After securing a spot as one of the top 10 finalists in the Pinoy Science STAR (Science and Technology Advocate for Research) Camp 2022, Mr. Lloyd O. Balinado, a faculty member from the College of Arts and Sciences – Department of Biological Sciences, was among the three hailed Pinoy Science STARs, as announced by Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development’s (DOST-PCIEERD) during the awarding ceremony held on 04 November 2022, at Sheraton Manila Hotel, Pasay City.
In collaboration with TikTok Philippines, DOST-PCIEERD launched the Pinoy Science STAR Camp 2022 in August 2022 in search of potential science communicators who will promote the scientific innovations of the council to the public through social media platforms.
For his final entry, (which can be viewed here: https://tinyurl.com/4wxe87p8), Mr. Balinado discussed the Cellula TM Growth Chamber, a plant tissue culture growth chamber that aims to aid the mass production of coffee and makapuno plantlets in a controlled, optimized, and suitable environmental conditions such as temperature, photoperiod, and relative humidity (RH) which is crucial for plant growth and development. This technology project was funded by DOST-PCIEERD and led by Dr. Ruel M. Mojica and Engr. Gerry M. Castillo, both from the College of Engineering and Information Technology.
Mr. Balinado together with Mr. Jess Gabriel Belleza of Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL), Ms. Romieleth Espillardo from Rizal Technological University will be the official content creators of Pinoy Science in all of its social media channels and will have an access to DOST and DOST-PCIEERD learning and development activities and linkages opportunities.
All the 10 finalists received a certificate, Pinoy Science and DOST-PCIEERD merchandise and TikTok Merchandise while the three winners received 500 USD exclusive perks from TikTok. Special award was presented to Ms. Maricon Clyde Liwan from the University of the Cordilleras (Tiktok’s Choice Award), and Mr. Mark Angelou Siega from the University of Mindanao (DOST-PCIEERD’s Choice Award). They both received 250 USD worth of exclusive perks.
