Eighteen Qualified Entries Move Up to Next Stage in PCIEERD Electronics Design Competition

As announced during the PCIEERD 3rd anniversary celebration last June, two competitions are now underway that intend to spur innovations and stimulate or challenge the tinkering ability of young minds particularly engineering students and researchers. The Electronics Design Competition, which kicked off in July, challenges engineering students in the electronics, electrical and computer engineering fields to create practical applications of electronic products that are designed and manufactured in the Philippines. The Nowcasting Competition, on the other hand, aims to attract and encourage students to embrace the science of Meteorology by utilizing their research and computer programming skills in short-ranged weather forecasting.

“We believe that competition brings out the best among the universities and researchers.” This was the message of Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD) when she announced the competitions last June 2013. She added that thru competition, students and researchers will enjoy in taking up the challenge, learn more from the experience while aiming for the big prizes at stake - P200,000.00, P100,000.00 and P 50,000.00 for first, second and third winners, respectively. The faculty advisers will get 25% of the total prize.

Putting resources in projects that are directed towards specific sectors that have immediate impact to the economy or which directly address a pressing national concern is being practiced by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The PCIEERD research agenda is hinged on the government’s policy directions for: 1) Rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth; 2) Poverty reduction and empowerment of the poor and vulnerable; and 3) Integrity of the environment and climate change adaption and mitigation.

The PCIEERD is now ready to accept research and development (R&D) proposals for funding opportunity in CY 2015 from public and private universities, research and development institutes (RDIs), R&D consortia, non-profit S&T networks and organizations, and other proponents seeking funding for their R&D initiatives. This funding opportunity intends to encourage S&T collaboration and applied research among these agencies and institutions.