With the theme “Embracing our Ingenuity, Engineering the Filipino Society,” the recently concluded STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Expo, hosted by the Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs, showcased the Filipino youth’s excellence and ingenuity.
The expo featured i-Gen: Ideas Generation Hackathon (i-Gen Ideathon), i-Gen: Innovations Competition (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 took the first and second runner-up spots, respectively.
In other contests, PSHS-CAR dominated the Robotics Olympiad, which was 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 was 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 dubbed “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 caters to senior high school students.
Keynote speaker and forensic scientist Dr. Maria Corazon De Ungria led the resource persons and workshop facilitators of the event.
Since its foundation in 1971, the 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.