(In celebration of International Women's Day and Women’s Month, Manila Bulletin is publishing stories featuring women who have made outstanding contributions to the country or to their communities.)
- Dr. Gay Jane Perez, 40, is the deputy director of the Space Science and Technology of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).
- Satellite data can provide useful information to address the country’s pressing environmental issues.
- Dr. Perez and her team have been involved in the pioneering program of PHL-Microsat, a satellite program which built Diwata-1, Diwata-2, and other satellites.
- Global statistics say that only 20 percent of people working in the field of space science are women.
Dr. Gay Jane Perez
By this time, most people know that the Diwata-1 and Diwata-2 are not fairies as the word means in our language. They are microsatellites which have been launched in space.
Diwata-1 was launched on March 23, 2016. It was decommissioned and has reentered the Earth’s atmosphere in April 2020. Diwata-2, on the other hand, was launched on October 28, 2019. To date, it is still in orbit.
Because of those microsatellites circling in space, scientists in the country are able to monitor many conditions affecting the Philippines – from climate change that caused severe weather changes, to flooding, to land use and even traffic conditions.
But while many know that the Philippines has a space program, one of them the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite (PHL-Microsat), where Diwata-1 and Diwata-2 were built, many are not aware that a woman is on top of the program.
She is Dr. Gay Jane Perez, 40, deputy director of the Space Science and Technology of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).
Perez has led several programs on satellite development in the Philippines. She had also been involved in projects that utilized remotely-sensed satellite data to study the environment and climate.
Satellite data, according to Perez, can provide useful information to address the country’s pressing environmental issues.
In fact, prior to her appointment as PhilSA’s Deputy Director General, Perez has been involved in Earth observation satellite product development, seasonal and climate prediction, climate change and variability, and drought monitoring and forecasting.
While these are notable contributions, Perez said she cannot take credit for its success because she had worked with her entire team.
At this point in her career, Perez has identified her greatest achievement as the mentoring of the next generation of space scientists.
“I would consider my mentoring of the next generation of scientists as my most important contribution. Well I worked on several topics such as our study of drought in the Philippines, but this is not something that I can take as a sole achievement. It’s really about mentoring the next generation of scientists. That’s really what I am most proud of,” she said.
PH’s second microsatellite, Diwata 2 (Photo from DOST-ASTI)
Meanwhile, with her leadership, Perez and her team have been involved in the pioneering program of PHL-Microsat, a satellite program carried by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), where they built Diwata-1, Diwata-2, and other satellites.
“My role was to lead the science team, define the mission of the satellite, and to also develop products out of it, but each of us contributed a little bit of talent to work in this field,” said Perez.
This scientist, though, admits that she is what you can consider a late-bloomer in her chosen career. She pursued Applied Physics for her undergraduate course because she enjoyed math as a subject. She received the DOST scholarship for her undergraduate studies.
“My exposure to science when I was younger was limited to science subjects and school fairs. However, I remember being quite good in math. So among the subjects, I enjoyed math the most. I enjoyed Physics as a subject, that’s why when I was asked to choose a science course for my undergrad, I chose Physics naturally,” she said.
But she observed that there are fewer women than men in the field of space science.
“Global statistics say that only 20 percent of people working in the field of space science are women. To me, that means that there is still a lot to do,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of having a role model to inspire girls to pursue space science.
“I always emphasize the importance of having a role model. Sa kultura nating mga Pilipino, we look up to someone na mga kakilala natin. ‘Di ba ganun naman tayo usually, I think it is important to have more role models so young girls, young women, can find themselves playing that role in the future (For us, Filipinos, we always look up to someone we know. I think it is important for us to have more role models so young girls, young women, can find themselves playing that role in the future),” she said.
Perez added that it is also important for us to have a “nurturing environment” by providing concrete measures such as support systems to motivate women in pursuing a career in space science.
Perez encouraged aspiring women to pursue their dreams. “Go for it. I think many would agree with me that space is the future. In fact, maybe it is no longer in the future — it is already with us now, it is in our midst, and with the PhilSA, it’s more reachable,” she said.