“Imagine, nurture... make that happen”

MANILA, Philippines - Eight honor science students and future scientists from the country’s leading universities took part in the World Science Conference-Israel (WSCI) last month.

Maria Patricia Garcia and Patrisha Lazatin from the Ateneo de Manila University; Anthony Jaboneta, Joshua Paman and Alfonso Vicente Jadie from De La Salle University; and Divine Grace Capalaran, Jeremiah Reyes and Jonard Valdoz from the University of the Philippines Los Baños joined around 400 young future scientists from 70 countries. The future scientists interacted with 15 Nobel Prize winners and other leading scientists from around the world.

Lazatin recalled that their speed dating exercise proved to be a nerve-wracking experience but broke the ice among the conference delegates. “There is nothing a scientist loves more than sharing what he or she knows with someone else and have that someone know about it, be excited about it and not be bored by it. It was, I think, the first time that I have met ten people in succession and all of them understood what I meant when I said I wanted to be a neurosurgeon and work on Spinocerebellar Ataxia,” she said.

“To be a scientist, I realized you didn’t just have to be smart, you have to be surrounded with like minds. Science is a joint effort, no one discovered what they did with their own work alone. They had people who helped them, people who inspired them, people who told them not to give up, because they believed they were on the right path,” she added. 

Paman, a graduating Statistics student at DLSU, compared the WSCI to a restaurant whose specialty was the less chosen career of research. “The chefs are the Nobel Laureates who cook and serve their research work on a platter. The intricate manner in which the food is prepared piques one’s curiosity and once tasted, astounds the mind and makes you want to create something like it,” he said.

Paman also noted that WSCI made it clear that science is available for everyone, thus encouraging everyone to pursue research. “In such a conference which involves some of the brightest minds all over the world, one would automatically have this mental picture of a bunch of stereotypical nerds discussing something complicated while yelling a bunch of nonsense. Although there were some people who fit this description, the majority of the people are as normal as one could get, and could easily blend in with the crowd,” he said.

“Not all of the Nobel Laureates come from a good upbringing or are naturally talented. The common factor among them is their curiosity and their perseverance in searching for an answer. The only limit which exists for our potential is the limit which we set for ourselves,” he added.

Paman further said it was inspiring to see that Israel, a young nation with limited natural resources and small population, is at par with other countries in the field of science and innovation. “As a Filipino, it makes one wonder about the probable potential the Philippines could achieve if it invests in the pursuit of knowledge,” he said.

Capalaran, a Biology major in UPLB, described WSCI as a life-changing experience. “It opened my eyes to the promising future in the field of research, science and technology. The idea of the scientific community built in my mind prior the conference was far from reality. The picture registered in my mind was a radical, strict and serious environment nurtured by skeptical aspirants of knowledge. I proved myself wrong,” she said.

“Being surrounded by other young scientists, researchers and Nobel Laureates, I was drawn in the opposite dimension that is built with creativity, freedom and inspiration. These three elements are the most essential start-up for making a future in science,” she added.

Capalaran also expressed hope that the Philippines will make a name in the field of science. “Israel doesn’t stop to surprise me with each and every innovation they continuously produce. Their government truly puts huge investment in education, encouraging the youth to really devote themselves to research, science and technology. I realized how the other nations are advancing in making innovations that deal with both basic and serious problems of man and nature,” she said.

“I believe that the Philippines has the potential to make a leap in the field of science. What we need to do is to nurture the great minds of the Filipinos, inspire the youth to think out of the box, to never stop questioning even the established phenomena happening in this world and support them. Perhaps being a Third World country builds a wall in turning our nation into being science-oriented, but as long as we have the passion for knowledge and creativity for technology, there is a future for us,” she added.

Capalaran further said WSCI presented a new perspective on science, adding that she learned that there are three steps to making a difference: imagine; nurture that imagination; and make that happen – now.