Why rescue animals? | SHE-ensya Why Series

Hello Science Fans!

It’s Mother’s Day today, and we would like to send our love to all mothers, including those who foster and care for the millions of fur babies all over the world, in this throwback video.

Did you know that as of 2019, it is approximated that 12 million stray cats and dogs roam the streets of The Philippines alone? These could be escapees and discarded animals, that were originally bred to be gifts, house guardians, and companions. And for one reason or another, they were lost or discarded, and are now uncared for and even considered pests by others.

We can still widen the circle of compassion by sharing what little we have to these tiny ones. Please support Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs in your localities, as these prevent the overpopulation and spread of disease in our animals. Please consider neutering or spaying your own pets, also, to prevent unwanted pregnancies. 

And if you can, please consider opening your homes and your hearts to these precious ones, as they can change your lives, as much as we can change theirs!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

What is it like to be an ocean advocate? | SHE-ensya What’s It Like Series

Hello Science Fans!

It’s 35 degrees Celsius out there, but it certainly feels a LOT warmer!

Our oceans play a huge role in regulating global temperatures, and yet, our society has allowed it to degrade overtime. 

But we’re lucky to have ocean advocates who study, and continue to call for better management and protection of our marine ecosystems. So for today, since I’m missing the ocean and craving some vitamin sea, I would like to share with you again the adventures, wisdom, and inspirations of our mermaid SHE-roes!

This video features three amazing ocean advocates and scientists:

1. Jen Deauna Mendoza – Marine biologist and University Research Associate
2. Princess Mordeno – Chemical Engineer and University Research Associate for Coastal Initiatives
3. Bianca Nicole Lerma – Industrial engineering student and co-founder of the student organization ALON

I hope they can inspire you to act for love of our oceans too!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

Why is the Philippines No. 1 in Marine Biodiversity? | SHE-ensya Lecture Series

Hello Science Fans!

It’s summer again in the Philippines!

And if we weren’t locked in our households, now would be the best time to go to the beach. And oh my, what beaches we have. With more than 36,000 km of coastlines, we have it all: white sand, mangrove forests, and… the greatest marine biodiversity in the world?!?

In this throwback video, learn why the Philippines became the center OF THE CENTER of marine biodiversity, and why we should be better custodians of the environment.

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

What is the SHE-ensya Office Like? | SHE-ensya’s Corner Geeky Room Tour

Hello Science Fans!

Your resident Filipina scientist is a self-confessed geek and nerd. And one of the things she found comfort in, during the pandemic, was arranging the home office for SHE-ensya, and making use of her collections as backdrop for her videos.

So in this video, we take you on a short tour of the SHE-ensya Office and Studio, so that you can see just how geeky your Resident Filipina Scientist is. ^_^

Watch out for anime, Game of Thrones, and Dr. Who collections, and my prized Neil Gaiman books and graphic novels.

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

What Is It Like To Be An Outstanding Young Scientist? | SHE-ensya What’s It Like Series

Hello Science Fans!

Was there ever someone who made you believe your dreams can come true?

Our SHE-roes for today are of such impressive calibre, and yet of such down-to-Earth nature, that their wise words can make you believe we can, AND WE SHOULD, be exceptional scientists, too.

In this video, we talk about the importance of science, technology, and innovation to the national development of our country. If we look at the policies of ASEAN nations (and beyond) that have progressed from being a developing country to a developed state, we see that STEM has been critical in helping reach that point. It is in scientific interventions, after all, that we find solutions to problems, such as coping with natural disasters, mitigating and adapting to climate change, helping solve poverty, and even inequality.

And it is disheartening that the Philippines has lagged from our ASEAN neighbors, and has even developed a culture of mistrust, and sometimes even disdain, towards STEM fields. So in this “What’s It Like” video, we also discuss the consequences of STEM not being in the focus of our national development plans.

There is so much more that we can do and so much more that we can grow to as a country if we encouraged and put more investments in the field of STEM. 

To aid in our discussion, our featured SHEroes are recipients of the highly coveted and highly prized Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines. They are:

1. Dr. Kathleen Aviso
2. Dr. Marla Maniquiz Redillas

We hope they can inspire you, just as much as they inspired me, to do our best to help our nation!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

Why Did We Create Artifical Intelligence? | SHE-ensya Why Series

Hello Science Fans!

Are you afraid of the robots rising up? #bewareofskynet

Science fiction is filled with cautionary tales of artificial intelligence, implying that the creation of sentient artificial beings would lead to our extinction. From the Terminator series to the Matrix, we have seen how careless development of sentient machines can lead to conflicts with our dominance as a species in our planet.

In the news, we can also see the concern and fear regarding this technology. With one the most popular sentiments coming from Elon Musk himself, when he allegedly said, “At least when there’s an evil dictator, that human is going to die. But for an AI, there will be no death — it would live forever. And then you would have an immortal dictator from which we could never escape.”

Despite all these concerns and worries, did you know that pretty advanced A. I. Is actually all around us already?

It’s answering bank phone calls.

It’s suggesting the next TV series or movie for us to watch in our streaming services.

It’s receiving our voice instructions for execution by our phones.

It’s showing us advertisements on social media.

It’s identifying plan diseases for horticulturists.

It’s helping us know the crab species for fishers to grow in their ponds.

From seemingly harmless to being extremely useful, a significant portion of our daily lives are dependent on it.

In this video, we define what artificial intelligence is, and how it can be tested. We also walk through the history of artificial intelligence research, and discuss some of the key developments that happened since its birth in the 1950s.

And finally, we attempt to answer the question, “Why do we need AI?”, as we consider its future developments.

So turn on your machines (and hope they’re not… listening?), and watch the SHE-ensya video below!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

Spring cleaning break: The science of dusters

Hello Science Fans!

It’s spring cleaning at the SHE-ensya household today!

So your resident Filipina scientist dons, once again, the classic “daster” to start dusting at home.

Have you been rockin’ your favorite house wear, as well, during the community quarantine? Well, nothing beats the traditional Pinoy duster.

Curious about the science behind them? In this video, we talk about the history of dusters, how they are created, and why they are so famous. It is a beautiful cultural and practical piece of clothing that is very practical for the summer.

Watch this short video to find out more!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

What Is It Like To Be In Fisheries? | SHE-ensya What’s It Like Series

Hello Science Fans!

Did you know that the Philippines is the center of the center of marine biodiversity? And that we are also the 2nd largest archipelagic state in the world?

It is then not surprising that we are a top fishing country, but it is disappointing that despite decades of effort, we have not yet reached a sustainable means of practicing fisheries.

The fisheries industry, and the science and technology behind it, is very complex. It’s a web of tradition, profit, poverty, and competition that can be very intimidating. But the longer our fisheries remain unsustainable, the longer our fishers will have to battle with poverty.

So in this episode of “What it’s like”, we look at current state of the fisheries industry in the Philippines. We also confront the major issues that make it difficult for our fisheries sector to attain sustainability. And most importantly, we hear from amazing SHEroes about their experiences as fisheries researchers in the Philippines.

Our SHEroes for this week are:

1. Dr. Maria Rowena Eguia
2. Dr. Ma. Carmen Ablan-Lagman
3. Ms. Hilarie Orario

I hope they can inspire you, too, to be part of the fisheries industry, and the wonderful world of STEM!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

Why Do We Love Coffee? | SHE-ensya Why Series

Hello Science Fans!

Anyone interested in a cup of coffee?

Coffee is an essential and loved part of many people’s days. Its aroma promises a good day, and a sip can definitely bring the sparkle back to our eyes.

But why is coffee sooo good?

Well, in this video, we look at the different factors that can affect the taste of your coffee.

We first talk about the interactions between the DNA and the environment, and how this shapes the coffee beans. It is a balance of nature and nurture, after all, specially on how coffee characteristics are shaped by a process known as the Central Dogma.

Learn more about the Central Dogma (and coffee) thru this link:

But in this new video, we also talk about the chemical heavy hitters that contribute the most to coffee’s taste and health benefits: caffeine, chlorogenic acid, trigonelline, kahweol, and cafestol. We discuss them one by one and also look at the real impact of coffee, based on its components, to our bodies.

We also discuss how roasting, grinding, and brewing can affect these chemical compounds, and eventually the taste of our cup of coffee.

And finally, we attempt to answer the question, “Why is coffee so addicting?”

So, let’s brew a cuppa, and watch the SHE-ensya video below!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!

Of disappearing wildernesses, joy overpowering fear, and zombies | SHE-ensya’s corner Episode 21

Hello Science Fans!

Have you heard the news?

• Only 3% of the world is left untouched by humans!
• Screams of joy are faster recognized than screams of fear!
• And a new post-apocalyptic zombie game is coming out!!!

In this episode of SHE-ensya’s corner, we talk about the disappearing wildernesses, how this was discovered, and why this information is so important. We also look at a confusing new discovery, that alters our understanding of evolution and our instincts, how laughter and screams of joy can be faster recognized by our brains, than the potentially life saving screams of fear. And speaking of fear, we will also talk about why the era of zombie games (and movies and series) is not over, specially with the release of the new game from FNTASTIC called “The Day Before”.

Join us in this roller coaster of an episode!

Thank you so much for dropping by!

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, your resident Filipina scientist, in the comments section below.

And remember, when in doubt, always use your (con)science!