UIC Science Resource Center:
Strength, Science, Service
Ludy M. Porticos
What makes a university exceptional? What makes it excellent? These are two simple questions which every layperson would want to have answers. And one would have to look deeper into the core values of the organization.
For the University of the Immaculate Conception or UIC, it has consistently upheld its core values of Faith, Service, and Excellence. Not only it is pioneering in a lot of ways it also serves excellence on a daily basis.
With its Science Resource Center (SRC), UIC has earned the respect of its stakeholders because of its excellent facilities and services, not to mention its pool of scientists. Located at the UIC-Father Selga campus in Davao City, the main campus, the SRC is a full-service laboratory. It has facilities for physical, chemical, pharmaceutical, and microbiological testing and research. Running the center are licensed chemists, medical technologists, a pharmacist, and seasoned chemical technicians.
The SRC provides UIC science faculty and students with technical assistance and extensive hands-on training on sophisticated instrumentation. It houses state-of-the-art research instruments such as simultaneous thermal analyzer – Fourier transform infrared (STA-FTIR) spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM); purge and trap/gas chromatograph – mass spectrometer (P&T/GC-MS), and a high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC). Laboratory staff also work as part-time faculty thereby providing rich source of practical, varied, and relevant experiences for science students.
For the community and industry, SRC also offers professional analytical services at nominal fees. It is equipped to handle analysis of agricultural needs (soil, leaf or plant tissue, fertilizer), food and feed, water and wastewater, ores and mines, fats and oils, pharmaceutical, and other samples. Meanwhile, it also issues Certificates of Nutrition Facts, for use in nutritional labeling of food products, upon request.
The SRC is one of the first 12 DENR-recognized laboratories in the Philippines. Since 1999, SRC has been serving the “third party” water and wastewater quality testing needs of industries in and around the Southern Mindanao region. The SRC has also been a DOH-accredited water testing facility since 2001. It provides physical, chemical, and microbiological testing of drinking water. The SRC’s operation as a chemical laboratory is duly authorized by the Board of Chemistry of the Professional Regulations Commission.
The SRC also conducts health and environment related research activities. Most research are in collaboration with partners from the industry, government agencies and other academic institutions. One completed project in 2020 was in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office XI (DOST-XI). Under the project, “Enhancing the applicability of the vertical helophyte filter system for small communities, local MSMEs, and public entities”, a nature-based wastewater treatment technology was pilot-tested in selected industries (poultry, slaughterhouse, food processing, bakery, hospital, domestic) with promising results. The two-year project was funded by the DOST-Philippine Council on Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD).
Another collaborative project was funded by UNESCO-Malaysia under Health, Environment, Life, and Policy (HELP) – Davao Network, a UNESCO affiliate. The project on “Vulnerability Assessment of the urban water supply system of Davao City, Southern Philippines” assessed and mapped vulnerabilities of the urban water supply system vis-à-vis vulnerabilities of selected communities to 100-year return floods, in 67 riverine and floodplain barangays located in four of 8 river systems in Davao City.
Since its creation in late 1994, the SRC has adhered to the quality guidelines of ISO/IEC Guide 25 and to the requirements of ISO 17025 in its operation. As a founding member of the Southern Mindanao Analytical Laboratories Consortium (LABCON) in 1995, the SRC has since been responsive to the science and technology services needs in and around the region.
The Center has been extending assistance to individuals and companies in all their testing needs. In fact, students have won numerous awards nationally and internationally through testing services. Private firms also seek the testing services of SRC for various reasons especially for those needing certification.
At the UIC-SRC, clients are assured of prompt service, fair prices, and helpful staff.