SCITECH RECENTLY: An instrument of science, man and machine
Words by: Gerard Mirande, Kimberly Alao & David Bolaños
The College of Science Chemistry Department hosted the inaugural department lecture, “Low Cost Instrumentation and Microscale Chemistry: A Local Commitment, A Global Engagement”, led by Academician Prof. Emeritus Fortunato B. Sevilla III. The lecture is the first in the Mariano M. Pangan lecture series by the Chemistry Department, named after the late Dean Prof. Mariano M. Pangan, PhD, who passed away last March 29, 2002.
Professor Sevilla was one of Professor Pangan’s students. Just like his mentor, Dr. Sevilla is a globally recognized academician known for his remarkable contributions to instrumentation and equipment sensors.
Dr. Sevilla brought up the systemic issue of lab courses: chemistry experiments can be prohibitively expensive, which can limit laboratory experiences and lead to a decrease in learning quality. To overcome these limitations, he emphasized a hands-on and minds-on learning approach. As an advocate for affordable laboratories, his goal is to emphasize its real-life relevance, especially for students to gain practical experience. This mostly applies to public schools where the lack of equipment can hinder practical understanding.
The event primarily focused on two concepts: Instrumentation and Microscale Chemistry. Dr. Sevilla discussed a potential solution to expensive instruments through ground-up development of instruments using improvised equipment as prototypes. Some measurement instruments can be as low-cost as a syringe, or using a digital balance for measuring weights, and having alcohol lamps as bunsen burners. Besides low-cost instruments, he emphasized the increase in safety and cost-effectiveness of microscaling experiments.
The doctoral dissertation of Dr. Pangan, “Experimental Designs for Instrumental Analysis in Undergraduate Chemistry”, became the foundation for future instrumentation studies, and his commitment to education and research continues to inspire future scientists and engineers. The Low-Cost Instrumentation Group pioneered by Dr. Sevilla, a legacy of Dr. Pangan's frame of mind, started the unfamiliar experimentation way of learning.
Dr. Pangan’s influence on the University and his students cannot be overstated. As Dr. Binag once said in honor of Dr. Pangan’s enduring legacy, "Nakatatak na. Without the achievements of those before us, we wouldn’t be here now.”
In her foreword, Prof. Christina A. Binag, PhD honored the legacy of Prof. Mariano M. Pangan, who had a star-studded career throughout his life: he started teaching in UST in 1943, where he became the Chemistry Department Head for 18 years and the College of Science Dean for 14 years. The late Dean Pangan was a prolific publisher and researcher in the field, and in the words of Professor Binag, “inspired the institutions he shaped and enriched the scientific communities he reached.”
