by Sittie Noffaisah Pasandalan, College of Arts & Social Sciences
Dr. Myrna Sillero-Mahinay of the Department of Chemistry, College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) is this year’s recipient of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Outstanding Chemist.
Mahinay will receive the award during the PRC Awards Night on June 22, 2016 at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila.
Mahinay who finished her BS Chemistry from Silliman University also placed ninth (9 th ) in the 1986 Chemist Licensure Examination given by the PRC. She finished her M.S. Chemistry from the University of the Philippines-Diliman and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from James Cook University in Australia where she specialized in Inorganic Chemistry. She was awarded two Postdoctoral fellowships at the Ozaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience in Japan by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and at the University of Miami in Florida, USA by the FULBRIGHT Advanced Research Award.
A sought-after expert in her field, Mahinay was commissioned by the Senate Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources in 1997 to assess mercury pollution in Mt. Diwalwal. The results of her research led to stricter implementation of policies and relocation of affected inhabitants out of Mt. Diwalwal’s vicinity. Mahinay’s researches have been published in scientific journals and presented in local and international conferences most notable of which are her studies on heavy metal analysis and its effect on living organisms.
Mahinay has been with the Institute since 1978 and specializes in Inorganic and Bio-Inorganic Chemistry. She is also one of the mentors of the Asian Institute of Management’s Mindanao Bridging Leadership Program.
In the Integrated Chemist of the Philippines’ webpage, Mahinay is described as a “well-rounded person: a passionate educator, a dedicated researcher, and an active enabler.”
Topics : Outstanding Chemist PRC CSM