Best CFAD theses focus on agricultural, ecological concerns

AGRICULTURAL and environmental innovations were the foci of this year’s undergraduate theses from the College of Fine Arts and Design.

Sustainability, eco-friendliness and usability are evident in Industrial Design graduate Anthony Tiong’s “Material Exploration,” a prototype shoe made from natural and biodegradable materials.

“The objective is to reduce waste and harmful chemicals during shoe production,” Tiong said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

Patrick Sanchez, also an Industrial Design graduate, created “Flow,” a prototype that would be beneficial for the fishpond-grown milkfish industry in Cagayan de Oro and Sarangani Province.

Sanchez’s equipment can segregate the sizes of milkfish especially for the “transfer” period when farmers need to move the milkfish to bigger ponds to further their growth and make them rife for harvest. The harvested milkfish are poured into a sorting basin where they are classified according to size. Undersized milkfish pass through grills into another basin, while desired class milkfish are transferred to another container to be sent to markets.

Meanwhile, Advertising Arts best thesis awardee Amparo Klarin Mangoroban, a photographer of the Varsitarian, focused on the lives of athletes and documented their passion for sports and competition in her coffee table book, “Soul on Sole: Of People Driven by Passion.”

“I tackled how they pursue their passions despite the struggles, sacrifices and failures they experienced, and how the fruits of their labor finally comes to life,” she said.

The book features figure ice skater Misha Fabian, ballerina Jessa Balote, triathlete Maria Claire Adorna, paralympian Andy Avellana, dancer Belinda Adora, football player Chieffy Caligdong and mountaineer Miko Santos.

John Carlo Dimayuga of Advertising Arts in his thesis adapted Dante Alighieri’s verse epic Inferno into a full-length, sci-fi animated film.

Romano Macaisa, a panelist from the Industrial Design department, told the Varsitarian that the theses were graded according to aesthetics, relevance and utility.

“The designer should also take into consideration the impact of the materials on the environment,” he said.

Students who received a perfect grade of 100 for their work are awarded the title of best thesis while a grade of 96 to 99 is given an outstanding thesis merit. Six students were recognized for best thesis while 26 received the outstanding thesis award, compared to last year’s 13 best theses awardees and 27 outstanding theses awardees. Chelsey Mei Nadine B. Brazal and Audrie Julienne D. Bernas