Ike de la Pena, PhD, associate professor at Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy, and George Jackson, PhD, professor in the Department of Earth and Biological Sciences at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, have returned from attending the 10th International Scholars Conference in the Philippines which brings together researchers from around the globe to share best academic practices in translational research.
Both faculty members proudly represented Loma Linda University, emphasizing the importance of knowledge-sharing, and the potential for future research collaborations and student recruitment.
Dr. Jackson presented a keynote session on his research involving mercury levels and his expeditions to the Galapagos and the Philippines, as well as a workshop on the speciation of African fish. One of the highlights of Dr. Jackson's visit was his address to the Philippine International SDA Church C congregation of around 1,000 people during a special Creation Sabbath event, where he shared insights on the dynamic relationship between faith and science.
One of the highlights of Dr. Jackson’s visit was the opportunity to explore Taal Lake which houses an active volcano. The lake could provide research opportunities to measure mercury levels in the fish due to its unique ecosystem.
Dr. de la Pena presented a keynote address in which he introduced the concept of intellectual humility and its potential to enhance interprofessional collaborations. His presentation was informed by his earlier research articles on intellectual humility, including this recent article where he and his co-authors explored the varying perspectives and attitudes of health professions students towards interprofessional collaboration, examining their potential connections with intellectual humility.
In addition to his keynote address, Dr. de la Pena conducted a master class session that covered neuropharmacology research and techniques. During this session, he presented strategies for fostering collaborative research efforts and shared his personal journey in the field of neuropharmacology.
The International Scholars Conference is a collaborative effort between prominent Seventh-day Adventist universities, including the Adventist University of the Philippines, Asia-Pacific International University (APIU) in Thailand, Universitas Klabat (UNKLAB) and Universitas Advent Indonesia (UNAI) in Indonesia.