LONG WAY TO GO. Faculty and students from various universities offering degree programs in Statistics has come to join for SFCON 2017.
The SEARCA Umali Hall was as crowded as a beehive during the 18th National Student-Faculty Conference on Statistical Sciences (SFCON) held last October 16, 2017 in UP Los Baños. It was indeed an intellectually stimulating event participated by faculty and students from the UP School Statistics (UPSS), Dela Salle University (DLSU) and Central Luzon State University (CLSU). On top of this, the conference featured plenary talks from the pillars of Statistics: Dr. Isidoro P. David and Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales. Also, 24 papers were presented anchored to the theme of the conference “Statistics for Propelling Ambisyon Natin 2040”. Most of them focused on the role of Statistics towards the realization of Ambisyon 2040 – collective long-term vision and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country in the next 25 years.
Since then, the conference was even brought to greater heights. With the full support from Philippine Statistics Research and Training Institute, SFCON has become a national forum where seasoned, young, and soon-to-be statisticians meet to discuss and exchange ideas. This year, three papers were awarded as best papers. Adriel Aparri and Ira Joy Martin, graduates of the Institute of Statistics, UPLB obtained the 3rd and 2nd best paper award, respectively for their paper “Modelling Suicidal Ideation Likelihood Among Filipino Young Adults” and “Investigating the Drug Use Among Filipino Youth”. Meanwhile, the paper of Isabella Beynabe and Patricia Rose Donato both from the UP School of Statistics bagged the 1st place for their paper “Understanding Micro-level Factors Influencing the Ideal Number of Children and Contraceptive Intention and Practice of Filipino Women: A Call for Attention with Unmet Fertility Preference”. Awards were given during the cocktail dinner which is the culmination of the said conference.
~ MJFLopez
