Dr. Ria Liza C. Canlas, by profession is a Registered Civil Engineer, Accredited Materials Engineer 1 and Certified Patent Agent.  She began her engineering career at a triple A construction company handling high rise buildings, then worked at the office of Aber P. Canlas & Associates where she handled several government projects and was trained by a former DPWH Deputy Minister.  Trying to find her passion, she decided to juggle between contracting and teaching.  While in the academe, she was a passionate researcher who levelled up to innovation when she put up a company, Po Lite Technology Inc., that commercializes “Po-Lite”, a sterling example of how scientific research guided by design thinking principles and combined with the art can create useful materials in the human settlement sector. Her company, which was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has been lauded as a socially impactful as it utilizes indigenous raw materials. Her inventions made her win national and institutional awards.