Month: August 2017

Graduate School!

Published by Kima Rodriguez

If you’ve read my previous post titled “Self-doubt,” you’d know that I had set my sights on gaining admission to the graduate school at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). It has long been my dream to continue my education in the field of Microbiology and earn my Master of Science degree at this esteemed institution. I worked tirelessly to meet all the requirements for admission to the first semester. I shed many tears because of those who didn’t believe in me, criticized me, and passed judgment. I felt hopeless and weak at times, but I refused to give up. I worked hard and prayed. Initially, completing those requirements was challenging because some people didn’t support me. However, I’m grateful for those obstacles because they made me even stronger and more motivated. While I waited for my admission, I attended two job interviews and was fortunate enough to be accepted by both companies. However, my top priority was pursuing my graduate school education, so I continued to wait for admission. Finally, the long …

Asian Congress on Biotechnology 2017 (ACB 2017)

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Hello, blog! My apologies for the recent lack of updates. I’ve been extremely busy with my research presentation and submitting requirements for graduate school. Nevertheless, I’m here to welcome the month of August, and I’m determined to post more frequently this month. From July 23 to 26, I had the opportunity to participate in the 13th Asian Congress on Biotechnology in Khon Kaen, Thailand. During the conference, I presented my undergraduate thesis. To be completely honest, this was my very first experience presenting my research at an international congress. Prior to this, the only time I presented my research was during my undergraduate thesis defense at my school. My thesis adviser, Dr. Hosea dL. Matel strongly encouraged me to present my research at the congress. At first, I was quite hesitant because of two main concerns. First, I had no prior experience with international congresses, and second, the costs associated with registration, flights, and accommodation were considerably high. During this time, I was feeling quite overwhelmed, and my family was too. In fact, we had …