Immersion Blog #2 - Getting started #tip #dit #learningisfun

     To continue with my story about industry immersion as one of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Information Technology (DIT). I am a DIT student fromt Technological Institute of the Philippines - Quezon City..

    Last week (April 24 to 28), I started my industry immersion in Southern Leyte State University (SLSU - Main), Sogod, Southern Leyte. It is a 5-campus state university headed by Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes. The five campuses are the following: SLSU-Sogod as the main campus; SLSU-Hinunangan that offers courses in agriculture and environmental sciences; SLSU-Tomas Oppus that offers education courses; SLSU-Bontoc offers courses in line with aquatic and applied life sciences;  and SLSU-San Juan where courses in business and management are offered. 

SLSU logo

      For more information about the school, do visit slsuonline.edu.ph.

     Now back to the immersion story. Last week, I was endorsed to some of the officials of the university. I even got the chance to meet with their University President. I was introduced to some of the research centers where I could have my immersion as well as a tour around the university including the external campus. Based on the research area that I would choose, i would be assigned a mentor. I was presented with these following research areas: precision agriculture and geographic information system (GIS).  

     Before I came here in SLSU with the hope of being accepted, I was contemplating on being a part of their research team in precision agriculture. My previous research in our Artificial Intelligence subject introduced me to the world of precision agriculture especially with image processing. And so, I was really hoping that i would be accepted and be assigned in that area of research. However, when GIS was mentioned, i did a double take. It was more like being torn between two lovers. 

     Doing a research on GIS could be a great start for doing my dissertation proposal. Also, I have attended a training on GIS mapping already and I was thinking that I could go in that direction. And so, I was confused on what to say when asked on what will be my research interest for the duration of the immersion. 

     After a night of brainstorming with myself, I decided to go into precision agriculture particularly in abaca tissue culture. The research center is located in the main campus and there is a prototype already developed specifically for abaca tissue culture. With the chosen topic, I was assigned to my mentor. Meet my mentor Dr. Rhoderick D. Malangsa, DIT. 

With my immersion mentor, Dr. Rhoderick Malangsa, DIT.

     Sir Rhod as he is called by his colleagues, is a graduate of Doctor in Information Technology (DIT) and I am lucky to have him as my mentor. He is the current dean of the College of Computer Studies and Information Technology (CCSIT). He earned his DIT degree from Cebu Institute of Technology - University, Cebu City. 

Rhoderick Malangsa, DIT.  Dean, CCSIT

     Sir Rhod signed my acceptance to company immersion letter. I will have to report to him everyday so that he could monitor my progress. The very first thing that he did was to give me words of encouragement. He said that in doing research, it is not advisable to go do the research right there and then once you have a research topic. You should do some conditioning first and do a lot of reading. Train yourself to read at least six literatures and do a review of literature index for better comprehension and easier recall. 

This is me doing my literature review on Fuzzy logic. 

     And that is how my first week of industry immersion went by. Endorsement, choosing a research topic, assigned a mentor, installed necessary software and did a lot of reading while my mentor Sir Rhod checks my literature review table from time to time. 

     For this week, May 2-5, i am to continue with my readings and my literature review. If schedule permits, i would be doing some observation in the abaca research center and to have a one-on-one discussion on how to go about with my research topic. 

     All is well that ends well.  To God be the Glory. 

Total contact hours: 40