Silliman University mourns the death of national scientist

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Silliman University expressed its sympathy to the family of the late National Scientist, Dr. Clara Y. Lim Sylianco who passed away Tuesday morning. She was 88.

Sylianco was named National Scientist by then President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994. Two years later, she was awarded Outstanding Sillimanian in the field of Science.

Sylianco obtained three degrees from SU: Associate in Arts major in Chemistry in 1948, with highest honors; Bachelor of Science in 1948, magna cum laude; and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1949, magna cum laude, according to SU information and publications director Mark Raygan Garcia in a news release Wednesday.

A native of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, Sylianco completed her MS Chemistry from the University of the Philippines in 1953 and her PhD in Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry from the University of Iowa in 1957.

The works of Dr. Sylianco held great impact in the country and abroad, with her research interest in environmental mutagens, anti-mutagens, biochemical nutrition, chemical education, bioorganic and mechanisms, and mutagenicity of Philippine medical plants.

The National Academy of Sciences and Technology website stated that Sylianco has “more than 50 scientific articles, seven books and five monographs to her name. Her books are used as textbooks in college chemistry courses in many schools throughout the country.”

For her achievements, Sylianco received the Gregorio Y. Zara award in1977, the UP Endowment Professorial Chair in Chemistry (1974-1977), and was Fellow of the Royal Society (1958).

“She was a remarkable Sillimanian, a source of pride of the university, who was highly regarded by her peers in the scientific community and the academe. Among us in the SU, she was a face of a continuing pursuit of broader horizons of science and its potential in bringing about sustainable development for the Filipino nation,” SU president Dr. Ben Malayang III was quoted as saying.

In the 1949 issue of the Portal, SU’s yearbook, Sylianco was described as the “honors girl” who “takes to photography and reading novels; and of course, technical journals – and anybody who is unassuming, modest, and talks sense always.”  (FREEMAN)