DAY 1: February 14, 2018 (Wednesday)

First. Day. We first had our documents filled and settled at the H.R. (Human Resources) department of
P.N.R.I. After which, we were escorted by one of the staff at the H.R. department to our supervisors at
the applied Physics department. First thing we noticed was that the windows of the Applied Physics
department were filled with equations and solutions. It was something we were surprised to see as we
only thought that writing solutions on windows only existed in movies. Then came us introducing
ourselves to our supervisors. My supervisor, along with Jose Enrico Cabazor, is Mr. Unico Bautista. We
were evaluated and asked questions, what we expect from them and what we expect to learn. Mr.
Unico Bautista first asked me and Enrico about the subjects we have already taken up (such as calculus,
differential equations, integral and differential calculus) so he can assess the material we are to read.
Then we were tasked by Mr. Unico bautista to read the Nuclear Phyiscs chapter of the 13th edition of the
textbook University Physics with Modern Physics. Then came our first lecture from Maria Cheska
Pabilona’s supervisor, Mrs. Cheri Anne Dingle. She introduced us to their current projects and what our
tasks may involve them.

During our lunch break. We had our first glimpse of the insides of the buildings at P.N.R.I. The library,
was something we were truly delighted to see as it contained books on science (mostly physics),
mathematics, and hundreds of resource material/references for research (mostly nuclear research).

We continued doing our reading assignment until we went home at 5:00 pm.

DAY 2: February 15, 2018 (Thursday)

We continued to do our reading assignment althroughout the day. Mr. Unico Bautista entertained some
questions regarding the chapter, such as our question regarding the Shell Model of the atom which was
briefly simplified to us. Also, before going home, we were tasked by Mr. Bautista to watch the fifth,sixth,
and seventh videos of the playlist, Physics for Future Presidents. Mr. Unico Bautista recommended
watching the playlist because unlike the University Physics with Modern Physics textbook, the approach
of the videos is conceptual and does not much involve a deep mathematical background unlike the
textbook in which we had a hard time understanding. We went home by 5:20 pm.

February 16, 2018 (Friday)

HOLIDAY: Continuation of reading assignment and start of video assignment.

DAY 3: February 19, 2018 (Monday)

Today was our very first hands-on task from Mr. Unico Bautista. Ms. Girlie Eunice Lopez, a science
research analyst at P.N.R.I. guided us to our first task: Allanite separation via stereo microscope. The
task was tedious at first as we had to separate a mineral from finely-grained sand samples from Ombo
beach, Palawan. In doing separating, we first had to separate the allanite mineral from the actual sand
sample by using a stick and a stereo microscope. Through the use of a stick dipped in ethanol, the
separated allanite can be transported to a separated petri dish by making it cling to the stick dipped in
ethanol. Enrico and I were tasked to make 1 gram worth of allanite. We separated allanite until we went
home by 5:04.

DAY 4: February 20, 2018 (Tuesday)

We continued separating allanite until we were prompted by Mr. Unico Bautista that we will be having
our very first powerpoint lecture. The presentation was entitled Introduction to Radiation Sources. Mr.
Bautista talked about the types of radiation, natural and man-made radiation sources, natural
background radiation (cosmic, terrestrial, internal), enhanced natural resources, global information on
nuclear energy, applications of man-made radiation (for medicine, medical research and industry),
information on radiation exposure and dosage, radiation risk, Nonionizing radiation sources and the
biological effects of radiation. We then continued separating allanite and went home by 5:10 pm.

DAY 5: February 21, 2018 (Wednesday)

Today, we continued separating allanite. By 11:00 am, we were once again prompted by Mr. Unico
Bautista that we will be having our second lecture entitled Interaction of Radiation with Matter. Mr.
Bautista discussed about ionization, excitation, charged particle interactions (directly ionizing and
indirectly ionizing), particulate and electromagnetic radiation, the penetrating power of radiation (alpha
and beta particles, gamma rays, neutrons), specific ionization, linear energy transfer (LET), Beta
interactions (Bremsstrahlung and direct ionization), gamma and x-ray interactions (Photoelectric effect,
Compton Scattering, Pair production), attenuation and absorption, Neutron interactions (Elastic
scattering, Inelastic Scattering, Neutron Capture), and Neutron Shielding (very fast, fast, and slow
neutrons). Through Mr. Bautista’s lecture, I was able to differentiate between excitation and ionization,
describe how alpha and beta particles interact with matter, describe how gamma and x-ray interact with
matter and describe neutron interactions. After the lecture, we were informed by Mr. Bautista that we
will also get to use the FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared) Spectrometer. We continued separating
allanite until we went home 5:15pm.

DAY 6: February 22, 2018 (Thursday)

Today, Mr. Bautista gave us an invitation to a talk on Major Accelerator Facilities For Nuclear Physics
Experiments In Asia Pacific by Prof. Kazuhiro Tanaka from KEK: High Energy Accelerator Research
Organization, Tsukuba, Japan and the Asian Nuclear Physics Association and on an Introduction To
Recent Achievements Of Hadron Physics by Prof. Atsushi Hosaka from the Research Center for Nuclear
Physics, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan, at the The National Institute of Physics, College of Science,
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. We accepted the invitation and were carpooled by
Mr. Frederick Hila, a science research analyst at P.N.R.I., along with other supervisors at the Applied
Physics department, on our way to The National Institute of Physics, College of Science, University of the
Philippines, Diliman. After the talk, we went back to P.N.R.I. and continued separating allanite until we
went home by 5:54 pm.
DAY 7: February 23, 2018 (Friday)

We continued separating allanite until we were once again prompted by Mr. Bautista that we will be
having another lecture. The lecture was about radiation detection and measurements. The presentation
was entitled Principles of Radiation Detection and Measurements. Mr. Bautista mainly discussed about
radiation instruments, parts of the basic radiation detector, factors affecting radiation detection (type,
intensity, and energy of radiation, dose, dose rate, and spectroscopy), types of detectors: gas-filled
detectors (proportional counter, Geiger-Muller Counter, Ionization Chamber), solid-state detectors,
conductivity detectors, scintillation detectors, luminescence detectors, detectors that rely on chemical
changes (photographic effect), and activation by neutrons (neutron detectors). Through the lecture, I
was able to Identify different types of radiation detectors most commonly used in the field, learn the
basic working principles and capabilities of these detectors, identify what these detectors can detect,
and know the types of measurements that these detectors can perform. After the lecture, we then
continued separating allanite. Since it was a Friday and an event in EDSA caused a major traffic, Maria
Cheska and I, along with her supervisor Mrs. Cheri Anne Dingle and science research analyst Mr. Julius
Jecong, stayed at P.N.R.I. to separate allanite and to let time pass until traffic lessened by until around
9:12 pm.

DAY 8: February 26, 2018 (Monday)

Today, Cheska and I had were invited for our very first flag ceremony at P.N.R.I. The flag ceremony made
us realize and know the problems P.N.R.I. is currently facing; the salaries of their employees, the decline
in students pursuing a career related with science and the number of students interested in working at
P.N.R.I.. After the flag ceremony, we went back to out department and continued to separate allanite
until we were invited by Ms. Cheri Anne Dingle, by afternoon, to a career talk held by the UP Physics
Association at the University of the Philippines Diliman. We accepted the invite and were sponsored by
Ms. Cheri Anne for an Uber Ride to the The National Institute of Physics, College of Science, U.P.,
Diliman. The talk was entitled SCIENCYE Careertalk. The talks aims and hopes to inspire young students
in pursuing a career in Physics. The talk was held by UP Physics (numerical analysis) professor, by Mrs.
Vallerie Anne Samson, Ph. D., an x-ray physicist, and by Dr. Rogel Mari Sese, a program leader of the
National SPACE Development program and Focal Person of the Philppine Space Science Education
Program. The talked really made me think twice about my career, it broadened my affinity for Physics.
But although my career path for me is fixed, I may consider taking up something realted to with Physics
as through talk, I was able to see how not every physicist had physics as their first choice. The talk ended
by around 5:30. We went back to P.N.R.I. to gather our things and went home by around 6:06 pm.

DAY 9: February 27, 2018 (Tuesday)

Today, we continued separating allanite until we were prompted once again my Mr. Bautista that we
will be given another reading task. Our new assignment was to read Mr. Bautista’s Technical Report on
the Characterization of Proto-type Cf-252 Neutron Irradiator using Gas Proportional Counter (BF3) and
Gold Foil Activation Method prepared by him and by Ms. Girlie Eunice Lopez. The technical report,
simply put, discusses how the study they conducted aims to determine the feasibility of using small
neutron source (Californium-252) in the study of radiation effects in electronic devices. The study was
initiated because according to the technical report, there is a need of researchers in the project
“Development of Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite: Project 1. Microsatellite Bus
Development for Philippine Microsatellite” (PHL-Microsat Project 1) of the University of Philippines
(Diliman) and that the researchers of the said project are in need of a neutron source to use in
irradiating the components of DIWATA-2 to study radiation effects on normal electronic devices (not
radiation hardened). We read the technical report throughout the day. We also did some allanite
separation until we went home by around 4:13 pm.

DAY 10: February 28, 2018 (Wednesday)

In the morning we separated allanite. But at before a few hours before lunch, we were informed that a
talk at the A.V.R. (Audio-Visual Room) would be held and that everyone at P.N.R.I is invited. The talk was
about an emerging issue on our planet and environment. It was about the concept of Future Earth and
the proposal of the project leader Mrs. Lourdes J. Cruz, for the Development of a Future Earth. MRs.
Cruz talked about how relatively low our biocapacity is, as compared with other countries such as
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, and Canada. The proposal’s main objective is to establish a
Future Earth Philippines Program (FEPP), as a means to provide scientific and social basis for policies and
as a means to improve citizen action and stakeholder participation. Ideas from everyone were being
asked, regarding the issue of pollution and improper waste disposal in the Philippines and how an issue
such as with how Filipinos love to consume sachets and improperly dispose of them, causes this
alarming issue. Suggestions were given by everyone and a small forum was established. After the talk,
we went back to our department and had a lecture with Mr. Bautista regarding the technical Report.
MR. Unico Bautista talked about the details of the report and explained it in a concise manner to which
we can understand. He explained the purpose of the study, how each experiment was made and what
the rsults of these experiments show and interpret, and how their study is vital for the success of
DIWATA 2, a Philippine microsatellite scheduled to be launched in 2018. Mr. Bautista also informed us
that we will be having a tour of the place where they held the experiment on the technical report.We
then tried to continue separating allanite and had Mrs. Cheri Dingle check our separated allanite and
that if it already is enough for analysis. We went home by 5:07 pm.

DAY 11: March 1, 2018 (Thursday)

Today, I started rewriting my notes for my written output in W.I. (Work Immersion). A few hours after
lunch, Mr. Bautista prompted us that we will be having a tour of the place where they held their
experiment. During the tour, we saw the equipment and setups used by their team in doing the
experiment. We also got to see an actual radiation (neutron) source (encapsulated in a container for
safety). Mr. Bautista explained the purpose of the materials used, how important it is for their safety.
Also, Mr. Bautista showed how they used and ran the equipment and setups (refer to documentation).
After the tour, we then escorted by Ms. Lopez to the chemistry department where we will be using the
allanite we have extracted. Ms. Lopez toured us around, gave a brief introduction on how the FT-IR
Spectrometer works and how it is related to with the TGA (Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis). She also
tasked us to study how to read the data that will be shown by the spectrometer. She showed us the
application used in retrieving data from the spectrometer. She told us how specific patterns indicated a
compound present within the sample. In doing the actual analysis, a relatively small amount of the
sample would be placed on a small opening on the spectrometer. A knob will hold/clamp the sample in
place. The actual process involves emitting a light source where it passes through a stationary and
movable mirror, making it reflect and bounce back and create a specific number of waves through which
one may analyze through the data the FT-IR will produce. Unfortunately, we failed to accurately retrieve
decent data from the allanite. And so, for the purpose of knowing how the FT-IR works and to retrieve
decent data, Ms. Lopez used ethanol instead. The results showed a clear distinct pattern/data that
resembles specifically to ethanol. After going through with the FT-IR Spectroscopy, we went back to our
department and prepped our presentation for tomorrow. We went home by 5:21 pm.

DAY 12: March 2, 2018 (Friday)

I slept immediately when I got back home yesterday and so I wasn’t able to finish the powerpoint we
were tasked to do by Mrs. Delos Santos. And so, I woke up early and did my presentation.
Unfortunately, I was still not done with the powerpoint and so I had to continue doing the powerpoint
on my way commuting to P.N.R.I.. Upon arriving at P.N.R.I., I immediately continued doing the
powerpoint. My teachers came and made me really nervous as I still was not done with the powerpoint.
I was so nervous that I didn’t even get to greet my teachers. Fortunately, the time when we would be
presenting would be after lunch. I was delighted since I had more time to prepare and improve my
powerpoint. The final presentation I had contained all the things I’ve learned, demystified, and
discovere during my stay at P.N.R.I. I’ve learned so much and want to learn more. But sadly, my stay at
P.N.R.I. ended today. I guess this ends my journal…