The College of Computer Studies – Advanced Research Institute for Informatics, Computing, and Networking (CCS-AdRIC) successfully concluded the Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS) Science Immersion Program 2025, which ran from June 17 to July 2, 2025. The two-week immersion gathered 27 outstanding student interns from ten PSHS campuses nationwide: Main Campus, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Central Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Cordillera Administrative Region, and MIMAROPA, offering them a unique opportunity to explore university-level research and development in a dynamic, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating environment.
The program commenced with an orientation session and was followed by a week of lectures that laid the groundwork for their immersion. These sessions were facilitated by faculty and researchers from AdRIC’s various laboratories and covered timely and relevant topics such as Data Science, Natural Language Processing, Networking and Information Security, Emphatic Computing and its impact on society, Automation and Robotics, Game Development, Bioinformatics, and Generative Artificial Intelligence. Apart from the academic sessions, the students were also treated to a guided campus tour with the assistance of the Lasallian Ambassadors, allowing them to experience the campus culture and community. A particularly memorable moment was a special lecture delivered by Dr. Dominic Kitavi, a visiting professor from the University of Embu in Kenya, who shared his inspiring academic journey, the global differences in research pathways, and his experiences as a postdoctoral research fellow.
In the second week, students were grouped according to three thematic tracks aligned with their interests and strengths. The first track focused on mobility and transportation and was hosted by research centers including the Center for Networking and Information Security, the Center for Automation Research, Human-X Interactions, and the Computational Imaging and Visual Innovations lab. The second track centered on health and assistive technology and was facilitated by the Center for Human-Computer Innovations, the Center for Language Technologies, the Bioinformatics Lab, and the Center for ICT for Development. Meanwhile, the third track highlighted creativity and design in game development under the mentorship of the Graphics, Animation, Multimedia and Entertainment Laboratory. Within these research tracks, the students engaged in hands-on activities, collaborative workshops, and presentations. They also had the chance to interact with DLSU student researchers, who shared their own academic projects and research experiences. Midway through the week, the students attended the De La Salle University Research Congress 2025, a university-wide conference focused on world-class and sustainable research, where they were able to witness the breadth and depth of international and interdisciplinary academic work.
The immersion program culminated in final group presentations where students showcased the outcomes of their research immersion experience. During the closing ceremony, students shared heartfelt reflections on their time at DLSU, expressing appreciation for the academic growth they experienced, the meaningful friendships they formed, and the welcoming environment cultivated by the DLSU community and their fellow Pisay interns. Many described the program as not only academically enriching but also personally transformative, helping them envision their future paths in science and technology more clearly.
In his closing message, Prof. Dr. Joel Ilao offered words of encouragement framed through a scientific lens. He shared, “As the popular tagline in DLSU goes, ‘The Future Begins Here.’ In the language of scientific speak, let me propose a corollary contextualized to the SIP: Axiom – You had a great experience in your DLSU SIP. Proposition – Your journey toward a scientific career has already started, ever since you learned to love science and math and enrolled in the Pisay curriculum. Deduction – Your fulfilling scientific journey starts here.”
The PSHS Science Immersion Program 2025 stands as a testament to DLSU’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of changemakers through science and education. By fostering curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, CCS-AdRIC continues to empower young minds to pursue meaningful contributions to nation-building and beyond.
