"I hope you will not get boxed in a particular way."

This was the message of Dr. Teresa S. Encarnacion Tadem, Ph.D., a political science professor at the University of the Philippines (UP)  to young researchers during the first webisode of iShare.

iShare is a digital storytelling platform initiated by the Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP), wherein the council’s Achievement Awardees share their challenges and triumphs in their chosen fields.

Through iShare, DOST-NRCP aims that more Filipinos, especially the younger generation will learn and get inspired from the real life’s experiences of Filipino scientists.    

“To the young researchers, if you have the luxury to do what you want to do, write what you want to write, and I hope you will not get boxed in a particular way, because you have to write in a particular way, I hope that that opportunity will be open for everyone. It’s not just there. You also look for it,” Encarnacion Tadem said.

In iShare's first episode, the UP professor recounted her journey on being sidetracked from her original dream of working for the United Nations, and on finding comfort and fulfillment in doing research and writing, initially at the Third World Studies Center of UP.

Encarnacion Tadem, the author of “The Marcos Technocrats,” added, in sharing her research experiences in the country and abroad, “I learned that the only way I could really learn about that country is to do fieldwork, to interview people from the ground of what they’re really doing to push for the democratization of their development.”

On the other hand, Dr. Anthony SF Chiu, a professor at the De La Salle University Manila, who shared his story on professional networking - an important factor in advancing one’s career, along with Tadem were the main storytellers in the pilot webisode of iShare, which premiered last December, and can still be accessed through the Research Pod, a Facebook Page of DOST-NRCP.

“As children, we were awed by the courage, persistence, compassion, and some magical skills of heroes and heroines, hoping that one day, we will be like them,” Marieta B. Sumagaysay, DOST-NRCP’s Director, said by way of introducing iShare and on how storytelling has largely been a part of the Filipinos’ lives.

Sumagaysay also shared how her grandparents would gather them when they were children and told them stories of people emerging unscathed, and even stronger after hurdling through life’s challenges. As a result, these stories played a big role in the successful careers of those children who listened along with her.

iShare's next webisode will be on February 24, 2021, where stories of exceptional Filipinos who were successful in their own fields will be featured including; the Achievement Awardees Karlo L. Queaño, Ph.D., a geologist at the Ateneo de Manila University and Joyce L. Arriola, Ph.D., a professor from the University of Santo Tomas. 

On March 25, 2021 will be Dr. Elmer S. Estacio, also a professor from the UP- National Institute of Physics and Dr. Rowena DT. Baconguis, a professor at UP Los Baños.

The NRCP Achievement Awards is a recognition given since 1979 to its members with outstanding contribution to the body of knowledge in science and to the country’s nation-building initiatives. Succeeding iShare webisodes will be announced in the Facebook Page: Research Pod.