PhilAAST celebrates 71st Annual Convention giving recognition to Filipino Scientists

 The 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 (PhilAAST) celebrated its 71st Annual Convention with the theme“𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗦𝗧𝗜)” last 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮.  The convention was broadcast virtually via Zoom and Facebook Live! Dr. Ida Dalmacio, PhilAAST Director hosted the event.

The Highlights of the convention

• Announcement of winners in 2022 PHILAAST awarding ceremony
• The plenary talks of guest speakers and panel reactors
• Synthesis of sharing of our PHILAAST officers on the webinars

Dr. Diana Ignacio, PhilAAST President welcomes everyone to the convention. “Since it’s inception in 1952, PHILAAST has been an advocate of upholding indisputable value of science technology and innovation or STI for national development. Thus this year’s celebration focuses on pursuing sustainable development for every sector of our country’s economy thru our over all theme, accelerating transformation for sustainable development thru science technology and innovation.”

 

The new DOST Secretary, Dr. Renato Solidum Jr. congratulates PHILAAST for the successful convention. He also shared that in the next 6 years, DOST will refocus to align with the President’s plan for the department based on the 4 pillars of Wealth Creation,  Wealth Protection, Human Well being and Sustainability.

On his keynote address, he thanked and commend PhilAAST for the conduct of the convention.

I am positive, the 71^st will leave a significant and lasting impression to your stakeholders. Your mission resonates well with the DOST, We share your goal of inculcating a culture of excellence and integrity among Filpino scientist and technologist.

 

The Awarding Ceremony comes next facilitated by PhilAAST Vice-President, Dr. Reynaldo Dela Cruz.

The 8 Awardees were as follows:

·      Dr. Mario A. Aurelio - recipient of the Gregorio Y. Zara for Basic Research Award for his valuable contribution in the teaching of structural geology and geodynamics which are essential to sustainable development of the Philippines

·      Dr. Imelda A. Ongo - recipient of the Gregorio Y. Zara for Applied Research Award for her research, development, and technology innovation focusing on environment, food, and agricultural products.

Zara awardees Dr. Aurelio and Dr. Ongo with Dr. Ignacio, Secretary Solidum and Zara representative

·      Ms. Arsenia Sapin - recipient of the Dr. Ceferino Follosco Award for Product and Process Innovation for her outstanding commercial and patented technology, innovation in phenolics based products from mango.

Awardee Ms. Arsenia Sapin

·      Dr. Nilo T. Bugtai - recipient of the Dr Paolo C. Campos Award for Medical Research for being the country's leading pioneer in health technologies and biomedical devices that involve the application of robotic technology and artificial intelligence that are safe, easy to use, affordable and reliable.

·      Dr. Fortunato L. Cristobal - recipient of the Dr Lourdes Campos Award for Public Health for his vision of a socially accountable, relevant, and responsive community engaged medical education and health care in Mindanao.

·      Dr. Rinlee Butch M. Cervera - recipient of the David M. Consunji Award for Engineering Research for undertaking significant research projects in the new frontier of material science and engineering focusing on energy storage and conversion devices, ways to energy applications, and research on green materials.

Awardee Dr. Rinlee Cervera

·      Dr. Anthony Shun Fung Chiu - recipient of the Dr Mike Purvis Award for Sustainability Research for his works in the cleaner production, industrial ecology, and sustainable consumption and production more specifically in the introduction of a four stage eco industrial park development model for Asia and the Pacific, nexus between facility level, cleaner production, and beyond the wall eco industrial networking, advocacy to link science, policy and management and the crafting of policy framework for sustainable framework and production.

·      Dr. Maria Luz G. Sison -  post humous recipient of the Leads Agri Award for Agricultural Research for her lifelong career in studying insect-crops interaction involving important economic crops thus paving the way for better understanding of infection mechanisms, resistance response of crops and effective pest control.

PhilAAST congratulates all the awardees and at the same time thanked the sponsors and the judges.

Distinguished individuals were also invited as Panel of Reactors. They are Mr. Philip Ong – Chairman, PCAFI, Dr. Rhodora V. Azanza – President, NAST and Mr. Rey Roxas Chua from the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. 

Also, prior to this 71^st PhilAAST convention, a series of webinars were held focusing on 5 different topics. Synthesis of the discussions for these webinars were given by distinguished and respectable individuals on the field, namely, Dr. Eva Marie Cutiongco Dela Paz for Health & Wellness, Dr. Anabelle Briones for Energy Solutions, Dr. Asuncion De Guzman for Sustainable Communities, Dr. Reynaldo Ebora for Water, Land & Soil Resources and  Dir. Luningning Samarita-Domingo for the Digital Revolution.  

Established in 1951, PhilAAST (formerly PhilAAS) is an association of scientists and technologists in the country that aims to promote science's value in the community.