Central Luzon State University (CLSU) warmly welcomes Dr. Banalata Sen, an Environmental Education Specialist from North Carolina, USA, and one of the eight members of this year’s Batch 55 United States Peace Corps Response Volunteers. At CLSU, Dr. Sen will serve under the Institute for Climate Change and Environmental Management (ICCEM), with Dr. Gella Patria L. Abella as her host counterpart, and will collaborate with the CLSU community to strengthen programs on environmental sustainability, public health, and disaster preparedness.

Dr. Sen brings over 20 years of global experience as a health and development professional, with a strong background in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs in public health, environmental health, health systems strengthening, and community-led interventions. She has worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) on policy development to reduce pesticide poisoning and air pollution in India and led various training initiatives on COVID-19 response, tribal youth empowerment, and behavior change communication tools from 2018 to 2022. Most recently, she completed a two-year volunteer engagement in Botswana from November 2022 to October 2024.

She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology and a Masters of Science in Biochemistry, both from Michigan Technological University, USA. Dr. Sen, together with her fellow U.S. Peace Corps Response Volunteers and their host country counterparts, underwent pre-deployment training and participated in the official Swearing-In Ceremony organized by Peace Corps Philippines and the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines on July 25, 2025, at Bayview Park Hotel, Manila. During the event, Mr. Milosil Cruz, Peace Corps Response Program Coordinator, expressed his appreciation to CLSU for serving as a host institution and looks forward to meaningful partnerships in support of community-based development and international collaboration.

Credits: Photos are from the US Peace Corp Volunteer Office and are cleared for posting and promotion.