University of the Philippines Academic League of Chemical Engineering Students
Diliman, Ouezon City

The Philippines has an ultimate venue for recognizing the excellence, creativicy and ingenuity of its future scientists, thanks to the University of the Philippines Academic League of Chemical Engineering Students (UP ALCHEMES) a scholastic community focused on promoting academic excellence and its command in holistic development.

They turn their attention to harnessing the potential of young minds that can gear the nation forward — something that can be done through the annual Research Fair.

The entirety of the project is conducted to bring in scientific researches of highschool students into the spotlight of three events: the Research Competition which is the search for country’s finest Applied Science. Life Science and Physical Science projects: the National Science Conquest which is a series of quizzical competitions both to recognize academic excellence and promote camaraderie in highschool students in their penultimate years: and, to top it all off. a Youth Science Convention enlightens the participants with seminar-workshops on their tertiary education and career opportunities.

Before its expansion in 2010, Research Fair started as a one-day event where only highschool students in the Metro could present their outputs. Now, it has become a nationwide platform for youngsters to jumpstart their research careers. It was envisioned to be a venue for the healthy exchange. execution and exposition of smart ideas that would benefit society. It has swept over thirteen regions. pulling in around 2.000 students to face the challenge of building a strong scientific foundation in the Philippines.

“In order to pursue a career in research. science or technology. you have to be inspired” UP ALCHEMES president Ian Paolo Pe Benito says. He invites all the highschools of the country, especially those in the rural areas. to take part in the conference. “Research Fair is here to help you envision a life of research and development that is geared towards nation-building.”

The organization of 156 members. founded in 1999. was recognized as the Best Engineering Organization in the annual Engineering Organization Excellence Awards and is now a registered affiliate of the National Youth Commission.

The existence of the Research Fair bridges the fellowship between novice and experts. all the while. encouraging the general proliferation of scientific investigation. More importantly, the UP ALCHEMES believe that sparking the hearts of the Filipino Youth with inspiration can brighten the future, like planting seeds that would soon flourish into a positive outlook for Filipino education, national development and technology.

UP ALCHEMES may have trail blazed the road to excellence. overcoming many obstacles over the past 16 years. but their role to recognize the minds of aspiring individuals in research development never changed. This annual search for the humble beginnings pf tomorrow’s innovations can catapult the brightest of the youth to become catalysts of change. UP ALCHEMES’s battle cry is, after all, “we make a difference, we break free.”