Mariano Marcos
State University

MMSU spearheads global sustainability dialogue through ISNC2026

By Myrrha Prima Rosa Muli

Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) brought together international researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and development stakeholders for the 2026 International Sustainability Nexus Conference (ISNC2026) during its opening on November 11 at the MMSU Center for Flexible Learning.

The three-day conference features a slate of international speakers in the plenary sessions and parallel workshops around five thematic areas: climate-smart and nature-based solutions; climate-resilient health, education, and biocultural systems; engineering and clean energy innovations; policy and governance for carbon neutrality; and smart technologies for decarbonization.

The plenary sessions are headlined by keynote speaker, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Senior Research Scientist Emeritus, Dr. Josefino Comiso, who served at the Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, United States.

He is joined by Dr. Ranadheer Reddy and Dr. Anil Anal of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand; Dr. Hyungseok Nam of Kyungpook National University in South Korea; Dr. Md. Siddikur Rahman of Begum Rokeya University, Bangladesh; Dr. Jonel Saludes of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo; and Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for High Value Crops Cheryl Marie Caballero.

They are also joined by experts from various industries, including Dr. Richard Nixon Gomez of BauerTek Farmaceutical Technologies; Dr. Caleb Floss of the US Grains and BioProducts Council; Mr. Yotsapark Ruangrat of Praj Far East Co. Ltd.; and Ms. Kannika Suhatthaphorn of Lallemand Biofuels and Distilled Spirits.

The speakers are set to explore the application of geospatial technologies and artificial intelligence in climate adaptation, waste conversion and carbon capture, sustainable food and pharmaceutical innovations, biofuel production, and agricultural development.

In his speech, MMSU President Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr. noted the role of transnational partnerships between governments, research institutions, and industries in solving transnational challenges.

“The interconnectedness of the sustainability challenges that we face in our respective nations, the Southeast Asian region, and and at the global level requires that our solutions also be interconnected. This is the essence of this Sustainability Nexus Conference,” he remarked.

The conference also opened opportunities for participants for research publication through the MMSU Science and Technology Journal Special Issue/ Conference Proceedings and the Scopus-indexed International Journal of Geoinformatics, subject to each publication’s respective requirements.

ISNC2026 was made possible through the sponsorship of the Ethanol Producers Association of the Philippines (EPAP), Katrin Field, Inc., Rotary Club of Laoag Sunshine, and Labtraders, Inc.

The conference was co-convened by Quirino State University, Ilocos Sur Polythechnic State College, Central Luzon State University, University of Eastern Philippines, AIT, and the EPAP, reflecting a shared effort to advance research collaboration and sustainable development across institutions and sectors.

Highlighting EPAP’s support for the conference, Executive Director Engr. Queenie Rojo underscored the association’s role in advancing the transition to cleaner energy sources.

”We aim to remain consistent and committed in our collective and collaborative pursuit for sustainable sources of energy,” she emphasized.

Anchored on the theme, “Accelerating Decarbonization Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Future,” the conference serves as a platform for knowledge and research exchange, discussing policy directions, and building partnerships across agriculture, aquatic and natural resources, health, and renewable energy systems.