Two Filipinos win at inaugural Noam Chomsky awards for transnational research

MANILA,Philippines — Two graduates of the University of the Philippines were winners at the first ever A. Noam Chomsky Global Connections awards, the ceremony for which was held virtually Tuesday last week.

The Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) Scholars Network gives out the awards yearly "for distinctive contributions to transnational research that demonstrates the very best of scholarly collaboration among scholars around the world."

Maria Pilar Lorenzo, a PhD candidate at the Ghent University's Centre for Higher Education Governance Ghent located in Belgium, and Dr. Raphael Pangalangan, who previously worked at the Office of the Ombudsman and was a lecturer in Philosophy at UP, were both recipients of the the Rising Star Emerging Scholar Certificate.

Per a press release posted to the STAR Scholar Networks website, the certificate recognizes "emerging scholars who have shown significant promise and commitment to transnational research." It adds that up to two scholars are awarded in the category.

"One award will recognize an emerging scholar (post terminal degree completion) in any field that has distinguished him or herself as a rising leader in advancing transnational research. The other award will recognize a current graduate student who has demonstrated significant promise of advancing transnational research through publications, leadership, or other relevant contributions."

Lorenzo is the daughter of former Commission on Audit director Marietta Lorenzo."My daughter Maria Pilar, is the source of our family's pride and joy," the former COA director said in a separate statement released to the press.

Maria Pilar Lorenzo is recipient of 70 grants, scholarships, honors, and awards, according to her own website. She pursued a Master’s degree in Public Administration at UP and graduated summa cum laude.

Dr. Pangalangan is a Junior Fellow with Reprieve, the Chief Academic Adviser of the Aristotle & Alexander Institute, and as a Consultant with Ocampo & Suralvo Law Offices, according to Star Scholars Network. He is also the Associate Dean and Assistant Professor in Human Rights of Jindal Global Law School which is India’s premiere school of law.

Pangalangan is listed as a graduate student of the UP College of Law on Academia.edu. According to his Linkedin, he pursued a fellowship program at UP from 2017-2020 and finished with latin honors.

The following is a list of the five other awardees:

• North Star Medal of Lifetime Achievement: Emerita Professor of the Internationalisation of Higher Education at Leeds Beckett University (UK) Espeth Jones
• Shining Star Achievement in Research Award: Dr. Bach Tran, vice head of Department of Health Economics at Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam, and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University
• Shining Star Achievement in Research Award: Dr. Ly Tran, professor in the School of Education, Deakin University, Australia and Australian Research Council future fellow
• Rising Star Emerging Scholar Certificate: Dr. Jasper Kun-Ting Hsieh, an emerging scholar in international education
• Rising Star Emerging Scholar Certificate: Dr. Yao-Tai Li, assistant professor of sociology at Hong Kong Baptist University