Dr. Lesley Casas Lubos, the Vice President for Research, Publication, and Extension of Liceo de Cagayan University was invited as one of the resource persons in the 2017 ASEAN International Symposium on Research and Scientific Publishing held last September 28-30, 2017 at Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines. Dr. Lubos spoke on the topic: “Turning Data into Knowledge for Widening Access: The Asian Journal of Biodiversity (ISI Journal)” and discussed the experience of Liceo de Cagayan University in the publication of the only ISI-indexed journal in Mindanao—The Asian Journal of Biodiversity of which he has been the Editor-in-chief since 2010.

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As one of the plenary speakers, Dr. Lubos joined the ranks of select international researchers on biodiversity and interdisciplinary research, namely: Dr. Jimmy T. Masagca (CSU), Dr. Raymond Jacinto Sugcang (Phil. Nuclear Research Institute), Dr. Gyo Itani (Japan), Dr. Teruyuki Shinbo (Japan), Ms. Jennifer Yong (Malaysia), Dr. Florencia G. Claveria (SEAMEO), Dr. Minerva I. Morales (CSU President), Dr. Zeehan Jaafar (National University of Singapore), and Dr. Lily P. Custodio (CSU).

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The theme of this year’s activity was “Island Biodiversity, Conservation, and Resource Management towards Sustainability, Equity and Climate Resiliency.” The international conference was organized by Catanduanes State University, with the assistance of CHED IDIG BCPRO, Kuroshio Science Research Unit and Journal, Kochi University, Japan, and Foundation for the Philippine Environment.