About Dr. Lao Innovation, Creation, and Invention Laboratory
The Mariano Lao ICI Laboratory was inaugurated last August 19, 2017. Named after its donor, the Laboratory is an idea incubation facility that seeks to inspire innovation, creation and invention among high school and college students in Silliman and the community. The ICI Laboratory is transferred to the Center to complement its the program and services. The laboratory serves as a classroom, a teaching extension facility for teachers, a service-learning facility, a learning-facility for technology-oriented clubs, a recreation room, and most importantly, a mini-incubation facility. It is an open space for research and development, capstone project, and immersion on technology-oriented activities.
The laboratory offers the following programs and services:
SU-Dr. Lao Free Computer Education for Senior Citizens, Employees and Students. The SU and Dr. Lao Free Computer Education aims to provide free computer education to Silliman and the community. Specifically, this program aims to offer need-based computer skills training for Silliman employees, Silliman students, and retirees from the community. The first batch was launched in January 2019. It was conducted every weekend, with 25 participants per category. The training is conducted every Saturday for three months. Crash courses, seminars and short-term training are also offered especially during service-learning.
Research and Capstone Grant. The Research and Capstone Grant is a competitive grant amounting to a maximum of P100,000.00 for a maximum of 2 years. It aims to stimulate new and innovative ideas with an entrepreneurial value among high school students. The laboratory envisions that grant to be a support towards serious incubation cycle. The grant will provide students an opportunity to learn and work together, develop and test new ideas, and engage in innovative and active learning.
Dr. Mariano C. Lao Creativity Camp. The Creativity Camp is a competitive scholarship among top students in the province. It is a specialized training on creativity to ignite and stimulate new and innovative ideas with an entrepreneurial value among high school and college students in the province. The training is delivered in hybrid modality. The face-to-face is conducted by experts during Saturdays. The online component is delivered using the university’s learning management system to augment the face-to-face discussions.
Dr. Mariano C. Lao Excellence in Online Teaching Award. Launched in 2021, the award recognizes SU teachers who exemplify a high standard of online teaching in Silliman University. This award is an opportunity to recognize full-time faculty of any rank for the passion and strong commitment to quality online teaching.
Raffles and Technology-oriented Competitions. The Laboratory hosted several contests and competitions to stimulate creativity such as poster designing, programming competition, video making, IT quiz bowl and the like. The laboratory continuously facilitates its gifts-giving and assistance program to several occasions such as rice assistance, Covid-10 assistance, raffle prizes, and others.