Collection - Alumni Stories

Marine Conservation for the Next Generation

Dr. Abesamis received his Master in Tropical Marine Ecology and Fish Biology and PhD in Marine Biology from James Cook University in 2011. James Cook University is one of the most sought after educational institutions for coral reef ecology. As a proud Australia Awards scholar, Dr. Abesamis shares how he went back to the Philippines after his postgraduate studies in Australia to uncover solutions to the constant declining fish population in our oceans. His Australian education provided him with tools, international links, and training to further his research. "Because the university in Australia was a leader in the field, that opened doors to so much international collaboration all over the world."

Innovation in a Time of Crisis

Dr. Jose Rafael "Raffy" Marfori is the Assistant to the Director for Flagship Projects of the Philippine General Hospital - the largest government tertiary hospital in the Philippines. With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Philippines, Dr. Raffy's role suddenly shifted to handling multiple priority projects to respond to the pandemic - this means working behind the scenes, within and outside the walls of the hospital, as the hospital transforms into the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.