UST Chem celebrates Chem Week 2024, plans Alumni Association revival
By: Agatha Rei Gomez
“Catalyst Connection[s] is a good opportunity to [build a bridge connecting the two worlds of the academe and the industry],” UST Chemistry Department Chair Assoc. Prof. Alan Rodelle M. Salcedo, PhD said in his opening remarks during UST Chemistry Week’s Catalyst Connections event held last February 15 at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex (TARC) Auditorium.
Catalyst Connections was one of the Chem Week activities involving presentations from invited partner industries in the field of Chemistry.
Ms. Nida Autor and Mr. Errol Angeles, Thomasian Chemistry Alumni Association (TCAA) representatives, were among the resource persons for the event. They shared about their companies, personal industry experiences, and visions for TCAA collaborations.
The involved industry partners for the event are Ascxent Knowledge Resources, Inc., San Miguel Foods, Inc., Mach Union Laboratories, Inc., D&L Industries, Inc., ADIP Testing and Research Lab, Inc., and DJM Grandeur Corporation.
Assoc. Prof. Salcedo stated that the department is “starting to build a framework” to connect the theoretical foundation of the BS Chemistry program to practical applications.
He shared that the department aims to give students clarity on the societal roles of chemists and to “bridge or at least narrow the gap” between textbook learning and real-world applications.
He emphasized plans to revive the TCAA in line with strengthening industry partnerships. This aligns with the envisioned continuous implementation of Catalyst Connections every Chem Week with the TCAA to prepare students for their professional goals.
BS Chemistry juniors and seniors attended the program.
MahiKapnayan 2024, “an interactive exhibit designed to spark curiosity and inspire high school students to explore the field of chemistry,” facilitated by the UST Chemical Society (ChemSoc), was also held last February 13 on the 6th floor of the UST Central Laboratory (CenLab).
Invited UST Senior High School (UST SHS) students participated in the event, where they performed chemistry experiments within a given timeframe in the escape room.
An exhibit was also simultaneously held, presenting various chemistry experiments and concepts discussed by volunteers.
Elements for a Cause: Periodic Table Fundraiser 2 was unveiled last February 12 on the 6th floor of the UST CenLab, in front of Room 604, also as a part of the celebration.
“Next year, we’ll be [planning bigger events], some of the events..., pareho siya ng objective o ng goal pero iibahin natin yung mga theme niya,” Assoc. Prof. Salcedo said during the closing of Catalyst Connections as he hinted at Chem Week celebrations in the succeeding years.
