Philippine Nuclear Science Olympiad winners (from left) Jeremiah Auza, represented by Coach Joseph Hortizuela, fourth place; Jacob Emmanuel Sadorra, second place; Neil Kyle Maniquis, first place; Mohammad Nur Casib, third place; and Hans Matthew Mestido, fifth place.
The written examination held at the DOST- Philippine Nuclear Research Institute during the celebration of the 51st Atomic Energy Week.
DOST bares winners of first PH nuclear olympiad
The Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) announces the winners of the first ever Philippine Nuclear Science Olympiad held on the first week of December as part of the 2023 Atomic Energy Week celebration.
Top placer is Neil Kyle Maniquis of Manila Science High School who was awarded the gold medal. Jacob Emmanuel Sadorra of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Central Luzon Campus got the silver medal while Mohammed Nur Casib of PSHS Central Mindanao Campus won the bronze medal.
The fourth and fifth place went to Jeremiah Auza of the PSHS Central Visayas Campus and Hans Matthew Mestido of the PSHS Western Visayas Campus respectively.
The 1st PNSO is organized to provide a national venue for identifying and training potential participants who will represent the country at the 1st International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO) in 2024.
“The PNRI will train the top five winners as they prepare for the INSO. The students will undergo a series of free training which includes experimentation and other advanced laboratory skills,” says Dr. Chitho Feliciano, chairperson of the PNSO.
Once their aptitude and skills are gauged, the top four students will be selected for the international Olympiad, he added.
Some 500 junior and senior high school students competed in the pre-screening, and 166 of them proceeded to the next level which consisted of a two-hour written examination with 100 multiple choice questions. The final round further trimmed the number into 20 finalists which yielded the Top 5.
Topic of the exams include nuclear science history and applications, radiation, atom and nucleus structure, fission and fusion, radioactivity, and risk and safety.
According to Feliciano, the annual national nuclear olympiad was launched to promote awareness of and appreciation for nuclear S&T among the youth.
“The olympiad is more than getting the award, it’s more than winning, it’s about upgrading the nation as a whole through excellence in nuclear science,” he says.
As the winners advance to the INSO, they will be equipped with more advanced knowledge and skills in nuclear S&T to make them more competitive in the global scene.
(Framelia V. Anonas, DOST-PNRI)
