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2014 PFCS Award for Chemical Industry

Philippine Alliance of Laboratory Equipment Users (PALEU)

Users of scientific laboratory instruments/equipment share the common problem of maintaining and maximally using their units. This is because of inadequate training of both instrument users and suppliers’ service technicians/engineers, high costs of instrument repair and maintenance, as well as insufficient information to compare equipment models and service performance of suppliers/dealers. 

In order to address these root causes of the problem, a group of instrument users (from chemical, biological, and medical laboratories, in the government, industry, and academia) agreed to form themselves into a SEC-registered organization.

On August 22, 1986, the Philippine Association of Laboratory Instrument Users (PALIU) was formally organized. The first set of officers included:  Atty. Fidelino A. Adriano, Aida R. Aguinaldo,. Carlito R. Barril, Elinor F. Buccat, Ruby R. Castro, Myrna I. Consolacion,  Dr. Augusto L. Lingao, Dr. Ernesto S. Luis, Dr. Antonio M. Ostrea, Manuel A. Yatco and Whitman L. Uy-Matiao. These founding members were inducted into office by the then Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, Dr. Antonio V. Arizabal. In 2010, the organization was renamed the Philippine Alliance of Laboratory Equipment Users (PALEU). 

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2014 PFCS Award for Chemical Research

Erwin P. Enriquez, Ph.D.

Dr. Erwin P. Enriquez was a 1995 Balik-Scientist of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) joining the Department of Chemistry of the Ateneo de Manila University at a time when a polymer laboratory was being set up there under the DOST-Engineering and Science Education Program (ESEP). He was coming from a postdoctoral stint at the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He completed his Ph. D. in Physical, Polymer Chemistry (1993) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill working on designer surfaces using self-assembled alpha-helical polypeptides. His undergraduate degree in Chemistry (cum laude) was from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños with recognition from the KKP-LB Chapter as an outstanding chemistry graduate in 1987; in the same year, he also topped the Philippine Chemistry Licensure examinations. He has served as Chair of the Chemistry Department of the Ateneo, was a former Associate Dean for Research and Creative Work, and presently, Program Director for an interdisciplinary honors B. S. program (which he co-proposed) at the Ateneo: a five-year Materials Science and Engineering double-degree program (with B. S. Chemistry or B. S. Physics). He also served as resource for Physical Chemistry for the CHED-TC in Chemistry, and presently also serves as member of the Technical Panel for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials of the DOST, and Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry (PIPAC). He has visited various laboratories abroad as research fellow or visiting research scholar:  Sophia University (Tokyo, Japan), University of Pusan (Korea), University of California-Berkeley (USA), Heidelberg University (Germany), and University of Paris Sud 11 (France).

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2014 PFCS Award for Chemistry Education

Merle C. Tan, Ph.D.

Dr. Merle C. Tan served three terms as the Director of the University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development from 2002 to 2011. Through her leadership, UP NISMED was recognized for its consistent demonstration of quality performance that generated nationwide impact and public interest in science education. The activities undertaken by UP NISMED during her term made UP more visible across the country.

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2013 PFCS Award for Chemistry Education

Marlene B. Ferido, Ph.D.

Dr. Marlene Ferido has specialized in multiple fields of Chemistry.  She finished her BS Chemistry degree at the University of the Philippines Diliman, MS Agricultural Chemistry from University of the Philippines Los Baños and a Ph.D. Science Education (with specialization in Chemistry) at the University of the Philippines Diliman.  She is currently the Science Education Specialist V (SG24-3) and the Chair of the Chemistry Group at National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (NISMED), University of the Philippines. Previously, she was the Deputy Director of NISMED She has spearheaded a number of research studies about the country’s current education system and has selflessly shared her knowledge with fellow teachers as resource person, reviewer, trainer and lecturer in various national and international programs such as National Training of Trainers for Grade 7 Science Teacher in preparation for the DepEd K-12 Program, Program for Scholars in Residence of the University of Education, Pakistan. 

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Call for Nomination in the ICP Board

Nominations for membership in the ICP board are now open. Three board members, one representative each from the industry, government and academe will be elected to serve a three-year term (2013-2016). Members of the board are expected to reguarly attend meetings of the ICP and actively participate in the activities geared towards achieving the objectives of the ICP as follows.

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KIMIKA Names New Editor-In-Chief

By Armando M. Guidote Jr.

The Kimika Editorial Board named Dr. Drexel Camacho the new Editor-in-Chief, during its April 2013 meeting held at Silliman University, Dumaguete City. With deep experience in research publication, he will take over the post vacated by Dr. Florecita De Guzman who decided to relinquish the EIC position to concentrate on her academic duties at the University of the Philippines Diliman in preparation for her retirement.
Dr. Camacho finished his BS Chemistry for Teachers from the Philippine Normal University. He then took his MS Chemistry at DLSU specializing in Phytochemistry. He graduated with a DSc from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan with a specialization in Organometallic Catalysis and Organic Synthesis. He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of California Irvine working on Polymer Chemistry. His professional experience includes teaching at the Philippine Science High School in Davao City, Senior Assembly Process & Development Engineer at Intel Technology Philippines and Chief Development Engineer of the Innovation Department in NXP Semiconductors Phils. He has publications in the journals: Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Macromolecules, Organometallics, Chemical Communications and the Journal of the American Chemical Society, to name a few. He is presently an Associate Professor of the Chemistry Department of the De La Salle University Manila and concurrently the Director of Research and Advanced Studies Office of the DLSU College of Science.

Dr. Camacho has received numerous research awards to his credit including the NRCP Research Achievement Award (National Research Council of the Philippines, DOST), Outstanding Young Scientist Award (National Academy of Science & Technology, DOST), TWAS Prize for Young Scientist in the Philippines (Third World Academy of Science, Trieste, Italy & National Academy of Science & Technology, DOST) and Employee of the Year (Intel Technology Philippines).

PACSiklaban Challenges the Best Chemistry Students

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by Jay V. Ranoco

Testing one’s skill and measure it against fellow students who share the same passion in chemistry is no easy coup. The PACSiklaban, an annual inter-collegiate Chemistry Quiz Show organized by the Philippine Association of Chemistry Students (PACS), is an avenue to showcase this challenge. This year’s PACSiklaban was held last February 17, 2013 at the Bulwagang Tandang Sora, College of Social Works and Community Development, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. The competing teams are from Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), Adamson University (AdU), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Tarlac State University (TSU), University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), University of Santo Tomas Biochemistry (USTB) and University of Santo Tomas Chemistry (USTC) represent the best breed of chemistry students in the country.

Teams battled it out to answer questions based from Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. This year’s PACSiklaban contest judges includes Drs. Ronald Fabicon (Ateno), Mafel Ysrael (UST), Luis Rodriguez (DLSU) and Florenda Valera (UP). The Chairman of the Board was Dr. Ernesto Del Rosario who also judges the Physical Chemistry Category.

The six highest scoring teams in the Elimination Round proceed to the Final Round. Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of the Philippines (Diliman), University of the Philippines (Los Baños), University of the Philippines (Manila) and University of Santo Tomas Chemistry were the teams who qualified for the Final Round. After 10 questions in Easy Round and 15 equations each for the Average and Difficult Rounds, the team from University of the Philippines Diliman emerged victorious followed by the University of the Philippines (Los Baños) and University of the Philippines (Manila) finishing first and Second Runner-up. The third, fourth and fifth Runner-ups were taken by Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas Chemistry, respectively.

PACSiklaban 2013 was made possible through the efforts of PACS Executive Committee and General Assembly 2013-2014 together with the Ramos Sison Review Center and Shimadzu. PACSiklaban was also brought to you by Hapee, Piknik, Uniball, Lamoiyan Corporation, Wacoal and DZUP 1602.

Laguna’s pride Ariella Arida wins Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2013

By Karen Valeza | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom – Mon, Apr 15, 2013 12:16 AM PHT

(UPDATE) Ariella Arida is crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2013.

The stunning lady who hails from Laguna bested 49 other contestants during the coronation night held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night, April 14. The 24-year-old winner is a Chemistry graduate from UP Los Baños.

Read the entire article from Yahoo! OMG! Philippines.

MACROMANILA 2013: Frontiers in Polymer Technologies

The University of the Philippines Institute of Chemistry (IChem) , UP Chemistry Alumni Foundation, Department of Chemical Engineering (DChE) in partnership with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), USA are organizing MACROMANILA 2013: Frontiers in Polymer Technologies on May 23-24, 2013 at the IChem Building, UP, Diliman.

The conference will have plenary sessions as well as oral or  poster presentations from academe and industry.  The plenary sessions will feature seven (7) professors from the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Department of CWRU.  The topics of their talks include nanocomposites, biomaterials, polymer processing, self-healing plastics, aerogels, and state-of-the-art research and technologies.

Target attendees are industry stakeholders, academia, government researchers and students involved in the science and engineering of plastics, polymers and rubber.

Submit now your extended abstract for oral or poster presentation. There will be prizes for best oral or poster presentation of students (graduate or undergraduate).Attached is the flyer for Call of Papers and the Macromanila Abstract template. Deadline is April 30, 2013. Send via email to: terence.tumolva@coe.upd.edu.ph or to fdelmund@yahoo.com.

Registration is Php 800  inclusive of lunch and snacks and conference materials. Registration is on-site only.

ASEAN Conference on X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (ACXAS)

ASEAN Conference on X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (ACXAS) will be held in Cha Am, Petchaburi, Thailand during 12-13 July 2013. It is organized by Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI) under a Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Thailand. The ACXAS conference aims to bring together Thai, ASEAN and international researchers interested in X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy on varied fields from basic to applied science in both experimental and theoretical topics, and to initiate an opportunity for them to share and exchange their knowledge and experience. The conference will also include an annual meeting of the SLRI XAS users, a current status of three XAS beamlines at SLRI, and the highlighted lectures by key invited speakers; Dr. Bruce Ravel and Dr. Shelly Kelly.

Venue: Hotel Novotel Hua Hin Cha Am Beach Resort and Spa, 854/2 Burirom Road, Cha Am, Petchaburi, Thailand. The hotel locates between Cha Am and Hua Hin beach and it is within 10 to 15 minutes drive from Hua Hin Airport and Hua Hin Night Market.

Supported accommodation by SLRI: Private single/double rooms at the Novotel will be provided for the invited speakers, and shared double rooms will be provided for participants with the accepted abstracts for both oral and poster presentations.

Notes:

  1. For the latest information of our conference, please visit: https://acxas.slri.or.th/.
  2. The number of participants is limited; a maximum of 60 participants will be accepted.
  3. Supported accommodation by SLRI: Private rooms at the Novotel will be provided for the invited speakers, and shared double rooms will be provided for participants with the accepted abstracts for both oral and poster presentations.
  4. Abstract submission & online registration Deadline: May 20, 2013.

Contact: Sidaphat Rodthai and Churintorn Neti (Tel. 66-44-217-040 ext. 1603-4).