Filipino students win special award at Intel science fair

MANILA, Philippines (newsinfo.inquirer.net) -- A microtremor device developed by a team of Philippine Science High School students won a special award at the recent Intel Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in Atlanta, Georgia.

The team--composed of Adrian Patacsil, Marvin Paolo Ambrosio and Rachel Ruth Cahilig--won the Distinguished Achievement Award given by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists to projects that display excellence related to the geophysical sciences. The team received a $1,500 cash prize and a trip to the Society of International Exploration Geophysicists international expo this November in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to Ma. Teresa Pacis, Intel Philippines external affairs manager.

A microtremor device measures ambient vibration on the ground, and is commonly used by architect and engineers to ensure safety of structures, Pacis said.

"There is only one such instrument in the country and it's in Phivolcs [Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology]," Pacis said in a text message to INQUIRER.net. "Their project made a prototype that's affordable and portable."

More than 1,500 students from 51 countries joined this year ISEF, competing for more than $4 million worth in prizes and scholarships. Nine students, chosen from the local science ISEF contest held last February, represented the Philippines in the annual Intel event.

Aside from the PSHS team, the delegation also included Jed Sidney Oliva (Ballesteros National High School Cagayan), Andrew Diamante (Visayas State University Laboratory High School), Steven Tan (The Quantum Academy Inc.), and teammates Michelle Barbon, Rachel Bernados and Mary Cris Corpuz (Gingoog City Comp. National High School).

The top prizes went to Natalie Saranga Omattage of Cleveland, Sana Raoof of New York and Yi-Han Su of Taipei. Each received $50,000 as Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award winners.