DLSU Alumni scholars complete graduate degrees at Chulalongkorn University

Three Lasallian Civil Engineers namely, Marcus Kyle Baron, Janine Faustino, and Mervyn Jan Malvar recently completed their Master’s degree in Civil Engineering at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Last June 2013, the three alumni were awarded full scholarships by the ASEAN University Network / Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network (AUN/SEED-Net) for their chosen two-year program (Read related blog). The AUN/SEED-Net is supported and funded by the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

They finished their Master’s degree in various specialized fields of civil engineering. Their respective specializations and thesis topics are as follows:

•  Marcus Kyle Baron, M.Eng – Transportation Engineering; “Travel Behavior and Responses to Change in Transit Fare: A Comparative Study of Urban Rail Passengers between Bangkok and Manila”
•  Janine Faustino, M.Eng – Geotechnical Engineering; “Pile Load Distribution Behavior of Pile Group Foundations subjected to Combined Vertical Load and Moment”
• Mervyn Jan Malvar, M.Eng – Construction Engineering and Management; “Implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Construction Risk Management in Design-Build Projects”

Prior to fulfilling their Master’s degree, they were required to complete 36 units (24 units for coursework, 12 units for thesis). They have also written papers which were published and presented in international proceedings and conferences.  Aside from their academic contributions in the field of civil engineering, they have also contributed to society by gathering relevant information and helping solve problems through their respective researches. The program also let them expand their networks through the diversity they’ve experienced, especially with other ASEAN nationalities.

Today, the three alumni are back in the Philippines to pursue their careers. Engr. Faustino and Engr. Malvar are currently looking for opportunities to use their respective specializations in the industry, whereas Engr. Baron will become a member of the DLSU Civil Engineering faculty in Term 1, AY 2015-2016. All have finished their requirements and are set to graduate on October 8-9, 2015.

The two deaprtments of civil engineering of DLSU and CU have a student exchange program held annually during the summer break. This is one reason why there is an increasing number of alumni  enrolling at Chulalongkorn University. Presently, there is one Lasallian scholar namely Engr. Paolo Ian Lucero, at CU Civil Engineering Department.

The blog contributor, Mervyn Malvar in one conference in China

- Report written by Mervyn Malvar