FU Fine Arts Program Head Wins Best Research Paper Award at ASCEND 2026 National Research Conference

Foundation University's Fine Arts Program Head Sandra Palomar-Quan has been recognized with the Best Research Paper Award at the ASCEND 2026 National Research Conference, held from May 28 to 30 at Newtown Plaza Hotel in Baguio City, Philippines. Palomar-Quan received the distinction under Strand 5: Research, Partnerships, and Knowledge Translation for her paper titled “Co-Creating Knowledge in Place: Interpretive Design as an Extension Strategy in School–Community Partnerships for Mangrove Conservation.”

This is a highly competitive platform with a select number of presenters at the conference who qualified among 126 research submissions nationwide. Organized by the Philippine Association of Professional Teachers and Researchers and its partners, ASCEND 2026 carried the theme “Advancing Strategic Collaboration, Evidence-Based Innovation, and Needs-Responsive Development in Teaching and Research.”

The conference brought together educators, researchers, and practitioners from across the country to share studies that strengthen teaching, research, and community engagement in higher education. Palomar-Quan’s study explores how interpretive design can serve as a collaborative strategy for mangrove conservation through sustained school–community partnerships. The research presents a model that goes beyond traditional outreach or needs assessment approaches by positioning communities as active partners in knowledge creation and environmental action.

“The judges recognized that we were expanding the definition of knowledge translation,” Palomar-Quan said. “The project was not a one-off outreach activity but a framework that bridges several institutional mandates. It connected academic work with environmental stewardship and community engagement in a meaningful way.”

She added that this approach reflects a broader shift in how higher education institutions understand extension work, “Extension is no longer just about delivering expertise. It is about shared learning, co-creation, and mutual knowledge production that emerges from lived experience.”

A key feature of the research is its long-term collaboration with the Siit Palinpinon Mangrove Conservation Walk Association (SiPaMaCoWA), led by President Evelyn Bucad.

Rather than serving as research subjects, community members actively participated as co-creators of knowledge, contributing to both the design and implementation of conservation efforts.

The partnership, sustained for over three years, demonstrates how academic institutions and local communities can address environmental challenges together while producing meaningful, place-based learning outcomes.

The study also highlights an interdisciplinary framework that connects multiple university functions, including:

• extension and outreach

• teaching and learning

• research and knowledge production

• environmental conservation

• community development

• arts and culture

This integration distinguishes the project from broadly accepted extension initiatives by embedding creativity and interpretive design into environmental engagement strategies.

While focused on mangrove conservation efforts, the broader implications and relevance of the insights shared turned her paper into an award-winning one. These insights could be used for environmental education, community development, heritage work, and extension practice. It was not just about a mangrove site in Negros Oriental - it was about a different way of building relationships between universities, communities, and places.

Another key factor that made Palomar-Quan’s paper stand out is the fact that her study had both intellectual and human dimensions. “A common weakness in conference papers is that they are either theoretically sophisticated but disconnected from real people, or practical but lacking conceptual depth.”

Palomar-Quan emphasized that behavioral change in environmental stewardship is more effectively achieved through participation and ownership rather than information alone.

“People do not necessarily become environmental stewards because they receive more information. Stewardship grows through participation, creativity, cultural connection, and shared responsibility,” she said.

According to Palomar-Quan, the research has implications for how universities design and evaluate extension programs, particularly in measuring impact and fostering long-term community relationships.

The study positions universities not only as knowledge producers but also as facilitators of shared learning ecosystems that respond to real-world environmental and social challenges.

ASCEND 2026 National Research Conference served as a platform for scholarly exchange and collaboration among educators, researchers, and practitioners nationwide. The event emphasized evidence-based innovation and stronger school–university partnerships in addressing contemporary challenges in education and development.

The recognition received by Palomar-Quan’s research highlights the growing interest in collaborative and community-centered approaches that address environmental and social challenges while generating new knowledge through partnership.