In today's post I will be talking about my trip to the Philippines for my internship with Comfac Corporation. This month, I spent two weeks in the Philippines for an internship with Comfac Corp. and to write a research paper about Comfac's plant, Cornersteel Systems, and their new project of creating a photobioreactor to minimize carbon emissions. During my trip I met and discussed Cornersteel's project with local university professors and PhD students while experiencing the full extent of the Philippines through visiting underprivileged communities and the wildlife in the island's diverse ecosystem. Below, I'll summarize my vacation to the Philippines, including both the employment and the exploring aspects.
Here's me with some mangrove trees at Dalahican, Philippines. Mangroves are vital in this section of the nation because it floods frequently, and mangroves aid in preventing flooding.
In this photo, I'm with some of the Dalahican kids. They were quite poor when they were young, but thanks to many donations of food and clothing, as well as financing from local schools and programs, they were able to receive a solid education and have a future. Most are currently in high school or college and doing far better than they were ten years ago.
In this image I am with a PhD student who is currently working for Cornersteel on the photobioreactor.
In my research paper, I wrote about Cornersteel's production of a photobioreactor. Here is the research question I explored in my paper:
- How effective is a closed flat-panel photobioreactor system using Nannochloropsis sp. in capturing industrial CO₂ emissions under the operational conditions of a manufacturing facility?
The adoption of a closed flat-panel photobioreactor helps manage the environment for algae development and health while also allowing the algae to sequester carbon more efficiently. In my trips to the factory and meetings with professors, I learned a lot about bioreactors and pressing environmental issues today. I am hoping to finish my paper by October since the data from the experiments will not be completed until then. After completing the paper, it is getting published on Comfac's website in the Philippines and also by an academic journal in the US.
Thank you for tuning in for this month's post; come again next month for another update!
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