SPVM Convenes at ADDU for 28th National Physics Conference
Ateneo de Davao University, through the Physics Department, hosted the 28th National Physics Conference of the Samahang Pisika ng Visayas at Mindanao (SPVM) from 22 to 24 October 2026 at its Jacinto Campus.
The three-day gathering showed physics at work on questions ranging from the origins of the universe to classroom learning and community problems.
Day 1: Opening and Plenary Talks
The conference opened on 22 October at the Finster Hall Auditorium. Rev. Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ, University President, and Dr. Lyndon B. Bastatas, SPVM President, delivered the welcome remarks.
Messages followed from the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology and the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office XI. Dr. Michael Angelo B. Promentilla, President of the National Research Council of the Philippines, delivered the keynote address.
Plenary sessions featured invited speakers from the Philippines, China, Taiwan, the United States, Thailand, and Japan. Their talks covered supermassive black holes, engineered quantum materials, dark matter, planetary atmospheres, photocatalysis, and physics education in the age of artificial intelligence.
The first poster session opened with a ribbon-cutting, and the day ended with the Conference Banquet at Martin Hall.
Day 2: Parallel Sessions and Pitching Competition
On 23 October, the program branched into parallel sessions. Participants joined paper presentations in physics education, applied physics, optics and photonics, and theoretical physics, along with a physics clinic and workshops.
Three international meetings were held with the conference: on particles, astronomy and radiation; on complex systems; and on advanced functional materials and nanotechnology. The Philippine Space Agency joined the particles, astronomy and radiation sessions, and an evening of stargazing at ADDU closed the day.
The day also featured the Science, Technology and Innovation National Pitching Competition on the Sustainable Development Goals, where professional and student teams presented projects aimed at community and environmental concerns.
Researchers and students from universities, research institutes, and schools across the country presented more than 180 posters during two poster sessions, spanning materials, nuclear and medical physics, astronomy, biophysics, and physics teaching.
Day 3: Closing
The conference closed on 24 October with a final plenary session on materials, physics education, and medical physics, followed by a business meeting and the Closing Ceremonies.
By hosting the national conference, Ateneo de Davao supported collaboration among physicists, educators, and young researchers across Mindanao and beyond, and showed how fundamental research and practical innovation can advance together.
