University of Illinois at IRRI for exchange on various research initiatives

A delegation from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science (ACES) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to share their various research projects.

The weeklong visit kicked off on 11 May with an overview of IRRI presented by Deputy Director General for Communication and Partnerships Bruce Tolentino. The professors also met with IRRI scientists and visited IRRI research facilities.

The highlight of the visit was a lecture series on 13 May where the professors presented their research projects. One of the guests, associate professor and director of the Agricultural Communications program Lulu Rodriguez, presented her work on connecting peoples and institutions while fostering dialogues through stories about science.

“Scientists should stick to their key message—the importance and potential impact of their scientific endeavors,” she said on how scientists should manage media queries. Dr. Rodriguez also expressed her pleasure at the opportunity to return to her roots. A graduate from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, she pursued her MS degree at Cornell University and PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

ACES pursues research, education, and outreach around the world to promote food and water security and to positively impact human lives, livelihoods, and the world’s environment. The college maintains a strong international presence by fostering activities among faculty through its Academy for Global Engagement to build capacity for international engagement.  ACES is presently hosting 6 IRRI scholars of the Lee Foundations Rice Scholarship Program.


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