Nuclear science symposium and beyond

The Faculty of Engineering in collaboration with the UST Graduate School, and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, recently held the Knowledge Management Assist Awareness Symposium at the UST Tanghalang Teresita Quirino Hall.

The first resource speaker, Ana Elena L. Conjares, chief of the Technology Diffusion Division at PNRI, discussed the current progress of the nuclear power program in the country. Her talk highlighted 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 University of Santo Tomas.

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.

Dr. Carlo A. Arcilla, Director of PNRI, discussed 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.

Arcilla 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, 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.

Dr. Gathalian was followed by Kristine Marie Romallosa-Dean, head of the Radiation Protection Services Section in PNRI, with a discussion on nuclear research and services in the Philippines.

Romallosa-Dean pointed out that nuclear science and technology go beyond nuclear energy and also bear applications in food, environmental protection and management, agriculture, and medicine.