Students, alumni attend virtual Harvard conference
At least three currently enrolled students and three alumni of Silliman University (SU) attended the Harvard College Project for Asian & International Relations (HPAIR) 2021 Conference, held virtually for the first time last January 15-18, 2021.
Students Daryl Robinson (MA Psychology), Keanu Paul B. Sygaco (BS Foreign Affairs), and Lealah Morton (Bachelor of Mass Communication) attended the conference with SU alumni Charmaine S. Malata, Achilles Isidore Israel, and Keziah Therese Castillo Gerosano.
Daryl Robinson, MA Psychology student
Keanu Paul B. Sygaco, first year Foreign Affairs student
Lealah Morton, third year Mass Communication student
Charmaine Malata, alumna of the SU College of Mass Communication
Achilles Isidore Israel, alumnus of the SU Psychology Department
Keziah Therese Castillo Gerosano, alumna of the SU Senior High School
Out of 9,100 applicants, Sygaco said only 2,200 were accepted to join the conference.
“HPAIR has shaped my critical thinking because it provided a better perspective on networking and meeting famous personalities. It gives me a glimpse of the changes that might transpire in the foreseeable future,” said Sygaco.
With the theme “Embracing Change,” the conference featured talks on current issues such as climate change, online learning, the aftermath of the pandemic in various sectors, the efficacy of vaccines, and unemployment.
Delegates of the conference received coaching and mentorship from world-renowned leaders from different sectors and industries and participated in a networking event.
Speakers during the conference include Dr. Tedros Adhanom, director-general of the World Health Organization; former Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva; Kevin Sneader, CEO of McKinsey & Company; Yang Lan, chairperson of Sun Media Group; renowned venture capitalist Tim Draper; and Anla Cheng, CEO of SupChina Inc., among others.
Discussions during the conference were organized into the following tracks: Arts, Media, & Culture; Energy & Environmental Sustainability; Global Markets & Economy; Governance, Geopolitics, & Social Policies; Medical Innovation & Health Policy; and Science & Technology.
The HPAIR conference, which started in 1991, provides a forum for discussing issues
surrounding the Asia-Pacific region.
