 new plant species and is honored by his fellow botanists when an American taxonomist, named a Hoya species of the family Apocynaceae, Hoya buotii Kloppendburg. 

Professor Adrian Kuah is a distinguished senior academic and holds the esteemed position of Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at James Cook University. Renowned for his expertise, he has been entrusted as a member of the National Committee for Circularity of Materials in Singapore and leads its Delegation on ISO/TC 323 Circular Economy to the ISO Meetings. Throughout his illustrious career of nearly 30 years, Professor Kuah has made substantial contributions to academic literature, authoring nearly 100 papers. His scholarly endeavors have been recognized with substantial grants from institutions in the United Kingdom, Finland, France, Australia, and Singapore. In acknowledgment of his outstanding contributions to the field, Professor Kuah holds a prominent position as one of the top six researchers in the circular economy domain based in Singapore. His cutting-edge research has found a home in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Business Research, Science of the Total Environment, and the Journal of Cleaner Production, solidifying his reputation as a thought leader in the intersection of strategy and sustainability. 

Assoc. Prof. Sr Dr. Siti Aekbal is an esteemed academic with 16 years of teaching experience at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, specializing in Geospatial technologies, GIS, remote sensing, and urban climate modeling. Her research explores leveraging geospatial tech for urban climate change, focusing on land surface processes' impacts on global, regional, and local climates. Currently serving as the Deputy Director at the Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (IBSD) at UiTM, she's supervising 8 PhD students, with 3 completed, and has guided over 15 master's dissertation students. With a research fund totaling RM3.447 million and project values exceeding RM5.405 million, she's a seasoned researcher who's conducted consultations with industrial agencies like TNB, Ranhills, Malaysia Highway Agency, and more. Dr. Siti Aekbal boasts over 54 publications in Q1 and Q2 journals, peer-reviewed and indexed conferences, showcasing her expertise in the field. Her professional affiliations include memberships in the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) and the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). Her recent focus on citizen-driven urban forest and greenery initiatives for climate change mitigation underscores her commitment to sustainable development through innovative research and collaborations with industry players and government bodies.

The Honorable Governor Datu Pax Ali Sangki Mangudadatu hails from the Municipality of Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, and is the first among the five sons of TESDA Secretary Suharto T. Mangudadatu, Ph.D., and The Lady Governor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu. Governor Datu Pax Ali studied at Ateneo de Davao University during his formative years, where he was also the first Muslim President of the Student Government during his highschool years. He is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Legal Management at the esteemed De La Salle University, where he received the "Best Thesis Award" and was a consistent Dean's Lister. Immediately after his graduation from college, he proceeded to study abroad at Oxford University, taking up a course in Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, and Strategic Leadership and Management in Oxford, England. He then pursued to study law under the Juris Doctor Program at the De La Salle College of Law and became one of the youngest law graduates in the country. At such a young age, he has been seen as having great potential, especially in leadership. He participated in the Universal Peace Federation of the United Nations as an Ambassador for Peace in college. During this stint, he initiated the following programs: Lutayan Leadership Development Program, Municipal Personality Development Program, Peace Seminars and Workshops, Provincial Youth Leaders Assembly of Sultan Kudarat, Love Campaign, Anti-illicit relations He is one of the architects behind the creation of the Sultan Kudarat Association of Youth Organizations (SKAYO), the umbrella organization of all youth organizations in the Province of Sultan Kudarat, where he would serve as the founding president. His work in SKAYO is notable for the following programs and initiatives: the Provincial Youth Leaders Assembly, the Regional Youth Leaders Assembly, the World Peace and Save Aleppo Campaign, and the Anti-Vices Campaign, and Youth Empowerment. In 2011, He entered the portals of one of the premier youth organization which focuses in building leadership skills, the International Order of DeMolay, where he became the Master Councilor of his mother chapter - Feliciano Iñigo Chapter in 2013. Three years later, he was conferred with the Degree of Chevalier at the 16 th DeMolay National Conclave & Congress in Olongapo City, the highest distinction an Active DeMolay can receive for outstanding service to the Order. He served as the National Master Councilor of the DeMolay National Congress in 2018-2022. Also in the same year he continued his journey in becoming a better man not only for himself but for him to better serve his fellowmen and his constituents, he knocked on the doors of Freemasonry through the portals of Koronadal Lodge No. 209, Free and Accepted Masons, wherein he was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. At present, he serves as the Junior Warden of the said Masonic Lodge. In 2018, he was also appointed as the International Youth President of the Dunya Melayu Dunya Islam (Malay and the Islamic World), a formal organization of 19 Muslim States whose gatherings and sessions are attended by heads of state. He was elected Mayor of the Municipality of Datu Abdullah Sangki from 2019–2021, becoming one of the youngest chief executives in the country, and was Vice President of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines—Maguindanao Chapter in the same year. During his term, he was one of the holders of the Hall of Fame National Seal of Good Local Governance as mayor of the said municipality. The municipality was also awarded PRIME HRM LEVEL 2-Performance Management, PRIME HRM Bronze Award, Over-All Most Competitive Municipality under 4 th to 6 th Class category in BARMM Region for 2 years, GAWAD KALASAG Awardee, ADAC Performance Award with 100% functionality rate, and Outstanding Stewards of Environment. He is currently the youngest governor in the country and also serves as the vice president of the League of Governors of the Philippines and the chairman of the Committee for Health. As chairman, he initiates programs such as the Bayani ng Bukas Blood Program, which aims to create a sufficient blood supply not only for the Province of Sultan Kudarat but for neighboring provinces as well; the new Sultan Kudarat Dialysis Center; and a host of other medical services that are all free of charge under the “No Balance Billing Policy," which is fully and strictly implemented. At present, the Honorable Governor extends this platform to people with disabilities through its flagship program on prosthesis in partnership with A.L. Buenvista Enterprise Inc., as well as free surgery for people with cleft lip and palates, together with Operation New Face and Smile Train, all services free of charge Imploring the values of what he calls "E-Governance," which are Engage, Empower, and Excel, he strives to establish a solution-based governance that is adaptable to the requisites of modern society. To engage is to personally hear from the constituents in order for the government to know and assess the necessities to be addressed. To empower is to give more opportunities for the citizens, making them partners in governance in addressing societal, environmental, and other relevant concerns. And to excel in the delivery of quality public services because the Honorable Governor firmly believes that service to people is also service to God. Governor Datu Pax Ali takes inspiration from the legacy that has been brought to light by previous administrations, particularly by his grandfather, former Governor Sultan Pax S. Mangudadatu, Al Haj, and his father, former Governor Suharto Teng Mangudadatu, Ph.D., who is currently TESDA’s Director General and the newly appointed Cabinet Member for Regional Development and Security of the NCR Regional Task Force. "Dito Patuloy Tayong Aangat" is the focal message that serves as the significant foundation of his vision for the province, concentrating on his flagship programs, including the improvement of medical facilities in the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital, the country’s largest provincial hospital, and promotion of the province as the emerging coffee capital of the Philippines. Gearing towards a progressive Sultan Kudarat, Governor Datu Pax Ali also calls for God-centered and love-based governance, taking into account the diverse cultures present in the locality. 

Dr. Hugo Alfried Volkaert is a distinguished senior researcher at the Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology, Kasetsart University, Kampaengsaen Campus, Thailand. With 36 years of experience in teaching and research, specializing in Molecular evolution and phylogenetics, Diversity, adaptation and speciation, Molecular aspects of plant development, Molecular biology of the cell, QTL mapping, Ethics in science and society, Theory of knowledge, and Bioinformatics. Throughout his career, Dr. Volkaert has made substantial contributions to academic literature, authoring 42 published papers. He’s also supervising 13 PhD students: 4 in Thailand, 3 in India, 5 in Indonesia, and 1 in Netherlands. His research Interests are (1) Genetic diversity and domestication of bananas and coconut; (2) Population genetic diversity and phylogeography of forest trees: teak (Tectona grandis), Xylia, Dalbergia, Afzelia, Pterocarpus, Gluta, Dipterocarpus, Shorea; (3) QTL mapping and genome-wide association using gene-based markers and genomic sequencing; (4) Development and application of universal nuclear barcode markers in plants; (5) Whole genome sequencing of plant species, metagenomics of forest soils for a holistic understanding of forest ecosystems. He was also invited as an esteemed speaker at different international conferences/seminars and organized training workshops. The recent training workshops he had organized is about Practical skills in Plant and Animal Whole genome Analysis held at Center for Agricultural Biotechnology Kasetsart University Kamphaengsaen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

Dr. Hugo Alfried Volkaert took his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering and Master’s degree at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium where he was awarded KVIV award for best thesis in Agricultural Science. He took his PhD in Forest Resources at University of Maine. Orono, Maine, U. S. A. 

Dr. Siva Ramamoorthy is a Professor and Dean at the School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India. He earned his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in plant science from Madurai Kamaraj University, India. He carried out his PhD in Plant Genetic Diversity at Bharathidasan University, India. His postdoctoral research is from Ben Gurion University (Israel) and Gyeongsang National University (South Korea). His research interests include natural products and its pharmaceutical potential. He was recognized as one of the top 2% of scientists in the world since 2020- as per Stanford and Mendeley and Elsevier.  He holds 87 th rank in Biological Sciences as per World Scientist and University Rankings of 2021.  Dr. Siva has been recognized for his contributions at international levels and received many awards. He has been successful to obtain various national, and international research grants. Dr. Siva is an IUCN species commission member for medicinal plants. He was nominated as Fellow of Linnean Society, Fellow of Royal Society of Biology and Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry. He has published more than 175 manuscripts in reputed peer-reviewed journals with closer to 5000 citations, h-index of 39 and i10 index is 100. He authored several books for CRC Press, Springer Nature, and Elsevier. He is the Associate Editor of Phytomedicine, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Frontiers in Plant Science, BMC Plant Biology, BMC Biotechnology, Natural Products and Bioprospecting (Springer Nature), and Academic Editor of PLoS One and Peer J. He is also actively involved in popularizing science in India by organizing conferences and conducting lecture workshops on various aspects of biological sciences.

Dr. Nurhidayati is a Professor of Soil Science and Dean at the Agriculture Faculty, University of Islam Malang, East Java, Indonesia. She earned her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Agricultural Science from Brawijaya University, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Throughout her career, Dr. Nurhidayati has made substantial contribution to academic literature authoring 24 published papers. One of her recent paper published in Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management is titled “Improvement of N, P, and K availability of post-brick mining soil to increase maize yield by applying different types of biochar.” Over the past seven years, she has presented 33 papers at various scientific meetings and seminars, including the 2nd International Seminar and 12th Annual Scientific Conference 2011 "Crossing Border for a Sustainable and Healthy Environment" held in General Santos City, Philippines, and the International Conference on Nature Studies and Innovation for the Environment (ICoNSIE 2017) held at Splash Mountain Resort, Lalakay, Los Baños. She has also attended, conducted, or organized different workshops and trainings throughout the last five years. Dr. Nurhidayati is also actively involved as a reviewer in various Journals including pada Jurnal Internasional Asian Journal of Agriculture and Biology, Pakistan; pada Jurnal Internasional Current World Environment Journal, Enviro Research Publisher; pada Jurnal Internasional Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research, Switzerland; and pada Jurnal Internasional International Journal of Agricultural Technology, AATSEA, Thailand. 

Dr. Ruby S. Hechanova is a retired Professor at the Sultan Kudarat State University with over 10 years of experience in R&D for halal particularly for goats.  She leads the team in the development of protocols for halal-compliant goat production as well as its promotion through Farmer Livestock School, School on the Air, and the development of e-learning modules.  She was a former Program Leader of the DOST NICER (Niche of the Region) for Halal Goat Phase I and is currently working as a consultant for the NICER Phase II Program.  Ruby holds a doctorate in Institutional Development and Management from Isabela State University, Echague, Isabela.  As a retiree, Ruby enjoys gardening in her new haven in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.