The award is given to exemplary S&T or R&D administrators who have made significant contributions to science and technology through effective management and implementation of plans and programs. It is annually given by the science academy to a single individual who has bested the rest in the country.

Dr. Tulin received his medal of recognition during the opening program of the 2018 National Science & Technology Week (NSTW) held at the World Trade Center, Pasay City on July 17, Tuesday.

“In VSU, we aspire to become a world-class research university,” said Dr. Tulin.

Tulin is recognized for his strong research-oriented leadership as chief steward of the Visayas State University. In line with VSU’s new vision towards global competitiveness, Tulin led a massive faculty development program by sending 136 faculty and researchers for graduate studies to prominent institutions in the country and abroad.

“Here, in this university, there are a number of researchers with really good training locally and abroad. And the training they got would really help us attain our objective as a research university in this part of the country.” told the president.

Tulin also advanced the construction of new buildings in the university such as the Engineering, Technology Business Incubator, Food Innovation Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, and the Research Complex Convention Hall.

The president also spearheaded the creation of three knowledge hubs in the university: the environment conservation hub to support VSU’s initiative in environment conservation through the creation of the Regional Climate Change Research Center and the Biodiversity Center; Innovation and Advance Technology Hub for cutting-edge research in the areas of materials science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, health, food quality and safety through a 3-storey research complex which is currently underway; and ecotourism hub to promote VSU’s reputation as a dark green school and a model of an environment-friendly campus.

“One of the main functions of the university aside from instruction is research. It is really important for us to develop ourselves as a research university because it differentiates us from other state universities,” he added.

Under Tulin’s leadership, VSU was awarded the Level III Institutional Accreditation by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), making it the first state university in the country to have achieved this level.

VSU was also recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Center of Excellence in Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering and Center of Development in Development Communication.

Apart from the highly-coveted medal, Tulin also received a plaque and a cash prize worth PHP 200,000.

In 2007, Dr. Tulin, then professor at Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center based in VSU, received the Eduardo Quisumbing Medal as Most Outstanding Research and Development Award for Basic Research. His winning study entitled, “Cytokine mimetic properties of some Philippine food and medicinal plants” is the first report of cytokine mimicry using Philippine plant material sources in the country.

With Dr. Tulin clinching the Dioscoro Umali Award as Outstanding Science Administrator today, he comes full circle at NAST which is a very rare achievement for any scientist in the Philippines.

The National Academy of Science and Technology is the highest recognition and scientific advisory body of the Philippines under the Department of Science and Technology.