UP, Ateneo, DLSU students win BPI-DOST science awards

The BPI-DOST Science Awards encourages promising young scientists to reach higher levels of excellence

This is an announcement from the BPI Foundation and DOST. 

YOUNG SCIENTISTS. BPI-DOST Science Awards Finalists (L-R) include 2nd placer Raiza Elmira Imperial of UP Diliman, Best Project of the Year Awardee Christian John Capirig of Ateneo de Davao University, and 3rd placer Alron Jan Lam of De La Salle University. Photo by BPI Foundation.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) presented the Best Project of the Year Award to Christian John Capirig of Ateneo de Davao University at the 2015 BPI-DOST Science Awards, held at The Mind Museum, Taguig on March 12.

His project, In Vitro Evaluation of Selected Bacteria Against Fusarium Oxysporum f. sp. Cubense Tropical Race 4, was chosen unanimously as the winner for its potential to protect our vital banana industry from getting wiped out by this fungal disease.

Coming in second was Raiza Elmira Imperial of the University of the Philippines Dilliman for her project One-Step Fabrication of Superhydrophobic/Superole0philic Electrodeposited Polythiophene for Oil and Water Separation, for its possible use in mitigating the effects of oil spills on the marine environment.

Alron Jan Lam of Del La Salle University placed third for his project Breadcrumb: An Indoor Simultaneous Localization and Mapping System for Mobile Devices, which could enable users to have access to indoor positioning systems, much like the Global Positioning System (GPS) yet for commercial spaces.

The BPI-DOST Science Awards encourages promising young students to reach higher levels of excellence in these specialized fields: mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, and biology.

The science competition enables a new generation of leaders and innovators to address competitive issues in science, research, and technology development. It also challenges them to create lasting impacts in society.

Now on its 26th year, the BPI-DOST Science Awards has recognized over 700 outstanding science awardees from its partner universities nation-wide: Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Davao University, De La Salle University, Saint Louis University, Silliman University, University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Los Baños, University of San Carlos, University of Santo Tomas, and Xavier University.

“BPI Foundation supports this program to encourage and recognize promising university students on the pursuit of their scientific research…We commit to the development of scientific research as a means to forward economic development for a better and more prosperous Philippines,” BPI Foundation Executive Director Fidelina Corcuera expressed at the panel presentation of the finalists on March 11.

The Best Project of the Year grand winner received P50,000 and a scholarship grant from DOST, the first runner up received P30,000, and while P10,000 was awarded to the second runner-up. In addition, all of the 29 science awardees, including the Best Project of the Year winners, will receive P25,000 and a plaque of recognition.

Three exceptional students are selected per partner institution every year. An awardee is selected on the basis of his academic performance and must be nominated by the school.

BPI Foundation will be holding awarding ceremonies at the campuses of its partner universities in the months of March and April 2015 for the awardees to be locally recognized for their achievements and contributions to nation-building. – Rappler.com

(Source: rappler.com)