NOVUS Innovation, in collaboration with Ateneo de Manila Senior High School (ASHS), organized 'SIA: Sustainability, Innovation, and Accessibility,' a workshop conducted both onsite and online at ASHS's Blackbox Theatre on March 2, 2024.

SIA was executed in partnership with Ateneo de Manila Senior High School Sanggunian - Council of Student Organizations (CSO) and the ASHS Council of Student Organizations - STEM District (STEMD).

The workshop covered topics related to transportation, education, and sustainable innovations. The event uniquely featured student presenters, whose talks ranged from natural systems inspiring innovation to graph theory decreasing traffic congestion.

"When we want to create solutions and new inventions or improve the systems that we have, I think the best way to start looking at it is through nature," said Hermione Caro in the 'Art Imitates Life' segment. 

Caro and Alex Lauricio elaborated on the examples of biomimicry in today's world, highlighting its positive impact on transportation in terms of increased productivity, efficiency, and decreased environmental harm.

In his talk on ‘Finding All Paths,’ Reuter Camacho stated that "Programming is not just a career; it is a calling to serve humanity."

Instead of constructing new roads, programming concepts like Graph Theory can address road congestion and commuter struggles by identifying possible paths and exploring underlying causes.

In the 'Innovation in the Field of Engineering' segment, Paulina Andrea Perez urged observation of surroundings for creating innovations. Perez shared valuable tips on utilizing engineering, emphasizing the importance of finding one's purpose in innovating, focusing on the root cause of a problem, and being resourceful.

"Malayo na, pero malayo pa rin," was education advocate Rain Guarin’s comment on her aspirations for the education sector in her talk, 'Change in Education.' 

Rain Guarin is a School Engagement Partner at FranklinCovey Philippines and a former teacher fellow at Teach for the Philippines.

Despite technological advancements, many members of marginalized communities remain underserved. Guarin shared her experiences teaching in such communities, particularly the Mangyans in Mindanao. Through her research, she identified three critical factors hindering children from pursuing formal education: time, resources, and fear.

In addition, issues such as the lack of resources stem from poverty and inefficient systems, emphasizing the urgent need for change and posing additional challenges.

However, these challenges also present an opportunity to create innovations that cater to the needs of marginalized communities. With these insights in might, bridging educational disparities and empowering communities can be achieved through sustainable innovation.