Sneak Peek: PSCF 2020 Chemistry Session
- Alex Binza, Shannen So, and Kyle Vitug
- Dec 19, 2020
- 6 min read
Science communication organization Atom Pinoy welcomed science enthusiasts nationwide to the first ever Philippine Science Communication Festival which aimed to celebrate Filipino ingenuity and provide an avenue for Filipino science enthusiasts, young scientists, and professional scientists to uplift STEM literacy in the Philippines. PSCF 2020 was launched last November 30, 2020 with activities being held until December 14, 2020.
Analytical Chemistry
For the first part of the Chemistry Session of the Philippine Science Communication Festival 2020, Atom Pinoy brought Bren Mark Felisida, a researcher in Curtin University in Australia to talk about his research journey in Analytical Chemistry.
Born in Northern Mindanao, Felisida studied BS Chemistry at Xavier University Cagayan. He was able to get funding for his research during his baccalaureate years and even got various scholarships that granted him the opportunity to study in countries like Korea and Australia, mainly focusing on research and development in the discipline of analytical chemistry particularly the separation sciences.
For his postdoctoral, he had the pleasure to work alongside with Joselito Quirino in Tasmania, Australia to study about the separation science, especially the characterization and chromatographic applications of stationary pseudophases. Felisida expressed how separation sciences is a vital tool in chemistry and it also allowed him to explore the new trends of developing the likes of surfactants and coatings
According to Felisida, analytical chemistry focuses on gathering, processing and communicating information about the composition and structure of matter. The field consists of a cycle of life and death as new methods are brought up by more advanced technologies and research. His degree in chemistry has also brought him to the forefront of academe, industry, research, and science-policy.
In his journey, Felisida talked about the various research he has done over the years of being a scientist. This consists of physicochemical analysis on water quality, detection of biosensors through electrochemical means, electrochemistry on Interface between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions (ITIES), and countless more studies in his discipline.
Currently in Curtin University, Felisilda, together with his colleagues Damien Arriga and Terrence Henares, is now trying to develop sensors to check the integrity of reverse osmosis in water samples.
Being away from home, Felisida talked about being homesick. "Being a Filipino scientist in an international research institution is not happy always," Felisilda said.
"It is not always highs, there will always be lows when you do research," he added.
When asked about the state of Philippine research, Felisilda stated the untapped potential of the country's natural resources that could be used for the development of graphene sensors. Additionally, he expressed his dismay of the underfunded and underpaid chemists in the Philippines despite having many job prospects.
Molecular Dynamics
The second speaker of PSCF 2020’s chemistry session, with the topic of molecular dynamics, was Dr. Searle Duay, who is currently an instructor at Adamson University. In his talk “Learning Lessons as a Pinoy Scientist,” Duay shared about his PhD research about antimicrobial peptides at the University of Connecticut, along with the 10 lessons that he learned as a scientist.
Duay’s PhD research involved molecular dynamics simulations, which models the movement of molecules and enables the close examination of biochemical systems. Using these simulations, he was able to investigate the interaction of antimicrobial peptides with the cell membrane, as antimicrobial resistance against small-molecule antibiotics remains a widespread problem.
The advantages of antimicrobial peptides over these antibiotics include: (1) ability to harmlessly extract from organisms, thus removing the need to synthesize them; (2) naturally produced in the body; (3) ability of the body to break them down easily; and (4) capability of killing pathogens through different mechanisms, which makes it difficult for these pathogens to develop antimicrobial resistance.
However, the mechanism of antimicrobial peptides is understudied and the rational design is less understood, which means that research for designing an antimicrobial peptide that specifically targets a pathogen is still ongoing.
Aside from his research, Duay also gave invaluable insights outlined in ten lessons for Pinoy scientists. Some of the things he highlighted were learning from others, investing in scientific research here in the country, developing skills in science communication, and empowering scientists.
He also emphasized the great responsibility that comes with science, as illustrated by the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Aside from altering DNA mutations that result in disease, genome editing could also be used in altering the traits of a person. “We can dictate the positive and negative traits. It’s like playing God,” Duay said. Thus, these genetic scissors present ethical issues that should be addressed and thoroughly discussed.
Overall, Dr. Duay’s ten lessons are summarized below.
You will learn a lot from people better than you. Have a very good scientific conversation with people who are better than you.
Talking to the younger generation gives you a different perspective. Throw away the prevalent superiority complex of senior scientists.
You are actually better than what you feel you are. You may have developed the imposter syndrome, but in reality, people believe in you and they look up to your work.
Actively look for good mentors to guide you not just in academics, but in life.
The Philippines needs to invest more in fundamental science research as funding institutions neglect their importance due to their preference for researches that directly affect lives.
Develop communication skills in science, especially to politicians/policy makers.
With great science comes great responsibility.
Science knows no race nor gender. It is for everyone.
The Philippines should empower our scientists. Craft policies that are backed by scientific evidence. The government expects so much without providing resources for scientists, who are overworked and underpaid.
Have a life outside science. Scientists are not robots and they also have their fun side.
Atmospheric Chemistry
As the last speaker of the Chemistry Session, research assistance and Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University, Ms. Colleen Maricel Rosales, talked about the two-way relationship humans have with the environment. Specifically, she talked about the anthrophosphere or the part of the environment which is modified for human activities and habitat, and its interaction with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and the lithosphere.
Her interest in chemistry led her to performing various research studies from undergrad to her doctorate studies about the chemistry of environment. In her study, “Emissions from Lechon Manok Grilling in Traditional Fuel and Cookstoves” under Dr. Mylene Cayetano, she mentioned that they had to build a wind tunnel to assess the aerosols and quality of the emissions.
“Once upon a time, I scoured the streets of Metro Manila to find all Baliwag and Andoks stalls. For Science! #AirQuality,” she presented, a testament to her dedication to widening the knowledge base in environmental chemistry.
However she says that there is still a lack of support and funding from the government in the field of research and development. Once, they even had to cut a filter paper to a fourth of its size so that they could analyze more samples, she recalls.
One of the most relevant studies she has participated in, according to her, is HOMEChem which stands for House Observation of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry. In this study, they had to look for a house, simulate indoor activities, and measure emissions.
“We studied how everyday activities, like cleaning, cooking, and occupancy, change the chemistry inside the house,” she said, putting emphasis on how important the study is because of the current situation we are in where we are almost always home due to the pandemic.
Encouraging the participants to take interest in her field, she mentions several career options for those who wish to be atmospheric chemists. These career options include being part of the academe as a teacher or research scientist, working in the industry as a researcher and instrumental design scientist, joining non-profit organizations like Clean Air Ride Manila, working for the government as an inspector and air quality analyst, and being a science communicator during outreach programs.
She also gave the participants some general life tips. First, she quoted Thomas Edison saying “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Adding to these, though, she said that it’s also important to find something else to focus on, other than science and research, to balance one’s studies.
She also encouraged the students to enjoy youth and for them to use this time to explore what they really want to learn and work on in the future. “Also, avoid procrastination and seek out opportunities,” she told the science enthusiasts as her final tip.
When she was asked about how the government can contribute to the country’s air quality, she said that the government should revisit the Philippine Clean Air Act. They should connect with air quality researchers in the academia, and provide subsidy to vehicle owners who wish to shift to newer models since older models tend to produce more fumes which are contributors to the worsening air quality in the country.
Ending her speech, she urged everyone to start talking and thinking about the current crisis on climate change. “If we don’t think about climate change now, then there will be no issues beyond what we have now… because we probably won’t exist in how many years from now.”
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