DOST program brings Pinoy scientists home

Bring back the scientists to help build the country. This is the spirit of the Balik Scientist Program, a game-changing initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Through this program, the DOST is bringing back home Filipino scientists who have established their careers in foreign countries. The returning experts, called Balik Scientists, go back to the Philippines to share their know-hows and take part in the development of the country.

“The Balik Scientists help local researchers in the academe, industry, and government agencies do more research and development, and upgrade their capability,” said DOST Undersecretary Carol Yorobe. “Sharing their expertise brings societal benefits which impact the lives of our people through science, technology and innovation.”

So far, Pinoy scientists are coming back indeed.

Since the program began in 1975, it has brought back home 525 Balik Scientists in 658 engagements. This means that some of them, through the program, have come back at least twice.

A bulk of Balik Scientists (67 percent) are based in North America, followed by Asia (15 percent), and the rest are from other continents. Almost half of Balik Scientists came back to work in the academe, mostly specializing in the industry, energy and emerging technology sectors. The rest specialize in health; and agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources. Most of them came back on a short-term basis, taking short break from their current employment.

CENTERS FOR RESEARCH

Guided by the mantra, “Balik Puso, Balik Pilipinas,” returning scientists temporarily hie off from their sheltered workplaces and follow their hearts back to the Philippines. The endgoal is clear: help accelerate the scientific, agroindustrial and economic development of the country by sharing their expertise.

One of these Balik Scientists is Dr. Jonel Saludes who was an assistant professor of Chemistry at the Washington State University before his stint in 2015-2018. Dr. Saludes obtained his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California – Davis.

As Balik Scientist, Saludes was able to launch two centers at the University of San Agustin (USA) in Iloilo City. One is the Center for Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, which, according to him, is the “hub of life science, chemical biology and biotechnology research” in the region.

Meanwhile, the Center for Natural Drug Discovery and Development, the other center he founded, was described as the “Home of Tuklas Lunas Center in the Western Visayas.”

Also returning to US as Balik Scientist was Dr. Doralyn Dalisay, Saludes’ co-alumnus. Dalisay has a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

As her contribution to the Tuklas Lunas Center, Dalisay established the natural products research program using bacteria from marine sediments as source organisms. She also set up the linkage between the US’ Department of Pharmacy and the Singapore-based Nanyang Polytechnic for faculty development training and research collaboration.

MATH FOR FOOD

Math for food technology — this in essence is what Dr. Jose Maria Reynaldo Apollo Arquiza, another Balik Scientist, introduced to food experts at the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). Particularly, Arquiza trained food scientists to use mathematical modeling in food products and processing to save on cost and time in transferring technology.

He also introduced mathematical modeling in the engineering curriculum of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) campuses in the cities of Davao and Tagum.

Armed with a PhD in Biological and Environmental Engineering at the Cornell University, Arquiza was part of NASA-funded projects that designed low-gravity cooking galley. His work helped astronauts cook in space and keep ingredients from floating inside the spacecraft.

Working with DOST-FNRI and USeP, Arquiza developed locally produced, shelf-stable, and nutritious emergency food packs such as healthy cup noodles, instant noodles veggie packs, and nutritious fruit mix snacks. The food products, ideal for evacuation areas, are convenient sources of nutrition when access to food is quite difficult.

In his latest work, he developed a lowtemperature, low-humidity drying technology for dried products to have better quality and higher nutrition content. The technology is applicable for farmers during times of oversupply.

Meanwhile, the increasing response to the Balik Scientist Program is a very good indication that we will be able to reach the targeted 300 researchers, scientists, and engineers per million population as indicated in our Philippine Development Plan, Dr. Yorobe said.

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SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1975, IT HAS BROUGHT BACK HOME 525 BALIK SCIENTISTS IN 658 ENGAGEMENTS.