The Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs hosted the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Exposition or STEM EXPO in Taguig City.
With the theme “Embracing Our Ingenuity, Engineering the Filipino Society,” the STEM EXPO showcased the Filipino youth’s excellence and ingenuity in the “i-Gen: Ideas Generation Hackathon” or i-Gen Ideathon, “i-Gen: Innovations Competition” or i-Gen: Innovation, PSYSC Investigatory Projects Fair, Robotics Olympiad, Science Journalism and Science Film Festival competitions.
Saint Louis University-Laboratory Senior High School topped the i-Gen: Ideathon competition with their project entitled “Rice Guardian,” which also got the Best in Presentation and Best Presenter prizes. The same school bagged first runner-up for “iOne” while Philippine Science High School-Cordillera Administrative Region won second runner-up for “Agmula.”
Meanwhile, PSHS-CAR ruled the i-Gen: Innovation contest with “Wheelduino: An Arduino-Based Smart Wheelchair for Paraplegic Patients,” followed by Pasig City Science High School and SLU-LSH.
Student researchers from the PSHS-Main Campus led the winners of the IP Fair with their project “Development of an iOS Application for Real-time Spectral Classification of Stars Based on a Convolutional Neutral Network,” which was also awarded Best in Exhibit and Best Presenter. PSHS-CAR and University of Baguio Science High School ended up first and second runners-up, respectively.
In other contests, PSHS-CAR dominated the Robotics Olympiad, which is both a robotics projects exhibition and competition aimed at promoting the field to young Filipino students and to the public.
Winning Best Picture, Best in Cinematography and Best in Musical Score in the Science Film Festival is Tabaco National High School with their film “I Wonder Y,” which emphasized the importance of S&T in solving several issues in the country. Second Best Picture, Best Direction and Best Screenplay went to PSHS-CAR with “Sapantaha” (Presumption), which highlights and promotes gender equality in S&T.
The event also featured an open conference series called “Teknolohiya, Agham, Kalikasan, Diwa at Ako” or TAKDA, which assembled scientists, academicians, researchers, business people, government officials, working professionals, and university students; an exhibition of science, technology, research, and development industry partners; and other activities that mainly cater to senior high school students.
Keynote speaker and forensic scientist Dr. Maria Corazon De Ungria led the resource persons and workshop facilitators during the event. Among them are 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge winner Hillary Diane Andales, Seaversity Innovations Chief Executive Officer Engr. Ephrem Dela Cerna, Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development specialist Michelle Maramag, Masungi Georeserve Foundation project manager Ann Dumaliang, Haraya Learning Innovations founder Engr. Paolo Espiritu, advocacy filmmaker and communicator Seymour Sanchez, outdoor photographer Gab Mejia, designer and social entrepreneur Joie Cruz, and De La Salle University Electronics and Communications Engineering Department associate professor Dr. Argel Bandala.
Since its foundation in 1971, PSYSC has led the science clubbing movement and the promotion of S&T and the environment to elementary and secondary students in the country. The organization has been conducting positive, stimulating, and engaging activities and programs that enhance not only their academic knowledge but also environmental and social awareness.
