Pisay students win 4th place in intl science fair

BRINGING home honor in science and technology is considered a Herculean feat for a country that has low appreciation for these disciplines.

Julian Paolo Talamera Biyo, Paul Caesar Mason Flores and Hazel Anne Jurado Hernandez from Philippine Science High School (PSHS)-Western Visayas campus won fourth place and $500 in the environmental sciences category for their project, entitled “Regenerating coral fragments on bamboo artificial reefs” in the recently held Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Isef) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Led by Hernandez, the team worked to provide an acceptable method for coral-reef rehabilitation using bamboo and concrete materials to a local fishing community in the Banate Bay, Iloilo.

The students’ research area is now recognized as a protected habitat.

The team also won the “Most Promising Young Scientists Award” in the recently concluded Search for Seameo’s (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization) Young Scientist 8th Regional Congress in Penang, Malaysia,

“The findings and techniques we utilized for this research are appropriate to areas where coral reefs need treatment. In essence, the benefits generated by this project apply both locally and globally,” said Biyo in a statement.

“Through our project, not only do we want to benefit the environment through coral rehabilitation, but we also strive to provide economic support to communities who rely on coral reefs for livelihood,” Biyo added.

Biyo, is the son of the esteemed science educator, Dr. Josette Biyo. Dr. Biyo was the first Asian to win the Intel Excellence Award in the 2002 Intel Isef in Kentucky, and for whom an asteroid was named. She is the current executive director of the PSHS System.

Intel Philippines Country Manager Ricky Banaag said Intel Isef remains a major advocate to promote science and engineering in the country.

“We support the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair because we know that math and science are imperative to future global growth,” said Banaag.

“This competition encourages millions of students to engage their skills for innovation and develop promising solutions for global challenges,” he said.

Each year, young intelligent students of science and engineering are given the opportunity to share their research with a global audience. Given the prestige of the Intel Isef, the premier international science competition for students in Grades 9 to 12, those who make the cut are undoubtedly worth their salt.

Eight of the Philippines’s best students were chosen to represent the country at the 2012 Intel Isef. The students competed in two team categories and two individual categories.

According to Yvonne Flores, government affairs manager at Intel Philippines, the delegates brought a lot to the table this year.

“The students’ projects had already won them critical acclaim in the country’s division, regional and national science fairs. We are quite privileged to have these talented youth represent the country,” said Flores.

“In last year’s Isef, one of our own, Miguel Reyes actually won the second grand award. He was also awarded the privilege to have an asteroid named after him, with whom only eight Filipinos were granted historically. We are hoping that this year’s delegates will follow suit.”

Meanwhile, Isef 2012 delegate Elson Ian Nyl Galang is among those who were motivated by the achievements of the country’s past Isef representatives.

“I want to be able to inspire young Filipino achievers to take their own studies one step further,” said Galang. “Our efforts at this year’s Isef will hopefully continue the tradition of setting the bar high for academic excellence and attaining global recognition of Filipino talent.”

Armed with ambition and an eagerness to deliver, Galang, 17, is passionate about making his mark in the Philippine fabric and garment industry. With his award-winning research and development of an eco-friendly and economically competitive fabric made of fragrant screw pine or pandan fibers, Galang hopes to soon realize his vision of establishing pandan fiber as a viable alternative to synthetic polyester as a blend for cotton.

Galang won in the regional and division science competitions in the Philippines last year.

The youngest among this year’s delegates, 15-year-old Ven Gabriel Tan proves that youth is not a hindrance to the bounds of what one can achieve. With his study on the potential of herbal plants in containing copper ions in mined-out and heavy metal amended soil, he hopes to awaken the consciousness and support of both local and global resource conservation and pollution-prevention efforts.

“One of the goals I set for myself and for this project is to create awareness on the dangers of mining waste and contaminated soil. Through this study, I am looking to provide members of mining communities with a remedy to this issue,” said Tan. “Hopefully, I would be able to communicate this message to our citizens through our stint at Isef.”

Tan is the first student from Marinduque to represent the country at the Intel Isef and continues to be a source of pride to the region. –RIZAL RAOUL REYES / CORRESPONDENT, Businessmirror