Nuclear STEM VIBE: DOST-PNRI at the National Youth Science, Technology, and Innovation Festival (NYSTIF)
It’s another year of atoms driving the STEM vibing as high school and college students visit the booths of the DOST - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute at the 2nd National Youth Science, Technology, and Innovation Festival (NYSTIF) from September 18 to 21, 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center!
DOST-PNRI's young nuclear researchers demonstrated several radiation applications geared towards providing solutions for economic growth. The future scientists, engineers and professionals were shown live how profuse bleeding can be effectively and quickly controlled using radiation-processed hemostats, which is very vital in emergency and medical settings.
Further, students also get to prove that male mosquitoes don't bite when they inserted their hands into the cage filled with lab-grown male ππ¦π₯π¦π΄ π’π¦π¨πΊπ±π΅πͺ mosquitoes which just hovered around or landed on the students' palms and hands. Said mosquitoes were irradiated using the sterile insect technique that made the male mosquitoes unable to reproduce. The technique is used to reduce the population of vectors for dengue and other viruses.
Visitors also had a fun time putting their physics and chemistry brains to the test at the Who’s That Isotope quiz game while also winning lots of prizes and souvenirs, including PNRI’s illustrated isotope cards.
Meanwhile, students all aboard on the NuLab Bus of the DOST-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) get to join special classes on nuclear science and technology, hosted by PNRI’s very own Deputy Director and physicist Dr. Vallerie Samson.
DOST opens the second NYSTIF with the theme “STEM VIBE: Engaging the Youth in Providing Solutions and Opening Opportunities”, this science festival aims to encourage students to find science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as worthy pursuits for future careers and as vibrant, innovative, brilliant, and engaging (VIBE) fields of studies.
