A delegation from the College of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (CMNS) of Caraga State University (CSU) successfully completed a 15-day Summer School Program at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, from June 23 to July 7, 2026.
Participants from the university consisted of Mr. John Saburo A. Kanashiro, a Golden Paddler from the Bachelor of Science in Biology (BSBio) and Dr. Ian Niel B. dela Cruz, Head of the Department of Biology, serving as supervising faculty member. With them is Mr. Joshua Y. Divinagracia, a fellow of the Career Incentive Program of the Department of Science and Technology (CIP-DOST). The program was conducted as part of the collaborative research project, “Biodiversity Profiling of Staphyliniformia Beetles in the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC),” jointly implemented by Caraga State University, Hokkaido University Museum, and the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation in Tokyo, Japan.
During the training, Mr. Saburo gained hands-on exposure to entomological research and museum practices, including specimen collection and curation, taxonomic identification, collection management, and morphological analysis through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) based characterization. He also gained valuable experience in museum operations under the supervision of Dr. Masahiro Ohara, an entomologist, professor, and Deputy Director of the Hokkaido University Museum.
This student mobility program is made possible by the continued collaboration and partnership with the Hokkaido University Museum, which began in October last year.
Photo via Dr. Ian Neil B. Dela Cruz
