Dr. Romeo A. Gomez Jr.
Elementary 1980, High School 1984 MS Soil Science 1998
Distinguished Alumnus in Research Development and Management
Romeo is an avid researcher since he joined the university integrating soil science, socioeconomics, and environmental science. His works were published as articles in books, or in national and international journals, some were refereed while others were in ISI journals.
The majority of his research with a team focused on the Ifugao Rice Terraces pertinent to food sufficiency, spatial and productivity measurements, its ecological services, environmental dynamics of damaged terraces, and landscape change with the advent of modern technologies including organic farming practices. He presented ways on how the terraces could become a socio-ecological production landscape through youth and capacity building and exchange program, an Ifugao-Satoyama Meister Project funded by JICA.
They analyzed the social capacity for environmental management the local solid waste management of La Trinidad, and also the characteristics of and impacts of ecotourism in Batanes. They prepared mitigation measures after organophosphate residues were detected in selected crops in Benguet. He was also a project leader on biodiversity studies at Mt. Data and Mt. Pulag nationals parks.
Some of the awards Romeo received were the ISI Publications award, UPLB-SESAMA Distinguished Alumnus, PSSN Service Award, Outstanding Researcher by BSU, and a PARRFI Chair Holder.
Romeo is Prof. VI and the Vice President for Research and Extension at Benguet State University.