Adamson University Mining Engineering and Geology Students’ Association (AUMEGA) proudly presents one of its flagship and most awaited events of the year, the third edition of the annual Mining Engineering and Geology Association Month or 3rd MEGA Month with the theme: “Mining and Geosciences: Partners in Transforming the Society” as advised by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on January 10 – 30, 2017.
Of the month-long roster of events, the Prograde MEGA Exhibit is set to open the 3rd MEGA Month with the theme: The Contributions of Mining and Geosciences to the Progress of the Society. The greatest aspiration of Prograde is to instill the effects of responsible mining and geosciences and let the society realize its benefits and innovations which it has brought to mankind.
It hopes to be the harbinger of realizations and reductions of misconceptions about the mining industry and climate change that is based on scientific evidence, no more no less. Moreover, the hands-on, critical discussions and real-life samples such as rocks and minerals should also grace the Saint Therese Quadrangle, the largest venue in Adamson University, which makes the Prograde Exhibit one of the main attractions of MEGA Month. The exhibit will run from January 10 to 13 and January 23 to 27 at 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The University President, Rev. Fr. Marcelo V. Manimtim, is expected to open the event in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Next up after the short opening ceremony is the first full-pledged research congress offered by AUMEGA dubbed as Emergence where innovative and transformative breakthroughs in geosciences, materials, metallurgical and mining engineering will be presented. A total of six student thesis presentations from the Adamson University – Mining, Ceramic and Geology Department, the Mapua Institute of Technology, and the University of the Philippines – Diliman and four topic speakers from the academe and industry will charm the two-day Emergence Research Congress. Dr. Leo V. Armada of the National Institute of Geological Sciences University of the Philippines – Diliman will deliver the keynote speech after his lecture on marine geophysics. Atty. Leo G. Dominguez, President and CEO of Olli Consulting Group, Inc., will also be a topic speaker while DOST Secretary and MGB Concurrent Director are still yet to confirm.
The jam-packed first week of the 3rd MEGA Month is to be succeeded by a strong wave of scholastic competitions starting with the Brain Core College Geology Quiz Bee on January 23; Mine Blast College Mining Quiz Bee on January 25; Brain Core High School Quiz Bee and Essay Writing Contest on January 28, and; Authigenesis Mineral Identification Bee on January 30. Brain Core is one of the legacy events of the lead organizer while Mine Blast dedicated to mining engineering is its first time to be held this year; the mining engineering members of the organization have been voicing out their enthusiasm on this new offering.
However, the main highlight of these competitions is the Mineral Identification Bee (MIB) with its annual revamp of the concept. On its third year, experience another exciting installment of MIB dubbed as Authigenesis. Overhauled to fuse American TV show Jeopardy! and amazing race combined with geology, Authigenesis aims to serve as an avenue for promoting enjoyable learning techniques while strengthening external linkages to other organizations and boosting solidarity.
Adhering to its ‘partners’ theme, the scholastic competitions require participants to register by pair or partner (except for the essay writing contest), regardless of their academic standing in college or junior/senior high school. Several colleges and universities as well as high schools in the country were invited. These competitions are endorsed by DepEd and CHED nationwide.
To top off the month-long celebration of the marvelous decades of the synergetic relationship between mining and geosciences, AUMEGA is going all in with the Transform Responsible Mining and Climate Change Symposium to tackle the hottest and most talked about updates and findings in the these disciplines. These two have been the advocacy of the organization proven by its unwinding partnership with the Climate Change Commission and its Greeneration campaign and NOWPh: One Million Youth Voices, and the strong tie with the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (MEGA Month’s partner for three consecutive years since its establishment).
The 3rd MEGA Month is co-presented by OceanaGOLD Philippines, Inc. in cooperation with Sumitomo Metal Mining Philippine Holdings Corporation, Coral Bay Nickel Corporation and Taganito HPAL, Nickel Asia Corporation, and Eagle Cement in collaboration with the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association. It is also supported by Olli Consulting Group.
In a nutshell, the 3rd MEGA Month aims to realize the contributions of mining and geosciences to the society while efficiently providing platforms for the strong reduction of misconceptions about the mining industry and climate change. The event also hopes to boost academic excellence through quiz bees, conferences, symposia and the like while promoting mining engineering and geosciences as future viable careers to high schools and college students.
For more information, kindly contact the 3rd MEGA Month Chairman, Wilbern Blitz P. Paeste, at 09051545353 or e-mail the organizers at aumegamonth2015@gmail.com. For updates, kindly check the official Facebook page: facebook.com/AUMEGAOfficial.
