5 PhD scholars sign grant agreement

MANILA, Philippines - Five scholars signed yesterday their grant agreements at the Science Education Institute in Taguig, having been selected for the first ever DOST-Newton PhD Scholarship provided by the British Council and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The five scholars will be pursuing their PhDs under the Newton Fund, a £375-million fund that promotes the economic development and welfare of low-income populations in partnering countries through science and innovation partnerships.

Angelo Aquino will be looking into windbelt technology for harnessing wind power in urban areas, at the University of Sheffield, while Gene Fe Palencia will be focusing on wireless sensor networks for energy microgrid management and control system at Coventry University.

David Gonzales is set to enter the University College London and will be studying the behavior and interactions of bacterial communities to determine factors that can help prevent disease and infection. Sherdon Niño Uy, on the other hand, will be working with Birmingham City University on developing a system for wind resource assessment, which can aid cities like Manila in decision-making for small-scale wind turbine placement. The fifth scholar, Charlie Lavilla Jr., seeks to develop a targeted low-cost food supplementation to treat or prevent muscle damage in people with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. He is set to enter Nottingham Trent University.

The British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities.