ROME, Italy—Engr. Czaneil Gomez, a Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research (SEARCA) researcher, received the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2024 Youth Award for her invaluable contribution to sustainable and renewable energy through her research, "Harnessing Rice Straw to Empower Rice Farming Communities in the Philippines."
Gomez received the award during the United Nations' Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) 11th Bioenergy Week held in Rome on June 17, said Shielo Pasahol in SEARCA news release.
Maria Michela Morese, FAO senior natural resources officer and energy team leader, presented the award to Gomez, who bested seven other finalists.
Gomez is working under SEARCA's Rice Straw Biogas Hub (RSBH), an Innovate UK-funded project to utilize rice straws as an alternative clean fuel for cooking and industrial use.
GBEP Bioenergy Week is an annual congregation of bioenergy stakeholders hailing from different countries, promoting sustainable and efficient use of bioenergy and biomass, particularly in developing countries. 127 stakeholders from 27 nations participated in this year's conference, including country representatives, experts, industry leaders, and researchers.
Gomez's study, which was conducted in Spring of 2023 at Aston University, was supervised by a team of experts from Aston University Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) and University of the Philippines Los Baños, Pasahol said.
The GBEP Youth Award recognizes their contributions to advancing knowledge and practice in bioenergy, encompassing a range of topics, including circular economy, technologies, supply chain and logistics, societal practices, policy and strategies, and climate change.
Besides presenting at GBEP-Youth and United Nations Global Alliance Bioenergy Youth Day, Gomez will present her study at different international events co-organized by GBEP this year, Pasahol said.
SEARCA's team of experts, led by Dr. Rex Demafelis, expressed their praise on Gomez's achievement.
Lichelle Dara Carlos, SEARCA's project specialist for RSBH, commended Gomez for bagging the award.
"SEARCA is deeply committed to nurturing young researchers who are at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and renewable energy innovations," Carlos said.
In her presentation, Gomez highlighted the conversion of rice straw into biogas as a sustainable method for rice straw management, benefiting rice- farming communities in the Philippines.
"This approach not only addresses waste-management issues but also provides a renewable energy source and has the potential to improve the livelihoods of rice farming communities," Gomez said.
Dr. Mirjam Röder, one of Gomez's study supervisors from EBRI, said this was a prestigious award for celebrating and recognizing Gomez's work in promoting bioenergy, especially in one of the highest-profile international bioenergy organizations.
"Czaneil's [Gomez] GBEP Youth Award success is a fantastic achievement. It shows the importance of empowering future generations to develop skills and knowledge in the field of sustainability and renewable energy for local communities," Roder said as quoted from Aston University-EBRI press release.
Reflecting on the honor, Gomez expressed that receiving the award was a wonderful experience.
"Having my research recognized by a prestigious international organization is truly amazing. This award will serve as a reminder that with passion, hard work, and the right support, anything is possible," she stated.
Winning the award has further motivated Gomez to advance her career and continue promoting bioenergy research and sustainability. She plans to build on this recognition to contribute further to the bioenergy field, seek new opportunities for collaboration, and inspire other women and early-career researchers.
"I aim to contribute further to my field, seek out new opportunities for collaboration, and inspire other women and early career researchers," she pointed out.