Biography
Dr. Shirley Castañeda Agrupis is a full-fledged professor and the current President of Mariano Marcos State University.
A seasoned and published researcher, she has won a number of awards, at the regional, national and international level, including the prestigious William D. Dar Research Leadership Award given by the Philippine Association of Research Managers, and the Outstanding Science Administrator Award from the National Academy of Science on Technology. She was also awarded Most Outstanding Ilocano 2019 for varied achievements as an educational leader that helped uplift the life of Ilocanos. In 2020, she was awarded the Lingkod Bayan Award by the Civil Service Commission.
As research project leader, she steered various research projects on bioethanol, funded by external agencies. The project eventually paved the way for the establishment of the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center at MMSU. Her team was awarded the Gantimpala Agad Award by the CSC for their innovative and immediate response at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also the program leader of the Tuklas Lunas Development Program which is focused on investigating the potential of indigenous plants in Ilocos Norte as raw materials in drug formulation.
Prior to her presidency, she was Director for External Affairs and Partnerships (EAP) of MMSU. Her enthusiasm, vision, leadership as director made MMSU a magnet destination of DOST Balik Scientists and visiting professors from international institutions. Her efforts led to the forging of international institutional partnerships that remain strong up to this day.
Having obtained postgraduate education and training abroad (Japan, USA, UK) internationalization ranks high in Pres. Agrupis' strategic agenda for MMSU (dubbed as 7-point agenda to ACHIEVE). In the first two years of her presidency, she was able to steer the university to become ISO-certified for all processes, and to be a three-star university in the QS Stars Rating system. MMSU likewise leveled up in its institutional accreditation in AACCUP.
She is a member of the CHED TWGs on the 7th Cycle Implementation of NBC 461 and formulation of criteria in the evaluation and levelling of State Universities and Colleges, as well as the PASUC Platform for Innovating SUCs for Industry (PISI) Committee and the special task force created by USAID STRIDE to formulate and assist universities in mapping out strategic thrusts and pathways toward excellence in research and innovation.
A BS Biology alumna (cum laude) of the College of Arts and Sciences, at MMSU Dr. Agrupis is the first MMSU graduate to be the president of her Alma Mater. She obtained her Master of Science, major in Plant Morpho-Anatomy and Physiology from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Sciences from the United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Shizuoka University Campus in Japan.
She is a multi-awarded President obtaining awards in the areas of research (both as researcher and as manager) and public service.
On July 15, 2021, the MMSU Board of Regents unanimously approved her re-appointment and is now serving her second term as University President.
