Two inland fisheries researchers and project leaders of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) received the 2015 National Academy for Science and Technology (NAST) awards.
Dr. Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar of the University of the Philippines Visayas received the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) Award in recognition of his outstanding research contributions to the development of gas chromatography mass spectrometry detection method in detecting the off-flavor compounds in milkfish, cultured water, and bacteria from Laguna Lake.
Traifalgar also spearheaded the research works on the classification and identification of bacterial species that cause off-flavor in milkfish, which will greatly benefit fishermen within the vicinity of Laguna Lake. Traifalgar was the project leader of the DOST-PCAARRD funded project Evaluation of Culture Practices Towards the Control of Off-flavor in Milkfish.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mary Beth Maningas of the University of Santo Tomas received the Julian A. Banzon Medal for Applied Research. The award was given in recognition of her research geared towards the development and sustainability of the shrimp aquaculture industry in the Philippines. 
Included in Maningas’ citations are her researches on the development of primers for short strands of DNA or RNA for the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) plaguing the shrimp industry and the development of a diagnostic kit for the early detection of WSSV in shrimp.
Dr. Maningas is the program leader of the DOST-PCAARRD funded Tiger Shrimp Genomics Program.
The Julian A. Banzon award was given during the 2015 National Science and Technology Week at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, while the OYS Award was given during the 37th Annual Scientific Meeting Awarding and Closing Ceremonies held at the Manila Hotel.