Leyte student is now top 6 in Breakthrough Junior Challenge

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 15 (PNA) -- The only Philippine-entry in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge for students got the most popular vote challenge with 40,000 likes and shares combined and more than 300,000 views of her video.

Hillary Diane Andales, 17, a Grade 11 student of the Philippine Science High School Eastern Visayas Campus,Palo, Leyte is now on top 6 and will compete with 14 other semi-finalists. The awarding will be at Silicon Valley in United States on Dec. 4, 2016.

Her video presentation on “Feynman’s Path Integrals” explaining an advance Physics concept that can be understood by an average person.

Andales said that it’s a universal concept, which can be applied to everything in life from science, economics, social system and even politics is what the video presentation all about.

Out of more than 6,000 entries from 146 countries, Andales is now on the top 6.

Andales would like to thank those who viewed, liked and shared the video.

“I cannot thank enough for all who made efforts to view, like and share the video in social media. Philippines you help made it happen,” Andales said in her social media post.

Vice President Leni Robredo even pitched in and encouraged everyone to vote and support Andales in her FB post.

The Junior Challenge, now on its second year, was launched by the Breakthrough Prize foundation in order to showcase the scientific knowledge of the world’s young leaders in development, and also to promote science awareness among the general public.

The Breakthrough Prize was founded in 2012 by Sergey Brin and Anne Wokcicki, Jack Ma and Cathy Zhang, Yuri and Julia Milner, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.

It is an annual award honoring outstanding achievements in life sciences, physics and mathematics. 

The prize aims to celebrate scientists and generate excitement about the pursuit of science as a career.

The entrants must display in skills in science communication and to be able to simplify complex ideas into basic terms. Their videos are evaluated based on four criteria: Creativity, Difficulty, Engagement and Illumination.

The sole winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will be flown to the United States to accept the award along with a USD250,000 scholarship, a USD100,000 science lab for the winner’s school, and a USD50,000 award for the winner’s teacher.

“I hope that this becomes a chance for the people especially Filipinos worldwide to unite and support a Pinoy representative to the world stage, just like how we always did with our beauty royalties and boxers,” Andales said.

“They'll start to think more optimistically about the world since only the harmonious survive over time (which is what the video teaches us),” Andales added.

She is the daughter of Imelda and Roy Andales.

A dedicated student and is passionate for excellence, she added that people can easily relate to the concept and apply it to their lives. This leads to illumination and overall appreciation of the knowledge and information in the video.

Dr. Rey Garnace, school director, is supporting her throughout her journey.

He said being in the top 75 is a privilege; top 30 is an honor; top 6 is a win of the country; winning the gold is a blessing from God, Garnace said.

Garnace added that PSHS-EV campus was badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013, causing about PHP100 million damage. Even without laboratories, classes started in two-month time, making use of meager resources.

In 2015, the campus represented the country in the Asean Plus 3 Junior Science Oddysey, and bagged the grand award besting all ASEAN nations plus 3.

Being in the Top 6 in the Junior Breakthrough Challenge proves that scholars do not settle for less even with the lack of facilities and resources. They continue to be creative, inventive and innovative young scientists.

For the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional office here, the participation of Andales will put Region 8 in the map of scientifically-able region and likewise highlights that even in the countryside, young scientists with an international caliber can be produced, according to Ramil Uy, DOST senior science and research specialist.

The DOST said the video has caught the attention of former Harvard University assistant professor and esteemed String Theorist Lubos Motl.

In his popular physics blog, he lauds the entry saying: “Andales of the Philippines and her musings about the path integral could be my winner.”

Andales was overwhelmed that the Harvard professor has recognized and had good words for her video entry.

She said winning means a lot to her and the school. Andales dreamed of going to Harvard University for post graduate course after taking Physics at the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus. (PNA)

JMC/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR