Discovery Dialogues debuts at DOrSU, opens research talks to a wider community
Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) kicked off its Discovery Dialogues (Di2) series on February 6, 2026, convening faculty-researchers, students, and visiting scholars for an afternoon of research talks and discussions that brought scientific work closer to the community through conversation and collaboration.
Held at the University Board Room, Di2 Session 1 featured presentations spanning mushroom research, cervid science, conservation of the Philippine brown deer, and reproductive biology—an interdisciplinary mix that underscored the University’s continuing push to strengthen research culture and widen access to scholarly discussion.
In her message, Ms. Sheena Michelle Badayon, Director for Global Affairs and International Relations, emphasized that the forum was designed to make research more meaningful by placing it in an open setting where ideas are shared. “Scientific knowledge becomes more relevant and impactful when it is openly exchanged and collectively explored,” Ms. Badayon said.
The session opened with Ing. Miroslav Jozifek, PhD candidate from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, who introduced participants to the science and prospects of mushrooms, discussing cultivation and production with an eye toward practical applications. Dr. Francisco Ceacero, Head of the Animal Physiology and Behaviour Research Team at the same university, followed with a talk on cervid research and conservation, outlining how ecological and behavioral studies inform protection and management strategies.
A locally anchored conservation discussion was delivered by Mr. Jhonnel P. Villegas, Assistant Professor of DOrSU and PhD candidate at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, who focused on collaborative efforts to conserve the Philippine brown deer (Rusa marianna), emphasizing conservation work that depends on science, institutions, and community engagement moving in the same direction. The session’s final lecture, delivered by Dr. Jerico M. Consolacion, Associate Professor at Mindanao State University–Naawan, explored human biology and provided a comprehensive discussion on reproductive science grounded in current research.
The activity drew more than 80 participants, joining both on-site and online. The virtual audience included attendees from higher education institutions and basic education schools across Region XI, with strong representation from the Biology Teachers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BIOTA) – Davao Chapter, extending the reach of the discussions beyond the DOrSU community.
Di2 is one of the banner programs under the Wildlife Conservation Education (WilConEd) Project implemented by DOrSU’s Tropical Genomics and Invertebrate Research (TROGENIR) Laboratory, and was co-organized with the Center for Futures Thinking and Regenerative Development and the Global Affairs and International Relations Office.
The activity also directly supports DOrSU’s GROWTH framework, reinforcing Research Excellence by putting research outputs before a broader audience, and advancing Globalization through sustained engagement with international partners, including the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. With the first session completed, the University is positioning Discovery Dialogues as a continuing platform for science communication and collaboration.
