The Philippines will be the battleground for the brightest young minds from 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region as the first-ever International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO) takes center stage from July 31 to August 7, 2024, at the National Government Administrative Center in New Clark Center in Capas, Tarlac.

Spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) and in partnership with the Department of Education, DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the INSO is an annual competition that aims to increase awareness and demonstrate the commitment of the participating countries to the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology through a battle of wits among secondary level students.

According to the DOST-PNRI, the Philippines is set to pioneer the first-ever INSO, where students from various schools across the Asia-Pacific region will compete in both theoretical and practical exams to test their knowledge of nuclear science.

Aside from the Philippines, the other participating countries for the initial INSO will be Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

While the events are not open to the public, updates on the event can be accessed at the social media channels of the DOST-PNRI and the INSO website (https://insofirst.ph/) to catch the exciting journey of future scientists who have been preparing to represent their respective countries at the Olympiad.  (Information from the DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute)