2 new Academicians — electrical engineer and anthropologist

Dr. Jose B. Cruz, Jr., an electrical engineer, and Dr. Michael L. Tan, an anthropologist, are the two new Academicians elected this year.

Dr. Cruz was cited for his outstanding accomplishments as a scientist and an educator to a number of important concerns like the dynamic game theory, specifically, Stackelberg (leader-follower) games, which have directly resulted in two economists winning the Nobel Prize in Economics. Moreover, he was credited in the development of several methods for the sensitivity analysis of dynamic systems with respect to parameters variations, establishment of the concept of comparison sensitivity matrix that captures the effect of feedback on altering the influence of parameter variations on system output errors in multivariable feedback system, and the maintenance of system optimality for a range parameter values even when the feedback control structure is fixed.

As an educator, he collaborates with the faculty and students of the De La Salle University (DLSU), the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) and the University of the Philippines (UP) to have a research network for complex systems like energy and disaster mitigation systems. In addition, he assists the Philippine Technological Council (PTC) in the development of criteria, procedures, policies and training materials for its bid to be a signatory of the Washington Accord (WA) like Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. The WA recognizes the accreditation of engineering, computing and engineering technology programs in the jurisdictions of the signatories as equivalent to each other. His assistance is rooted in his extensive experience as a program evaluator of the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), which is one of the originators of the WA. PTC membership in the WA will enable Filipino engineers to be recognized as having received engineering education equivalent to that of the WA signatories.

Dr. Cruz received his B.S. degree (summa cum laude) from the University of the Philippines (1953), his M.S. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1956), and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Illinois (1959), all in electrical engineering. He is the former Dean of the Ohio State University College of Engineering. He is listed in Who’s Who in the World. He received the 2009 IEEE James H. Mulligan, Jr. Education Medal, the highest IEEE award in engineering education. He is the author/coauthor of seven books and more than 300 articles in research journals and peer-reviewed conference proceedings.

On the other hand, Dr. Tan is recognized for his outstanding scientific research, teaching, advocacy and development work that demonstrate the usefulness of social scientific knowledge in advancing traditional medicine. He has consistently exerted efforts to revitalize scientific research on the use of traditional medicine, develop rational drug policies, understand the social and behavioral dimensions of HIV/AIDS prevention and promote reproductive health.  His social development advocacy and policy development works are founded on his scholarly works, which he sustain by ensuring that scientific knowledge is effectively communicated to various stakeholders including policy makers, community development workers, health professionals and the general public.

His most important studies include Philippine Anthropology in Post Anthropology Age, which explains how anthropology has evolved in the country and the new challenges faced by this social science in relation to nationhood and globalization, “Two Sides to Home: Cross Border Sexualities” from the edited volume of Globalization, Women, and Health in the 21^st Century, which uses the Philippines to explain the complexities of sexual risks faced by overseas workers, shaped by gender norms that differ at home and abroad, and Traditional or Transitional Medical Systems? Pharmacotheraphy as a Case for Analysis, which questions labels like western and traditional as applied to medicine and emphasizes the need to look at how socio-historical factors shape perceptions on and in the use of pharmaceuticals. Aside from his authorship in many outstanding books and publications, he has also written more than 1000 articles in the column “Pinoy Kasi” of the Philippine Daily Inquirer since 1997.

His credentials earned him a number of awards for his excellence in the various fields of his expertise, which include, Takashi Fuji Award for Originality in Social Science Research by the International Federation of Social Science Organizations (1997), Best Column on Children by UNICEF and the Philippine Press Institute (2005, 2006), and the UP Centennial Professor Award (2009) by the University of the Philippines.

Dr. Tan obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of the Philippines (1977), his MA in Anthropology at the Texas A&M University (1982) and his PhD in Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam (1996).

Filipino math wizards place 3rd overall in IMSO

The Philippine delegation placed third overall in the recently concluded 7th International Mathematics and Science Olympiad (IMSO) for Primary Schools held in Bali, Indonesia, 10-15 October.

The Filipinos got two gold medals courtesy of Farrell Eldrian Wu of MGC New Life Christian Academy (Taguig City) and Clyde Wesley Ang of Chiang Kai Shek College (Manila). The team was headed by Dr Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers Guild Philippines.

The team got a total of 19 medals (2 golds, 2 silvers and 15 bronzes) to land behind Thailand (5 G, 5 S and 1 B) and Indonesia (2 G, 8 S and 6 B).

Source: Hicap, JM. 2010. “RP math wizards win 19 medals in Indonesia.” In Manila Bulletin: National & Metro News Bulletin. 17 October 2010.

 

Filipino wins Asia’s Sudoku challenge

For the second time, Sarah Jane Cua, a fourth-year high school student of Pangasinan Universal Institute in Dagupan City, emerged as the champion in the BRAND’s Asia-Pacific Sudoku Challenge. The contest was held in Singapore, 17 October 2010.

Cua defeated contestants from Singapore, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Malaysia. She brought home 10,000 Singaporean dollars, S$300 BRAND’s Hamper, a glass trophy, a certificate and a one-year supply of BRAND’s Essence of Chicken product.

Sudoku is a logic-based, combinatorial number placement puzzle, wherein a number is placed in a box and appears only once in a row. It became popular in 1986 when the Japanese puzzle company Nikoli introduced it.

2 Filipino physicists are 2010 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

Recognised for “their purposeful commitment to both science and nation, ensuring innovative, low-cost, and effective basic education even under conditions of great scarcity and daunting poverty,” Dr Christopher C Bernido and Dr Ma Victoria Carpio-Bernido were among this year’s recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asia’s equivalent of Nobel Prize.

The Bernido couple have doctorate degrees in Physics from the State University of New York. In 1999, they resigned from the University of the Philippines Diliman and moved to Central Visayan University Foundation in Bohol. They commenced the Dynamic Learning Program, which gives hands-on opportunity to students in learning certain lessons. They launched the program called Learning Physics as a Nation with the aim of addressing the shortage of qualified physics teachers in the country.

Their efforts in building the country through science, research and new learning methods are truly remarkable and praiseworthy.

32nd ASM awards this year’s best in Pinoy science

The National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines awarded this year’s best in Philippine science and technology at its 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting held on 14-15 July 2010 at the historic Manila Hotel.

Leading the roster of awardees are the four newly-elected Academicians: Dr Marco Nemesio E Montaño (Biological Chemistry), Dr Fernando P Siringan (Geology), Dr Guillermo Q Tabios III (Civil Engineering) and Dr Antonio Miguel L Dans (Clinical Epidemiology); and one new Corresponding Member: Dr Kelvin S Rodolfo (Marine Geology).

Dr Macrina T Zafaralla is this year’s NAST-Hugh Greenwood Environmental Science Awardee. Dr John Donnie A Ramos (Molecular Biology/Immunology) bagged the award for the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Prize for Young Scientists in the Philippines.

Eleven scientists and researchers were awarded as this year’s Outstanding Young Scientists. They are Dr Von Mark V Cruz (Plant Breeding), Dr Roel R Suralta (Agricultural Sciences), Gayvelline C Calacal (Molecular Biology), Rachel June Ravago-Gotanco (Molecular Biology and Biotechnology), Dr Eric A Galapon (Physics), Dr Fredegusto Guido P David (Biomedical Engineering), Dr Alvin R Caparanga (Environmental Engineering), Dr Allan A Sioson (Computer Science and Applications), Dr Maria Pura R Solon (Tropical Medicine and International Health), Dr Edsel Maurice T Salvaña (Tropical Medicine) and Dr Mary Janet M Arnado (Sociology).

The 2010 NAST-LELEDFI Award for Outstanding Research in Tropical Medicine was awarded to the research study entitled “Current Advances in the Study of Trichomonas vaginalis Infections in the Philippines” by Dr Windell L Rivera and Vanissa A Ong.

Relegated to the top of this year’s Outstanding Books are the following: Animal Breeding Principles and Practices in the Philippine Context by Orville L Bondoc, Protected Vegetable Cultivation: Management Options and Economic Potential by Clarita P Aganon and Teotimo M Aganon, Philippine Fermented Foods: Principles and Technology by Priscilla F Sanchez, and Atlas of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology by Corazon Y Almirante, Franklin P Atencio and Blanca C de Guia.

The scientific convention aptly themed MDGs and Beyond: Are We Making Progress? tackled the status of the Philippines in terms of meeting the MDG targets set by the United Nations in 2000.