Research Fellow Jerome Cleofas Shares His Project Management Experience in SDRC Brown Bag Session

Sitting in a panel discussion alongside actual members of the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Council, and being recognized as an expert whose opinions are worth hearing.

This was among the most memorable experiences recounted by Dr. Jerome Cleofas, who was the third in a series of research fellows invited to speak during the Social Development Research Center’s brown bag sessions on project management, held on August 2, 2024 at the Research Commons.

An associate professor of the Department of Sociology and Behavioral Sciences and a National Academy of Science and Technology Outstanding Young Scientist for 2024, Dr. Cleofas described his learning process while leading the SDRC project “Development of Disaster Preparedness Manual for Earthquakes.” He spoke of the advantages of conducting a project at SDRC, particularly the support of the core staff who provide assistance with concerns such as budget preparation; and, in lighthearted moments, spoke of the challenges of working on disaster reduction, which is an intensely “masculine” concept, given that his research interests previously focused on youth and emerging adulthood, family studies, and nursing education. Despite such hurdles, he advised new researchers not to be afraid of the unexpected, as these were a normal part of any research undertaking.

SDRC was pleased to welcome University Scientist in Residence Dr. Pilar Ramos Jimenez and College of Liberal Arts Dean Dr. Rhoderick Nuncio as special guests during the brown bag session. They engaged with members of the administration and faculty of Surigao del Norte State University who SDRC was also hosting. The group visited the DLSU-Manila campus as the HEI they selected for their benchmarking activities.