De La Salle University (DLSU) called for the next generation of engineers to play a leading role in shaping a sustainable and technologically advanced energy future as it hosted ASMODIUM 2025: Surge Towards Sustainability on October 11 at its Manila campus.

Organized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) – DLSU Student Section, the seminar gathered students and industry experts to discuss the Philippines’ energy landscape and the challenges of balancing energy security, affordability, and sustainability.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Ivan Gue, Chairperson of DLSU’s Mechanical Engineering Department, emphasized that energy remains a foundation for progress across all sectors of society. “Energy is one of our primary resources that translates into impactful societal outcomes,” he said. “It helps us in our other provisional systems such as mobility, healthcare, food, and water.”

Dr. Gue noted that true sustainability must consider economic, social, and environmental factors together. He pointed out that the energy ecosystem involves multiple players—from producers and distributors to consumers—and urged students to understand the complex realities behind policy and technology. “If we’re discussing sustainability, we’re also discussing the three aspects of sustainability—economic, societal, and environmental,” he added, warning that the sector’s “persisting and wicked problems” will challenge the country’s future engineers.

After Dr. Gue’s address, Dr. Alvin Chua, Faculty Advisor of ASME-DLSU, linked the event’s theme to the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) and its massive power needs. Referring to comments by OpenAI founder Sam Altman, he described how the world is moving from Artificial Narrow Intelligence to Artificial General Intelligence and eventually Artificial Super Intelligence, which are technologies that will depend heavily on reliable and sustainable energy. “All of the large companies—Google, OpenAI—are investing in energy,” Dr. Chua said. “That’s why our topic today is very important, especially in the age of AI. We will need a lot of energy that is sustainable, efficient, and that can be used in the very near future.”

Dr. Chua encouraged students to learn from the industry leaders in attendance and to remember that innovation must advance alongside sustainability. 

The event also featured presentations and a panel discussion with energy sector leaders and mechanical engineering professionals who examined the Philippine energy trilemma, particularly how to secure reliable, affordable, and sustainable power amid rapid technological and environmental change. ASMODIUM 2025 marked the second edition of the annual collaboration between DLSU’s Mechanical Engineering Department and ASME-DLSU, designed to equip students with insight into the country’s energy transition while inspiring them to help build a cleaner and smarter future.

How do you think today’s engineers can drive innovation while keeping sustainability at the core of the country’s energy transformation?

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