The UST College of Science Department of Chemistry, in cooperation with the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences and the Graduate School, recently organized the first Honorary Professor Lecture Series in line with the centennial of the College of Science with Professor Emeritus Dr. Geoffrey Cordell last December 4, 2024, at the Central Laboratory Auditorium.
The lecture, titled, “C.A.R.E.: Writing and Publishing Manuscripts and Beyond,” was attended by students of the B.Sc. Chemistry program, DOST-ASTHRDP scholars under various natural science programs of the UST Graduate School, and academic staff of the Department of Chemistry.
During the event, Cordell emphasized on the importance of properly communicating one’s scientific knowledge through publications in valid, peer-reviewed journals and how this is important in the development of capable scientists. Throughout his lecture, he used the acronym C.A.R.E. to highlight his key takeaways for the audience such as “Conduct Appropriate and Rigorous Experiment,” “Commit to Accurate Report as an Experimentalist,” “Critically Assessing Research Expenditures,” among others. These examples, as well as many other CARE acronyms he has developed, have been published in the journal Natural Products Communications in September 2021.
Prior to the lecture, Cordell met with Assistant to the Rector for UST General Santos Acad. Prof. Emeritus Maribel G. Nonato, Dean of the College of Science Prof. Rey Donne S. Papa, and Chair of the Department of Chemistry Assoc. Prof. Alan Rodelle M. Salcedo to discuss potential program offerings in UST. Cordell’s insights as an academic official of the University of Illinois and natural products researcher were instrumental as the department is preparing its program offerings for UST GenSan.
Cordell, who is an emeritus professor in the University of Illinois at Chicago and former Dean of its College of Pharmacy, is a long-time collaborator of several natural products chemists of the UST Department of Chemistry such as Prof. Emeritus Beatrice Q. Guevara, Acad. Prof. Emeritus Maribel G. Nonato and Prof. Ma. Alicia M. Aguinaldo. He was given the title Honorary Professor of Chemistry by the UST College of Science in 2017.
