UPD-CS SCIENTISTS FETED FOR PINOEERING RESEARCH

July 1, 2023 Opinion

The Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology-Philippines (NAST) recently recognized six members of the UPD-CS community: two were named Academician; two were
recognized as outstanding young scientists (OYS); and one won the grand prize in the 2023 NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists (NTSYS). Meanwhile an additional four UPD-CS researchers were highlighted in this year’s edition of the prestigious Asian Scientist 100.

The NAST is the Philippines’ highest scientific advisory and recognition body; its distinguished members are selected exclusively by the Academy itself and conferred the title, “Academician.” Gil S. Jacinto, PhD, of the UPD-CS Marine Science Institute (UPDCS MSI) and Maria Corazon A.
de Ungria, PhD, of the UPD-CS Natural Sciences Research Institute (UPD-CS NSRI), were recently inducted as Academicians for their respective work in marine chemistry and forensic DNA technology.

Jacinto’s research interests are in nutrient and trace elements in tropical marine environments, marine pollution chemistry, submarine groundwater discharge, hypoxia, and seawater carbonate chemistry. He was MSI director from 2000 to 2006 and established the Marine Chemistry and Pollution Laboratory at the MSI, the first chemical oceanography laboratory in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, De Ungria is known for her research in human population genetics and forensic DNA technology, which are invaluable tools for human identification in criminal investigation, disaster victim identification, and resolving parentage disputes.  She provided technical assistance in drafting the Supreme Court Rule on DNA evidence, which was approved in 2007 and has since been used nationwide by the Philippine judicial system in handling sexual assault cases. She is the director of the Program on Biodiversity, Ethnicity, and Forensics at the Philippine Genome Center and concurrently heads the DNA