Science and She: Dr. Rhodora Romero Aldemita

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) and its network of Biotechnology Information Centers launched a new campaign on social media which aims to empower women in science. The campaign called Science and She, features scientists and science communicators who tell their stories and aspirations for science and the society with the hope that the stories will help bridge the gap between science and the public.

For each week, one female scientist or science communicator serves as the curator of the Science and She social media pages. The first curator for the campaign is Dr. Rhodora Romero-Aldemita, Director of ISAAA Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology. Dr. Aldemita is a crop scientist with knowledge and experience accumulated over the years on agriculture-related topics such as plant pathology, plant physiology, molecular biology, and rice biochemistry. Currently, she is involved in sharing her knowledge with the public so they can have fact-based decisions regarding GM crops.

Dr. Aldemita did not expect to be a scientist, let alone one who would be recognized by the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines and other prestigious award-giving bodies such as the Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service Foundation and The World Academy of Science. Her inherent love for her family and desire to improve their living conditions motivated her to study and work hard.

“In order to succeed in our field, we have to realize our potentials and limitations. We need to explore and develop these potentials and use them wisely and to the fullest. I developed my abilities through studying, training, conducting research, and publishing. Although the outputs of my rice genetic engineering work were not immediately available to help consumers and farmers at that time, I knew that they would make difference in the future, and they did!! Most importantly, we have to overcome our limitations by being resourceful and by exploring alternatives,” Dr. Aldemita says.

One of her biggest achievements was being awarded as one of the Ten Outstanding Women in the Nations Service for Excellence in the field of Science in 1998. It was the culmination that reaffirmed all the awards she has received including the Ten Outstanding Young Scientist in the Philippines, the Science Prize in Biology by the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines, and The World Academy of Sciences, Italy, and many other recognitions. The latest award was the recognition of her home city, San Pablo City, as an Outstanding San Pableño in the field of Agriculture. Each time she was introduced as a multi-awarded scientist, her credibility as biotech expert and spokesperson was validated.

  

“As a scientist, I was able to develop a rice transformation technology that is still being used by researchers today. As a science communicator, I am honored to help others gain knowledge and understanding about a technology that is highly beneficial to many. I have worked for years in the lab, and I am confident that biotechnology is used by scientists like me to help improve lives. Scientists work hard for their own families, as well as to help other families have bountiful harvest and food on their plates. By communicating about the benefits of biotechnology, I am hopeful that time will come when more people will appreciate the technology and acknowledge its importance. This will lead to more countries planting biotech crops, and more mouths being fed. When that time comes, all my hard work, together with the efforts of other scientists, will be worth it,” she says.

Follow Science and She on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the campaign.