Page 24 - Binder- 2015 UPAAA SJ

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDEES

2015

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Michael A. Palis, PhD
2015 UP AAA Distinguished Alumnus in Education Leadership
and Computer Science

Dr. Palis is the Provost and Professor of Computer Science, Rutgers University,
Camden, NJ. He assumed the role of Provost on July 1, 2015 and serves as chief aca­
demic officer for the campus, which enrolls more than 6,500 students in 36 under­

gr
gr
gr aduate majors and 29 aduate pro ams. Charged to work closely with Rutgers­
Camden academic units, Dr. Palis assists in initiating new interdisciplinary pro ams
gr
to ensure that students have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research and courses of study that
only a major research university like Rutgers can offer. He is a professor of computer sciences at Rutgers
University-Camden and previously served as interim dean of the Rutgers-Camden Faculty of Arts Sciences.
During that time, new under aduate and aduate pro ams were launched and opportunities for research
gr
gr
gr
gr ew. He is internationally recognized for his research in algorithms and parallel and distributed computing,
having served on the editorial boards of leading journals in the area including the IEEE Transactions on Par­
allel and Distributed Systems and the Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing. He is a senior member
of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and fellow of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He received the PhilDevUSA Award of Excellence in Science and En­
gineering in 2010. He earned his BS Electrical Engineering, cum laude, in 1979, and BS Physics, magna cum
laude, in 1980 from U.P. and his PhD Computer Science in 1985 from the University of Minnesota.

SPEAKER

Robert Shroder
2015 UP AAA Distinguished Alumnus for Leadership in Music

Mr. Shroder is the Music Director & Conductor, Filipino American Symphony Or­

chestra (FASO), Los Angeles, CA. As the driving force behind FASO, he fits all the

requirements of an excellent musical director- a dynamic personality, a very good mu­

sician, outstanding experience and communication skills, an organized, efficient, and

driven leader. He was born and raised in Kawit, Cavite by his American father and

Filipino mother. He obtained hisde ee in Music from the Conservatory of Music in

gr

the University of the Philippines, taking Music Conducting and Flute as his major instrument under Prof.

Enrique Barcelo, then later concentrated in chamber music and conducting. He won the Grand Prize in the
National Music Competition for Young Artists in 1982. He was the principal flutist of two major orchestras

in the Philippines, the Manila Symphony Orchestra and the Manila Chamber Orchestra where he was a

member until immi ating to the US in 1991. He did some solo and chamber music engagements in different
gr
concert venues in the Philippines and other neighboring Asian countries. He also taught flute and chamber

music in U.P and did regular recording sessions for pop music and the Filipino movie industry. In. San

Diego, he played with the Chula Vista Pops Orchestra, San Diego Community Band, the Al Bahr Shrine

Concert Band and The Notables Big Band Jazz. He also directed church choirs and musicians during regular

Sunday Mass. In Los Angeles, he was the founding conductor of the Boyle Heights Youth Symphony. Mr.

Shroder and his team frequently perform in government social and community. He is also a freelance musi­

cian and a member of the National Flute Association. He plays to a mixed audience for special events, which

include the Mt. Washington Philharmonic Orchestra; but his favorite is performing for Filipino-American

community events.
23