LEE alumni Dr. Pasciolco gives a talk on DChE seminar series

LEE alumni Dr. Mark Joseph Pasciolco shared his academic journey abroad at the DChE Seminar Series last May 27, 2024. Dr. Pasciolco is a cum laude graduate of BS Chemical Engineering in the University of the Philippines Diliman, and also a PhD graduate in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where he now serves as a postdoctoral fellow.

In his talk, he discussed his research on using ceramic epoxy coatings to improve the seawater pipelines in Hong Kong. Here, antimicrobial polymers and ionic liquids were incorporated to yield anti-corrosion and anti-biofouling properties better than in industrial coatings. Technical points on this topic have piqued the interest of the students present, prompting them to ask insightful questions afterward for further information on corrosion research.

Aside from Hong Kong, Dr. Pasciolco also visited Spain as a PhD student at Instituto de Catalisis y Petroleoquimica. His visit provided him with rich insights into the diversity in research and work culture, which he also gladly shared in his talk. Besides research, he also talked about bonding with fellow Filipino researchers and enacting his advocacies during his time abroad to emphasize the importance of work-life balance in all his pursuits.

Shaping the researcher that he is now, experiences in LEE were also featured in his presentation where Dr. Pasciolco recognized the guidance of Dr. Joey Ocon during his undergraduate thesis. He then ended his talk with a motivation to persevere, leaving an inspiring endnote for the researchers in the audience.

Article by: Gabby Segui