Philippines Participates in Historic 60th General Conference of International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna
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From The Philippine Embassy/Permanent Mission in Vienna
DOST Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara delivers the Philippine Statement during the 3rd Plenary Session of the 60th Session of the IAEA General Conference on 27 September 2016 (Photo from the Philippine Embassy/Permanent Mission in Vienna)
From Left: DOST Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Ambassador Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano and PNRI Chemistry Research Section Head Dr. Lucille Abad (Photo from the Philippine Embassy/Permanent Mission in Vienna)
Philippines Participates in Historic 60th General Conference of International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna
Hon. Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Undersecretary of Science and Technology for Research and Development, and Ambassador Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson, Philippine Resident Representative to the IAEA led the Philippine delegation to the 60th Regular Session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the related meetings held along the sidelines from 26 September to 30 September 2016.
Officials from the Philippine Permanent Mission in Vienna, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, and Department of Education ensured active Philippine participation in the related meetings and side events.
Reading the Philippine Statement, Undersecretary Guevara cited several tangible contributions of the IAEA to the Philippines’ national development, particularly in the areas of food security, water management, health, environmental protection, education and capacity-building. She expressed the Philippines’ support as well for IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano’s candidature for a third term as IAEA Director General.
Read the full text here
Philippines Hosts Asian Educators to Bring Nuclear S&T to Secondary Schools
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IAEA Technical Officer Dr. Sunil Sabharwal (2nd row, 6th from left), Dr. Valerie Segovia of the Nuclear Power Institute, Texas A&M University, USA (2nd row, 6th from right), Mr. Eko Supardyono from Indonesia (4th row, 3rd from left) DepEd-NCR Regional Director Dr. Ponciano Menguito (2nd row, 5th from left), DepEd-QC Science Education Supervisor Dr. Maria Violeta Tupas (2nd row, 3rd from left) and PNRI Officer-in-Charge, Office of the Deputy Director Dr. Soledad Castañeda (2nd row, 5th from left) with the participants and facilitators of the IAEA Regional Training Course for Secondary School Educators
The participant teachers observe the class demonstration and radiation detection experiments by teachers and students from San Francisco High School (left) and Quezon City Science High School (right)
Philippines Hosts Asian Educators to Bring Nuclear S&T to Secondary Schools
Teachers and educators throughout the Asia-Pacific region met in the Philippines as part of the international effort to bring nuclear science to classrooms as it hosts the Regional Training Course for Secondary School Educators from August 22-26, 2016.
The course was organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) and the Department of Education Division of City Schools – Quezon City (DepEd – QC).
The training course supportedthe secondary school science educators in Member States in developing their competency in delivering nuclear science and technology topics as effective and engaging teaching learning processes. The week-long event also fostered a healthy discussion on the experiences and strategies of various countries in the Asia-Pacific region in integrating nuclear S&T in their curriculum to meet their national perspectives.
Among the participants were government officials and science educators from Bangladesh, Jordan, Pakistan, Philippines, Israel, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia, who trained on new approaches that will make teaching complex concepts such as nuclear energy and radiation more enjoyable and understandable. Ms. Rhodora Leonin of the PNRI Nuclear Information and Documentation Section is the Course Director.
Lecturers from the IAEA shared their expertise in teaching as well as promoting nuclear S&T to the younger generation. Several teachers from two pilot schools in Quezon City – San Francisco High School and Quezon City Science High School – also performed classroom demonstrations during the training course.
These teachers were previously trained in conducting lectures and radiation-related activities like the cloud chamber experiment, which allows students to “see” radiation through the trails left by emitted particles, and using the Hakaru-kun radiation detector in the environment, courtesy of the IAEA and the University of Tokyo.
Not to be outdone, the high school students from both pilot schools showcased their creative talents combined with what they have learned from the previous seminars to promote nuclear S&T applications.
In 2015, the Philippines served as one of the pilot countries for the project along with Malaysia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. It aims to reach out and develop the interests of young students in the field of science and technology, with an emphasis on the peaceful and beneficial uses of nuclear and radiation applications.
The project also aims to encourage students to eventually take up science-related courses in college as well as their professional careers, which will augment the manpower and technological development of the IAEA Member States in the region.
“Students cannot go into these fields unless they know they exist,” said IAEA Technical Officer Dr. Sunil Sabharwal in an interview with the IAEA.
“We are afraid of things we don’t understand. Science, technology and maths are not subject areas students usually feel close to. We need teachers who can show them that these aren’t difficult, but actually interesting.”
PNRI and QCSC Celebrate the 2016 National Science and Technology Week
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PNRI and QCSC Celebrate the 2016 National Science and Technology Week
With the theme, “Juan Science, One Nation”, the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) joins the Quezon City Science Community (QCSC) as well as its fellow DOST agencies in the celebration of the National Science and Technology Week 2016 from July 25 to 29, 2016.
This year’s NSTW celebration will be spread across four science communities – the Bicutan Science Community at the DOST Complex in Taguig City, the Los Baños Science Community at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARD) in Los Baños, Laguna, the Manila Science Community at the SM Mall of Asia Atrium in Pasay City, and the Quezon City Science Community at the Science Garden Complex of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in Quezon City.
The DOST Regional Offices, agencies and institutes will also celebrate the 2016 NSTW with their own open-house guided tours of facilities and exhibits.
Focusing on science and technology applications for disaster mitigation, preparedness and response, the QCSC adopts the sub-theme, “Juan Science, One Disaster Resilient Nation” which will echo throughout the community’s various activities, contests, forums and exhibits. Guided tours of the various DOST agencies in Quezon City will also be conducted.
In celebration of the 2016 NSTW, PNRI will feature exhibits on the various applications of nuclear science and technology, as well as guided tours of the facilities and laboratories of PNRI. These include the Electron Beam Irradiation Facility, the Cobalt-60 Multipurpose Irradiation Facility, gardens and greenhouses for PNRI’s mutant breeds of ornamental plants, the Cytogenetics Laboratory, and the Real-time Online Environmental Radiation Monitoring Station, among others.
PNRI will also participate in the Disaster Summit on July 27 at PHIVOLCS Auditorium. Mr. Teofilo Y. Garcia, Head of Health Physics Research Section, will present the topic on Radiation Monitoring for Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Philippines.
Click here for the schedule of activities for the QCSC.
Click here for the program for the Disaster Summit on July 27
Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa - Nuclear Scientist, Director, Civil Servant Par Excellence
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Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa - Nuclear Scientist, Director, Civil Servant Par Excellence
*This article and tribute was written in the advent of the retirement of PNRI Director Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa effective on June 30, 2016.
Forty-eight years spent in public service is truly a feat of fortitude and excellence, and more so when devoted to the advancement of one’s field and profession.
Indeed, for most of the history of the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), now the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), its stalwart Director, Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa, has borne witness to how far the agency, and the Philippines in general, has gone in the field of nuclear science and technology.
She started from being an aspiring student in the provinces to serving beyond retirement age to be among the most respected scientists in the field of nuclear and radiation technology here and abroad. Director Dela Rosa’s journey serves as an inspiration not only to civil servants and administrators alike, but also among the youth, who will one day follow in the footsteps of the highest ranking career scientist in the country.
Read the complete article here
