SOSS and SOSE Faculty win NAST 2015 awards

Faculty members from the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) and School of Social Sciences (SOSS) were granted several awards by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) on July 9 at the Manila Hotel. The NAST is the premier recognition and advisory body on Science and Technology in the Philippines. Among the awardees was Environmental Sciences (ES) Chair Severino Salmo III, PhD, who was awarded the Environmental Science Award for his work on the impacts of mangrove restoration. ES Department Assistant Professor Charlotte Gotangco, PhD won the second prize for the Talent Search for Young Scientists Award. Chemistry Department Professor Fabian Dayrit, PhD and his co-researchers Jaclyn Escano, Henson Dejarme, Ian Dimzon, Jo Remollo, and Melodina Valde were granted the Outstanding Scientific Paper Award for their paper “Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters in the deterioration of virgin coconut oil.” Meanwhile, Clarissa David, PhD (AB COM ’98), Communication Department Lecturer Jenna Mae Atun, and Ateneo School of Government Dean Antonio La Viña, PhD received the Outstanding Book Award for their book titled The RH Wars: Framing the Population and Reproductive Health Debate. Nathan V. Javier

Filipino Dept. faculty member wins big at WPFF 2015

Filipino Department Assistant Professor Alvin Yapan, PhD bagged four major awards under the Filipino New Cinema category for his film Ang Kubo sa Kawayan at the World Premieres Film Festival 2015. It was held at the Centerstage Theater, SM Mall of Asia on June 28. The film won Best Picture, Best Editing for Benjamin Tolentino, Best Cinematography for Ronald Rebutica, and Best Actress for Mercedes Cabral. According to the official website of the Ateneo, the film “tells the intimate story of how a woman’s house, along with the things around her: a river stone, a June beetle, and a can of sardines, would help her preserve the ecology of joy and peace she nurtures by the bamboo grove. The film is a meditation on the virtue of staying at a time of migration, of permanence in a land of cultural erosion.” Joff D. Bantayan

OAA offers new scholarships for incoming freshmen 

The Office of Admission and Aid has released two new academic scholarship offers: The Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, S.J. Science Academic Scholarship and the Fr. Thomas B. Steinbugler, S.J. Academic Scholarship. To receive the former, the student accepted to the Loyola Schools (LS) must be the valedictorian or salutatorian of a science high school, and must be taking any course under the School of Science and Engineering. For the Fr. Thomas B. Steinbugler, S.J. Academic Scholarship, the student accepted to the LS must be the valedictorian or salutatorian of a Jesuit high school. Upon presentation of certification from their high school principal, the valedictorians will be granted a 100% Tuition and Fees Scholarship while salutatorians will receive a 50% Tuition and Fees Scholarship. Janine B. Peralta

Atenean competes in World Nuclear University Olympiad

 Applied physics with materials science and engineering supersenior Anton Tanquintic has made it to the finals of World Nuclear University’s (WNU) Nuclear Olympiad. According to its website, the WNU is a “worldwide network of educational and research institutions engaged in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.” This year’s Olympiad tackles nuclear techniques for global development. Applicants were required to post a brief video regarding the topic on the online video platform, YouTube. Tanquintic’s video entry, “Nuclear Solutions for Today’s Needs,” discussed daily applications of nuclear energy. His entry was handpicked for its impact, relevance, and creativity, and was among the five most popular entries, thus earning him a spot in the finals. Finalists will participate in an essay and speech competition on radioisotopes in Vienna, Austria on September 17. Miguel N. Sevidal