BIOENERGY RESEARCHER BAGS UN AWARD

CZANEIL Gomez, a Filipino researcher from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research (Searca), received the United Nations Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Youth Award in Rome, Italy, last month.

Her research, "Harnessing Rice Straw to Empower Rice Farming Communities in the Philippines," gained the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2024 Youth Award for its contribution to sustainable and renewable energy.

The GBEP Youth Award recognizes deserving young researchers who advance knowledge and practice in bioenergy. It covers a range of topics, including the circular economy, technologies, supply chain and logistics, societal practices, policy and strategies, and climate change.

Gomez was awarded during the UN GBEP 11th Bioenergy Week, an annual congregation of bioenergy stakeholders hailing from different countries. About 127 stakeholders from 27 nations participated in this year's conference, including country representatives, experts, industry leaders and researchers.

Maria Michela Morese, FAO senior natural resources officer and energy team leader, presented the award to Gomez, who bested seven other finalists. Gomez presented her study at GBEP-Youth and United Nations Global Alliance or Yunga Bioenergy Youth Day.

Her presentation highlighted the conversion of rice straw into biogas as a sustainable method for rice straw management, benefiting rice farming communities in the Philippines. She said the approach addresses waste management issues while providing "a renewable energy source and has the potential to improve the livelihoods of rice farming communities."

Searca Director Glenn Gregorio said Gomez works under Searca's Rice Straw Biogas Hub (RSBH), an Innovate UK-funded project to utilize rice straws as an alternative clean fuel for cooking and industrial use.

He noted that in the spring of 2023, Gomez conducted her study at Aston University under a team of experts from Aston University Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Gregorio said Gomez will be privileged to present at different international events co-organized by GBEP in 2024.

Search project specialist for RSBH Lichelle Dara Carlos said that Gomez's success would drive forward climate mitigation efforts and enhance the resilience of agricultural communities. She reiterated that the center is deeply committed to nurturing young researchers who are at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and renewable energy innovations.

One of Gomez's study supervisors from EBRI, Mirjam Röder, said the award recognizes Gomez's work in "promoting bioenergy, especially in one of the highest-profile international bioenergy organizations."

Gomez said that the award's recognition of her research "will serve as a reminder that with passion, hard work and the right support, anything is possible."

She plans to build on the recognition to continue contributing to and promoting bioenergy research and sustainability, seek new opportunities for collaboration and inspire other women and early career researchers.

2024-07-05T16:14:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd