Dr. Carla Dimalanta, professor at the UP Diliman National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS), is one of the 10 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos recognized for rendering service “above and beyond the call of duty”, inspiring and influencing peers, and transforming communities through works that have a lasting positive impact on the people and the country.
Dimalanta, who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geology from UP and her PhD degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of Tokyo, leads the research laboratory Rushurgent Working Group at NIGS. She and her colleagues have carried out various research projects in Central Philippines to determine which islands form part of the continent-derived Palawan Microcontinental Block. From these activities, her laboratory published more than 70 papers, cited by international geoscientists and biodiversity, biogeography and phylogeny experts, in Web of Science-indexed journals. Dimalanta likewise supervised and mentored the research assistants in the projects during their master’s studies. Those who pursued doctoral studies abroad are now working with Dimalanta as co-project leaders.
The 10 awardees — four teachers, three soldiers and three police officers — went through a rigorous selection process that involved hundreds of nominations. Representatives of government, academia, military and media came up with a shortlist from the record of accomplishments while third-party organizations conducted the field validation. The 19 who made it to the final round were interviewed by a multisector board of judges chaired by Senator Sonny Angara and co-chaired by Associate Justice Noel Tijam.
Each of the awardees will receive a cash prize of P1M (net of tax), a gold medallion and a trophy.
Dr. Carla Dimalanta (7th from left) joins Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña and the other awardees at the press conference on 9 August 2018. The conferment ceremony will be held on 7th September. (Photo by the Metrobank Foundation via its Facebook page)
Last month, Dimalanta won the Outstanding Research and Development Award for Basic Research (Eduardo A. Quisumbing Medal) of the National Academy of Science and Technology for her contributions to understanding the formation of the Philippines and strengthening geodisaster risk reduction and management in the country.
Dimalanta serves as the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Research).
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Call for Nominations: 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award
