UIC Research, Publication, and Innovation Center (RPIC) Director Dr. Renan P. Limjuco captured researchers and innovators from all over the world with his research and song presentations during the 1^st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Academic Research and Innovation (IARI) held at Universitas Komputer Indonesia, November 23-24, 2016.

Limjuco won the BEST PAPER AWARD for his study titled Heightening experiential reprises: An autoethnography to underscore the Music Program of the University of the Immaculate Conception, which Profs. Mary Jane G. Barluado and Eric A. Moreno co-authored. The recognition was one of the only two best paper awards (out of 142 submitted papers) given during the entire conference, and was based on a set of criteria including relevance, significance, originality, validity, and clarity of the paper.

True to the core of his study, Limjuco also captivated the audience during the conference’s Plenary session and Social night with his song renditions of Josh Groban’s To Where You Are, Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing, and Michael Buble’s  Feeling Good. He was introduced as the Singing Researcher from the Philippines. His performance expanded his research clout and opened opportunities for collaboration with foreign researchers on cross-cultural Music and related innovations.

As expressed by Dr. Farooq Ahmed Jam, conference chair, IARI 2016 was a platform for researchers and scholars from various disciplines to discuss avenues for interdisciplinary innovations and identify effective ways for sustainability and growth of human societies globally.

With Limjuco in the conference was UIC Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Academic Coordinator Prof. Marx Catalan who presented his study “Sero-positivity for Histoplasma capsulatum among the nearby residents and workers of bat caves,” which his MLS student research advisees Anna Dominique Margas and Aprilyn Francisco co-authored. Limjuco and Catalan also both received Certificates of Appreciation for being Session Chairs during the conference.