Two UPLB research institutes get P1M R&D support grant

By Janet Rosalie Anne H. Polita
MediaCore, PCASTRD

The Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development granted P.5 M each to two institutes under the University of the Philippines-Los Baños College of Arts and Sciences in support to continuing efforts to develop centers of excellence in the basic sciences. 

 The institutional development grant went to the Institute of Computer Sciences, and Biological Sciences, which plan to upgrade laboratory facilities to enable them to conduct researches in merging S&T fields.

ICS Director Eliezer Albacea said the financial grant to ICS will be used for the development of a Beowulf—class cluster computer (BC3).  Beowulf is a multi computer architecture that can be used for parallel computations.  Its one or more client nodes are connected together or “clustered” via ethernet or other compatible network.

 It is also built using hardware components such as PC capable of running Linux, standard ethernet adapters and switches.  Access to client nodes is usually done through remote connections from the server node, dedicated console node, or a serial node.  It is for this reason, that, in most cases Beowulf cluster do not have keyboards, mice, video cards, nor monitors.

Lack of a high performance computing system for simulation and modeling has always been a problem in the country.  “The complexity of the system makes simulations done only through the use of supercomputers that are extremely expensive,” Albacea said.

BC3 system is very appropriate in developing countries such as the Philippines because it only makes use of several ordinary computers configured to run simultaneously. 

Moreover, BC3 uses a free operating system, Linux, which cuts the building and maintenance costs.  “With the very limited resources we have, through BC3 we could conduct world-class research in computational astrophysics and high-energy physics,” Albacea added.

The Beowulf system can also provide universities an excellent platform to teach parallel programming courses and provide cost effective computing.

On the other hand, IBS will use the fund to acquire new equipment such as spectrophotometer, analytical balance, pH meter and the like for research activities in molecular biology and biotechnology.

“The new equipment will not only upgrade IBS's standards but also aid in becoming a leader in the development of molecular biology in the academe, “IBS Director Asuncion Raymundo said.

Both institutions offer high-quality degree programs aimed at providing highly trained S&T human resources needed for industrialization and economic development.

IBS and ICS are among many institutions supported by PCASTRD's institutional development program in recognition of the importance of modern and efficient physical infrastructure in world-class scientific researches.