Over the past three months, the Rushurgent Working Group (RWG) has continued to advance its research efforts, build collaborations, and promote geoscience communication through conferences, internship programs, publications, and seminars.
International Conferences
Several RWG graduate students actively participated in major international conferences. From July 27 to August 1, graduate students Mr. Lyle Andre Arenque, Mr. Armando Salvador Bambao, Ms. Chae Ann Malipol, Mr. Joshua Godwin Cuevas, Ms. Reign Megino, Mr. Kreyvin Geonathan Andal, and Mr. Kenneth Jan Sangalang participated in the 2025 Asia Oceania Geoscience Society (AOGS) conference held at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The event provided opportunities to engage in scientific discussions, receive feedback and build networks with fellow geoscience researchers from across the globe.
RWG students during the AOGS 2025.
Meanwhile, from September 11 to 12, Dr. Betchaida Payot, Dr. Jillian Gabo-Ratio and graduate students Mr. Armando Salvador Bambao, Ms. Chae Ann Malipol, Mr. Joshua Godwin Cuevas, Ms. Larissa Gabrielle Babon, and Ms. Alliah Linel Santos participated virtually in the 2025 International Conference on Geological Engineering and Geosciences (ICGoES). This conference also provided a global platform where researchers, academics, professionals, and policymakers share recent findings, exchange ideas, and discuss emerging trends in geological engineering and geosciences.
RWG members during the ICGoES 2025.
Internship Programs
Graduate students Mr. Kreyvin Geonathan Andal and Mr. Kenneth Jan Sangalang joined Akita University’s 2025 internship program in Akita, Japan, from June 17 to July 10. Organized by the Graduate School of International Resource Sciences, the program focused on “Sustainable Resource Development in 2025” and brought together students from around the world to learn about advances in exploration, extraction, utilization, and recycling of various resources. The program also featured cultural activities, including visits to historical sites, museums, factories, and geological outcrops.
Mr. Sangalang and Mr. Andal together with other participants during the 2025 internship program at Akita University, Japan.
From July 4 to August 10, Ms. Alliah Linel Santos and Ms. Larissa Gabrielle Babon participated in the Taiwan Experience Education Program 2025 at the National Chung Cheng University. They conducted laboratory analyses as part of their work as research assistants under the DOST-funded project “From Source Terrains to Basin Evolution (STroBE): Geologic Evolution and Paleoclimate Studies in the northern Cagayan Valley sub-basin.”
Ms. Santos and Ms. Babon during TEEP 2025.
Ms. Chae Ann Malipol and Mr. Joshua Godwin Cuevas also took part in the same program from September 1 to 30 in Taipei, Taiwan. They are enhancing their knowledge in geophysical data processing techniques to support their ongoing research for their master’s theses.
Publications
RWG also marked significant publication milestones this quarter. Two papers were published in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Volume 1517):
- Edge Detectors for Offshore Fault Mapping Using Gravity Data: Example from the Manila Trench Forearc Region (https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1517/1/012017)
- Mineralogy and Geochemistry of the Paranas Karst Bauxite Deposit of Samar Island, Philippines (https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1517/1/012040)
In addition, one paper was published in Island Arc.
- Ages and Geochemistry of Igneous Rocks in the Northern Sierra Madre–Caraballo Mountains, Philippines: Implications for Subduction Reconstruction Beneath Northern Luzon (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fiar.70028)
Seminars
On July 16, RWG organized a NIGS Lecture Series featuring Dr. Hideki Shimada and Dr. Takashi Sasaoka from Kyushu University, Japan at the NIGS Seminar Room. They presented an overview of the Department of Earth Resources Engineering and shared their research on rock engineering, mining machinery, and geotechnical safety. This event was held in partnership with the Iuvenis Orbis Geological Fraternity and the National Institute of Geological Sciences.
Dr. Shimada and Dr. Sasaoka together with the participants during the NIGS Lecture Series.
Additionally, RWG began its weekly lab seminar series this September to provide regular research updates and foster discussions among lab members and the wider geoscience community. Upcoming seminars will be announced at the RWG Facebook page.
To learn more about the laboratory, you may visit our website (https://rwg-tag.bravehost.com) and our Facebook Page (Rushurgent Working Group).