BACOLOD CITY – The Silliman University (SU) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental mourned the death of Dr. Kent E. Carpenter, a marine biologist and the school's research associate, in a home invasion.

Carpenter, 73, a professor emeritus of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University, was gunned down by three unidentified persons in his house in Sibulan, Negros Oriental on Sunday night, July 12. His 34-year-old live-in partner was wounded in the attack.

Police Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of Negros Oriental police, said they are pursuing all possible leads to establish the motive and identify the perpetrators.

The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Carpenter has been formed for an in-depth probe and swift resolution of the case.

Carpenter, according to the university, helped establish the school as an internationally respected center for marine and coastal research and contributed significantly to the scientific understanding of coral reef biodiversity, reef fish ecology, fisheries sustainability, and marine conservation.

His collaboration with the university began in 1976 when he worked alongside the late national scientist Dr. Angel C. Alcala and fellow marine scientists in pioneering studies on the rich marine ecosystems of the Philippines.

Among others, his research identified the central Philippines, particularly the Verde Island Passage, as the world’s “Center of the Center” of marine shore fish diversity.

For nearly five decades, Carpenter worked closely with faculty, researchers, and students of the Biology Department, the Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences, and the SU Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management, bringing to Silliman his expertise in ichthyology, marine biodiversity, systematics, conservation biology, and evolutionary research.

He opened opportunities for Filipino graduate students and researchers to collaborate with leading international institutions, strengthening the University’s international research network and attracting global scientific partnerships.

Among his most significant recent contributions was his leadership of the Albatross Re-Collection Project, a landmark evolutionary genomics research initiative that revisits the historic collections of the US Fish Commission Steamer Albatross, which surveyed Philippine waters more than a century ago.

Carpenter also collaborated with Silliman researchers on studies addressing contemporary environmental challenges, including coral reef conservation, fisheries management, and marine pollution, including investigations into the impacts of microplastics on marine organisms in Negros Oriental.

"We join his family, colleagues, students, and the international scientific community in mourning the loss of an exceptional scientist whose life’s work advanced the understanding and conservation of marine biodiversity around the world," the SU said.

Beyond his remarkable scholarly achievements, the university remembered him as a generous mentor, collaborator, and a friend.

The university said that his passing is a tremendous loss not only to his family and colleagues but also to the generations of students, researchers, conservationists, and institutions whose work has been enriched by his intellect, generosity, and unwavering dedication to science.