The Faculty of Engineering in collaboration with the UST Graduate School, and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, held the Knowledge Management Assist Awareness Symposium on May 12 at the Tanghalang Teresita Quirino Hall.
The symposium was attended by Chemical Engineering undergraduate students and academic staff as well as Electronics Engineering and Management Engineering graduate students. The event was spearheaded by Prof. Maria Natalia R. Dimaano, PhD, who gave the opening remarks to welcome the guests and the resource speakers.
The first resource speaker was Ms. Ana Elena L. Conjares, Chief of the Technology Diffusion Division at PNRI, who discussed the current progress of the nuclear power program in the country. The talk highlights the efforts of academia and research in nuclear education and its importance in addressing the challenges of human resource development in the field. Currently, nuclear education is introduced to students at UP Diliman, Mapua University, De La Salle University, and the 探花精选. With the intent to further its reach, PNRI conducts courses on the fundamentals of nuclear science and technology, the basic principles of radiation protection, and many more through the Nuclear Training Center and SATER. Training sessions, both local and abroad, are also available for academic staff who are assigned to teach courses relating to nuclear science and technology.
The discussion of Conjares was followed by Dr. Carlo A. Arcilla, Director of PNRI, who talked about the assessment of advanced nuclear energy technologies for the Philippines. Arcilla gave an overview of the processes required to harness energy from nuclear reactions, the types of nuclear reactors, and nuclear safety concepts. He also emphasized the striking contrast between the economic and environmental impacts of nuclear material and coal, which is currently the main source of energy in the Philippines. As a source of energy, he disclosed that the world has a richer fissionable material compared to the depleting fossil fuel reserve. He also asserted his confidence in the design of the Bataan nuclear power plant, which safeguards the community should accidents similar to the Fukushima nuclear accident and natural disasters occur.
The third resource speaker was Dr. Ronald Daryll E. Gatchalian who is an expert in the field of nuclear science and technology and currently the only Nuclear Engineer in the Philippines. He delivered the discourse on nuclear energy systems and their rationale, fundamentals, technologies, and applications, and listed the different nuclear fuels and the overview of their assembly in a nuclear reactor. The different generation reactors and their advantages and disadvantages were also discussed. The lecture was followed by an interesting discussion with one of the students, who curiously debated that thorium is a smarter choice of fuel than uranium. However, Gatchalian argued that the use of uranium is more economical at the moment but recognized the possibility of utilizing thorium in the future.
Dr. Gathalian was followed by Ms. Kristine Marie Romallosa-Dean, Head of the Radiation Protection Services Section in PNRI, with a discussion on nuclear research and services in the Philippines. She pointed out that nuclear science and technology go beyond nuclear energy and also bear applications in food, environmental protection and management, agriculture, and medicine. She also shared the multi-awarded research in PNRI in areas apart from nuclear energy. She reiterated that PNRI offers services not only to private industries but also to university students for their thesis requirements.
The event was closed by UST GS Assistant Dean Prof. Camilla J. Vizconde, Ph.D., who thanked the speakers for sharing their valuable time with the Thomasian community.
