Members of the Philippine team that competed at the first International Nuclear Science Olympiad, 3 of whom were awarded medals. Courtesy: DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute  MANILA — Three Filipino students excelled at the first-ever International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO) held at the New Clark City, Pampanga.

The Aug. 1 to 6 competition aims to promote awareness of the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology.

Mohammad Nur Casib from the Philippine Science High School (PSHS)-Central Mindanao Campus secured a gold medal, achieving the highest theoretical and overall scores. His exceptional performance earned him the title of Nuclear Ambassador, conferred by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Courtesy: DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute  

The other Filipino medalists included Neil Kyle Maniquis from Manila Science High School, who also won a gold medal, and Jeremiah Auza, the youngest member of Team Philippines, who earned a silver medal. Auza, a student at the PSHS-Central Visayas Campus, hails from Tagbilaran, Bohol.

The two-day competition consisted of both theoretical and experimental assessments in nuclear science.

“During the exam it's a total of two problems, experimental, to be answered for 3.5 hours and then yung theoretical naman is five items in five hours,” said head coach Kristine Marie Dean.

The Philippine Team was composed of four students from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The students were selected last year from a pool of 400 applicants. After a series of examinations conducted by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), the top 5 were chosen to train for the competition.

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The rest of the Philippine delegation at the International Nuclear Science Olympiad held in Pampanga. Courtesy: DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute

The competition saw 54 junior and senior secondary students participate from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Fourteen countries participated in the inaugural INSO, with each sending four to five representatives. These countries included Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Philippines hosted the first INSO, which was organized by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) with support from the IAEA. 

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Ana Elena Conjares, chairperson of the local organizing committee, emphasized the competition's significance.

"It also raises awareness sa ating secondary students and also to the Department of Education...that it would also be very important to include nuclear topics into our secondary education," Conjares said.

The DepEd was a co-organizer of the event, along with the DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines and the Philippine Nuclear Science Foundation.

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