Mary Donabelle L. Balela, PhD and Aurelio A. de los Reyes V, Dr.rer.nat. Mathematics, two professors from UP Diliman (UPD), made it to the 2026 Asian Scientist 100.
Balela is a professor at the UPD Department of Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering and De Los Reyes is a professor at the UPD Institute of Mathematics. They were two of the six Filipinos who made it to the list published by the Singapore-based Asian Scientist Magazine (ASM).
The Asian Scientist 100 is an annual list published by the ASM that honors leading researchers, academics, innovators, and business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region for their outstanding scientific achievements and contributions to academia or industry in the preceding year. The ASM is an award-winning science and technology publication that showcases research and development achievements from across Asia to an international audience.
On the Asian Scientist 100 list, Balela was selected in the field of environmental sciences and geology. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Research and Development for applied research at the 2024 National Science and Technology Week Award (2024 NSTW Award) given by the National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines.
Balela developed modular kapok booms designed for marine oil spill response. Utilizing biodegradable and locally sourced kapok fibers, her innovation produces reusable oil sorbents that can absorb multiple times their weight in oil, providing an environmentally sustainable and low-waste approach to oil spill cleanup and marine ecosystem protection.
Meanwhile, de Los Reyes was honored for his mathematical modeling of optimal contraception dosing strategies to improve reproductive health. He was awarded with the 2024 NSTW Award for Outstanding Research and Development, and the 2025 National Research Council of the Philippines Achievement Award for Mathematical Sciences.