The Director of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Professor Emmanuel Tsesmelis, recently visited the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as part of his two-day Phjlipjpine itinerary. CERN runs the world's largest and most complex accelerator and scientific instruments that are used to study the fundamental constituents of matter.

The visit of Professor Tsesmelis at PNRI included a meeting with PNRI Director Dr. Alumanda M. dela Rosa together with senior staff officials and some researchers.

Professor Tsesmelis' trip to the Philippines culminated with the signing of an Expression of Interest between the DOST and CERN.

The CERN Director, who was accompanied by CERN staff physicist Albert de Roeck, also visited three academic institutions, namely the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University.

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology announces the holding of the Nuclear Science Quiz 2009 for high school students in Metro Manila.    

The Nuclear Science Quiz is one of the highlights of the 37^th Atomic Energy Week (AEW) celebration on December 7 – 11, 2009.  The quiz aims to develop the interest of the Filipino youth in nuclear science and to promote awareness on the beneficial uses of nuclear energy among high school students.

Students from both public and private secondary schools from the school divisions in the National Capital Region may join the quiz.  Each participating school should send a team of two students and an official coach who are officially endorsed by the school division superintendent.

The  elimination rounds will be held at 9:00 AM on November 24, 25 and 26 at  PNRI.. The semi-final round and the final round will be held at 9:00 AM and  1:00 PM, respectively   on December 1 at the PNRI Auditorium.

The winning teams in the quiz will receive the following cash prizes: first place - Php15,000; second place -  Php12,000; third place- Php10,000 Each school represented by the winners will receive a trophy.

For further information , please  contact Ms. Thelma P. Artificio or Ms. Lynette B. Cayabo at Tel Nos: 920-8810 and  9206011 to 19 local 256; e-mail: tpartificio@pnri.dost.gov.ph or lbcayabo@pnri.dost.gov.ph.

Please click NSQ ’09 for details of the nuclear quiz. 

The PNRI is also inviting the public, especially students and teachers, to the open house celebration of the 37^th Atomic Energy Week. Visitors will be given free guided tours to PNRI’s laboratories and facilities, video showing and viewing of exhibits on the beneficial uses of nuclear technology.

The Analytical Measurements Research (AMR) Laboratory, Atomic Research Division, was awarded with a Certificate of ISO 17025:2005 accreditation on July 28, 2009.  The certificate was presented by Ms. Cirila Botor, Officer-in-Charge of the Philippine Accreditation Office, during ceremonies held at the PNRI. This achievement was made possible with assistance from the DOST GIA Project, “Establishment, Implementation and Maintenance of management Systems in all DOST RDIs and ROs. The AMR Laboratory’s accreditation is valid until July 2014, subject to continuing conformity with the criteria and PAO conditions for accreditation. The scopes covered by the accreditation are: “Gammametric Analysis of Food and Related Items” and “Gross Alpha Beta Analysis of Water.”

The AMR is the first PNRI laboratory to gain ISO 17025 accreditation. The management system developed is applicable to other PNRI laboratories (PNRI LAB) which are also working to gain accreditation. This implies that these laboratories have common PNRI LAB Quality and Procedures Manuals, while maintaining a Procedures Manual specific to each laboratory. It is expected that the accreditation will be expanded to include the following additional scopes:  Microbiological Testing for the Biomedical Research Section; Gafchromic Dosimetry System for the Multipurpose Irradiation Facility; X-Ray Diffraction Spectrometry for the Applied Physics Research Laboratory, Calibration and Personnel Monitoring Services for the Radiation Protection Section, and X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry for the Analytical Measurements Research Section.