Reyes—a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Merit Scholar who graduated from the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Main Campus—was given the honor of having an asteroid to be named after him as part of the prize for winning the second grand award in the field of materials and bioengineering in the recent 2011 International Science and Engineering Fair (Isef) held in Los Angeles, California.

Asteroids are rocky and metallic objects that orbit the Sun but are too small to be considered planets. They are known as minor planets.

He also received $1,500 as part of the award from the Lincoln Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the first and second placer in Isef.

Reyes won for his research, “Synthesis and Characterization of Composite Plastics from Thermoplastic Starch and Nano-sized Calcium Phosphate for Film Packaging,” that will produce biodegradable plastic for film packaging from a composite of thermoplastics from cornstarch and nano-sized phosphate particles.

Reyes—an incoming computer-engineering freshman at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and plans to become an astrophysicist in the future—said his project aims to enhance the biodegradability of plastics for a cleaner environment.

“This is my contribution to make a biodegradable plastic,” said Reyes, in an interview at the sidelines of the briefing for the Philippine delegation to the Isef competition last week.

“Reyes is a welcome addition to a growing roster of future scientists and engineers in the country which will take the Philippines to greater heights. We are optimistic that Reyes will even outshine the asteroid named after him as he pursues a science career,” Science Education Institute-DOST officer in charge Dr. Leticia Catris said in congratulating Reyes.

The Filipinos, who had an asteroid named after them, ahead of Reyes were former Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration administrator Dr. Roman Kintanar, Edwin Aguirre, Imelda Joson, PSHS Western Visayas Campus director Josette Biyo, Allan Noriel Estrella, Jeric Valles Macalintal, Prem Vilas Fortran Rara and Fr. Victor Badillo.

Besides Reyes, Angeli Joyce Yap Dy of the Capiz National High School was also cited among the major awardees in the competition, which was joined by world’s most promising student entrepreneurs, innovators and scientists who were recognized by Intel and the Society for Science and the Public, organizers of the world’s largest high-school science research competition.

Dy, who will pursue an accountancy degree at the Central Philippine University in Iloilo when classes open in June, received a fourth-place grand award in biochemistry and $500 for her project “Milkfish (Chanos chanos forsskal) Serum as an Alternative Medical Supplement for the Culture of A549 (Human Lung) and HCT 116 [colon] Carcinoma.” It studies the potential of milkfish serum as an alternative supplement for the culture of human lung and colon carcinomas cells.

She said she pursued her research because she was looking for an alternative media supplement to the expensive fetal bovine serum (FBS) that is used in the culture of the two cancer cells. She experimented on the milkfish serum, which she found to be rich in proteins. Her study indicates that milkfish serum, its mannose-binding proteins and albumin are potential replacements of FBS.

“Since Capiz is the seafood capital of the Philippines, it was easy to find alternatives for my experiment. The accessibility of materials inspired me to pursue my research on milkfish,” said Dy, who plans to pursue a law degree in UP upon finishing her accountancy course.

Ten students from secondary schools across the country comprised the Philippine delegation to Intel Isef this year. Completing the Philippine contingent were Mark Lloyd Dapar of Bayugan Comprehensive National High School (Agusan del Sur) and Benedict Manuel Priela of Holy Infant Academy (Oriental Mindoro) with their individual projects, and Janina Guarte, Edgardo Alegre Jr. and Regine Arcenal of Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus (Leyte); and John David Caburnay, Jeffrey Abulencia and Sean Luke Cabiles of V. Mapa High School (Manila) with their team projects.

There are 17 research areas in the competition.  Four Filipino students emerged finalists in medicine and health science (Dapar), biochemistry (Dy), environmental management (Priela) and engineering (Reyes).

Also in the briefing, Education Undersecretary Alberto Muyac, for legal and legislative affairs, said the office is preparing the road map toward a science- and technology-oriented curriculum for basic and secondary education.

“Recognizing that science and technology will be the cornerstone of the 12-year basic education program, the Department of Education is preparing the schools to fully specialize in this setup effective 2016,” he said. The Intel Isef 2011 is funded jointly by Intel and the Intel Foundation, with additional support from dozens of other corporate, academic, government and science-focused sponsors.

“We champion the Intel Isef because we believe that math and science are imperative for innovation,” said Shelly Esque, vice president of Intel’s Corporate Affairs Group. “This global competition features the youth trying to solve the world’s most pressing challenges through science.”

The Intel Isef 2011 was held from May 9 to 13 for the final competition. They were selected from 443 affiliate science fairs in 65 countries, regions and territories. After being selected by their affiliated fair to represent a region, state or country, all finalists win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Intel Isef.

The top research project in the competition receives the Gordon E. Moore Award—a $75,000 grand prize from the Intel Foundation, in honor of the Intel cofounder and retired chairman and CEO. Two additional research projects receive Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards of $50,000.