There is a question that I have
been avoiding recently. Every so often, I find myself being asked “So what are
you doing now?” (or any variation thereof like: ‘where are you working?’; ‘are
you still teaching?’; ‘what astronomy projects are you doing?’). I’ve been
avoiding this question not because of its difficulty nor because I find it
embarrassing. I have been avoiding this question because I cannot simply put it
in a few words. The thing is, I’m doing all sorts of stuff right now that I
usually pause and think which to mention, or in which context I am asked before
giving a response.
My Past Work
I studied physics and astronomy
in college and graduate school because I used to dream of becoming a research
astronomer. Heck, I still do. My first job was as a college instructor at the
Department of Earth and Space Sciences of Rizal Technological University.
Simultaneously, I also held a contractual position in the department as their
Scientific Coordinator and Laboratory/Multimedia Assistant. I also spearheaded
the formation of the department’s solar research program. I was also very
active in the Astronomical League of the Philippines – being a constant
lecturer and present in multiple events. I also worked in the Andromeda Mobile
Planetarium which went around the Cordilleras for weeks at a time – limiting my
time to take up a teaching load for my college classes. These were the few
tasks in which (to borrow the university president’s words) I started to
‘create a name’ for myself in the local astronomy community.
Fast Forward Now
As my work with Andromeda was
almost over I had a lot of time in my hands that I decided to focus on a number
of my close astronomy students to create an environment for them to continue
their training and exposure to different astronomy and astro-related tasks. Professional
astronomy work is relatively new in the Philippines so there are limited
options for growth. This environment for my students became the Guild for
Astronomy Innovation and Advancement which focused areas of their development
such as: publication, observation, outreach, instrumentation, and research. GAIA
also extends its reach to the public by providing citizen science and
collaborative opportunities through its Open Research and Collaborative
Learning Experience program (ORACLE). I also devoted my time to the Manila
Street Astronomers, as one of its co-founders, and created a linkage for GAIA
in MSA for their Observation. The MSA is a non-profit collaborative sidewalk
astronomy group who goes around different areas to provide free telescope
viewing events. Alongside GAIA and MSA, I am currently the adviser for the
Philippine Union of Student Organizations for Astronomy (PUSO for Astronomy; puso is the Filipino word for heart),
and just recently the National Coordinator for the Philippines of the
Astronomers Without Borders.
These collaborative astronomy
work is where I spend most of my free time on. All of these are non-profit –
and hence enters the paying job. Outside the astronomy scene I am working in
Specializing in Modern Interactive Learning Experience (SMILE Group PH). Smile
is a STEM/STEAM education company who provides the STEM methodology of teaching
through their different programs and classes. They also hold the franchise for international
STEM programs such as Engineering for Kids and Challenge Island. My work in
Smile involves teaching and curriculum development – especially in robotics
where I am currently the lead faculty of. Of course, my love for astronomy and
physics won’t drift away as STEM provides for learning across disciplines. We
have different astronomy and physics related concepts from space-based robotics
to aerospace engineering. I allocate roughly 80-95% of my earning working as a
STEM educator to provide for my astronomy work. And because my paid-job is
full-time, I squeeze my astronomy work in during coffee breaks, weekends, rest
days, and during the night.
Don’t get me wrong, I also take
my STEM work seriously. I know I can opt to further my career path by focusing
on my professional development like achieving that elusive Ph.D., but the work
I’m doing is of equal importance. I believe that in order to develop the local
astronomy community we need to provide opportunities and develop our learning
culture. We need to inspire learning and thinking beyond traditional means to
create solutions and innovations. I believe we need a culture that provides
opportunities for everyone regardless of age, status, background, etc. When we
develop the learning culture we empower the community. We create learners who
create solutions and seek to develop themselves. It may be idealistic to some, and
some people in my field may look down on me, but every journey begins with a
simple step.
