The UPLB Chemical Society Elementa Project™ in cooperation with the UPLB Institute of Chemistry (IC) launched a webinar series held from January to March last year about the chemistry of COVID-19 and career pathways. This year, they conducted another series of informative webinars.
The 21st Century Chemistry Webinars (21CCW) 2022 Edition started on February 25, 2022 with a talk entitled “Applications of Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry in Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Studies” by Dr. Diana S. Aga, a Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry and the Director of RENEW Institute at the University of Buffalo, The State University of New York (USA). This was followed by another webinar “NMR Spectroscopy: Beyond Structure“ courtesy of Dr. Andrew A. Tangonan, Director of the Ohio University NMR Facility and Instructional Faculty at the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Ohio University (USA). On April 29, 2022, the third in the webinar series, “The Promise of Gene Therapy”, was delivered by Dr. Charlene Barroga, President and CEO of Tessellux Consulting for Regulatory and Nonclinical Drug Development in California, USA. All three speakers are alumni of the UPLB Institute of Chemistry and of the UPLB Chemical Society.
In these webinars, analytical techniques and instruments in chemistry were discussed with the goal of showcasing their innovative applications for research in the Philippines. The webinar series were attended by chemists, educators, and students.
Aside from sponsoring webinars related to chemistry, the Elementa Project of the UPLB Chemical Society Alumni Association, Inc., has also donated to the IC small laboratory equipment and molecular model kits as well as supported IC Chemistry students financially through thesis grants. The Elementa Project is also responsible for the installation of the lighted Periodic Table of the Elements located in the lobby of the Physical Sciences Building. Its mission is to support the development of globally-competitive innovative Chemistry graduates who will engage in relevant projects towards national economic growth.
— JZ Paddayuman
