BS Electrical Engineering students earn Mapúa MCL "Ad Excellentiam" Award 2026

On July 29, 2026, innovation and technology took stage as Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering students from Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna’s (Mapúa MCL) Mapúa Institute of Technology at Laguna (MITL), Gabriell Hermosando and Therese Angelie Serapion, with their adviser Dr. Catherine Salvador, emerged as winners in the recent Research Colloquium. They received the Ad Excellentiam award for their research study, “Delineation of Tropospheric Pollutants for Predictive Modelling Using IoT-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).”

The award-winning research addresses one of today’s pressing environmental concerns: air quality monitoring and pollution management. The study features an IoT-enabled UAV equipped with a GRU machine learning-based system that monitors and predicts air quality. The drone detects air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfuric dioxide, alongside temperature and humidity levels.

“Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming and climate variability, making environmental monitoring essential. Our research supports Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action, which calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts as this will help environmental agencies tackle problems like air pollution,” said Ms. Serapion and Mr. Hermosando when asked about the purpose of their research.

The achievement of Gabriell Hermosando and Therese Angelie Serapion is a significant milestone for the Electrical Engineering Department. This marks the first time the MITL department has received the Ad Excellentiam award, making their accomplishments even more meaningful. The department is extremely proud of their success and the recognition they have brought to our program. Their achievement demonstrates the quality of work, dedication, and excellence that their students can achieve.

The study utilized four major technologies: IoT enablement, cloud data processing, predictive analysis, and an interactive website platform with IoT dashboards. It was also tested across five key areas: Biñan, Laguna; Cabuyao, Laguna; Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Tagaytay City; and expressways.

“As their adviser, I am especially pleased to see the results of their hard work and commitment. Gabriell and Therese were very receptive to guidance and consistently followed instructions with diligence and attention to detail. Their ability to effectively apply the research methods and processes I shared with them played a significant role in the success of their project. Their discipline, perseverance, and willingness to learn enabled them to transform guidance into tangible results, leading to this remarkable achievement.

I hope that their accomplishment will inspire other Electrical Engineering students to pursue research with the same level of dedication and passion,” shared Dr. Salvador as message to her advisees.

This remarkable achievement highlights United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action and SDG 4: Quality Education.