How to be a Stephanie Tumampos?
WHEN she applied as a photojournalist in Businessmirror in 2013, the editors asked what degree she took in college. She replied: BS in applied Physics. Upon hearing this, the editors assigned her to also write for the newspaper’s Science page besides being a photographer.
Stephanie tumampos, while working in Businessmirror, was taking and later finished her Masters in Science in Environment Engineering.
her articles in science did not go unnoticed by award-giving bodies. On top of which was her receiving the Bantog Outstanding S&t Journalist award from the Department of Science and technologyscience and technology Information Institute in 2018.
tumampos has come a long way after that feat. as the cliché says, the rest is history.
She took further studies in Europe 2019 under the Erasmus Mundus scholarship.
Just last week, she had her in-person graduation from Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree (EMJMD) Copernicus Master in Digital Earth that she took in University of Salzburg in austria and Université Bretagne Sud in France for the geodata science track.
On that same day, she was awarded the “Special achievement in Digital Earth” for her various “contributions to the worldwide visibility of the Copernicus Master in Digital Earth program.”
there is more: She is currently taking her PHD at the technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany.
Wow! What is this girl eating to have all that brain power and energy?
Journey in S&T education
TUMAMPOS, 31, was from humble beginnings in Bohol in Central Visayas. She might not have imagined then that she could attain the educational status she has now.
actually, when she graduated from tagbilaran City Science high School, she was still undecided on what to take up in college.
“I just took [Bachelor of Science in] applied Physics because it was pretty attractive for someone who is studying at a science high school,” she told the Businessmirror in an e-mail interview on July 13.
“I just wanted to try to take the UPCAT [University of the Philippines College admission test] with that degree. the only thing I knew back then was I would just be studying in Bohol or Cebu, without expecting to pass the UPCAT,” she added.
She passed the UPCAT, and took BS in applied Physics in UP Los Baños—that started her science education.
She later took MS in Environment Engineering in UP Diliman because “I wanted to study pollution and how it could be mitigated through engineering.”
her thesis was about the removal of copper and lead ions from aqueous solutions by absorbents derived from groundwater treatment sludge.
Interest in space science
HOW did she have an interest in space science?
“the applications of space science and technology to Earth is very attractive. I grew up in Bohol where I have seen environmental changes,” she explained.
In her masteral degree from EMJMD Copernicus Master in Digital Earth, her thesis was “Spatio-temporal Prediction of Urban air Pollution (PM2.5) through Deep Learning.”
this double or joint master’s degree from two countries was designed “so that students can experience quality education in different universities and countries in Europe,” tumampos said.
her PHD project in tu Munich is titled “Modelling, Prediction and anomaly Detection of Earth Surface Dynamics.” TUM is tagged the “University of Excellence” for three times in succession.
tumampos explained that the project involves improving the current models of land, sea and air dynamics, using remote sensing data from satellites and other related sensors, and machine learning, with a hint of ambit stochastics, a mathematical field which deals with probabilities.
“I took a PHD because I want to teach in a university. My target job is in the academe. however, there are many opportunities in many institutions and private companies as well, such as in research and specialist,” she said.
She added that a person with a doctoral degree is “regarded highly,” in Europe. “there are many opportunities that await them.“
Medium of instruction
With English as the medium of instruction, language was never a problem to her. although she took German and French language lessons, practicing them “is the challenge.”
however, it is good to learn a few words, such as greetings, in talking to locals.
“Whenever you greet locals, their faces light up. Even with a language barrier, they try to communicate through hand signals or use a translator,” she said.
Living in Europe
PEOPLE think that Europe living is expensive.
“that is if you are a traveler,” she said, but if you are a student, you live how the locals live.
When she arrived as a student in
Salzburg in 2019, tumampos stayed in a dormitory.
“I cook my own food. I buy from groceries which is much cheaper, and bring [the food] to the university during lunch,” she said.
In France, if one is an international student and has a residency of more than six months, one is eligible to apply for a housing assistance “which helped me with my finances.” she said.
One can also get student discounts. and the best way to save money? Ride a bike or walk to school.
“this is the European way of life.
I have learned over time to budget my money according to my scholarship fund,” tumampos said.
During her current PHD studies in Germany, she has to budget her monthly stipend for housing rent, food and other expenses.
Universities in Europe, such as tu Munich, are publicly funded, thus, there is no tuition, only an administrative fee for the enrollment and semester transportation ticket.
Moreover, every doctoral student in the university has an allocated budget for conference travels and for books.
Lessons learned while in Europe
With the “you do you,” meaning be yourself or do what you want, attitude prevailing among the millennials, tumampos said she has an open mind and just tried to adjust.
“I came here in Europe with a strong sense of independence so it was not really a problem. But speaking out my mind was a struggle. In asia, we are mostly taught to just agree on everything, especially to our supervisors. here, I am taught to speak out my mind,” she said.
having been bullied a few times, she stood up for herself.
What’s positive is that she feels “lucky to be surrounded by people who encourage me and create a healthy environment for me. this is one of the reasons why I feel convenient living in Europe.”
Busy as speaker
ON top of her studies, tumampos is quite busy with other activities, such as speaker in webinars for Filipino audience, or as speaker, representative of an organization in space-related conferences in Europe, and also hosts an IEEE podcast called Down to Earth.
Some of these activities were among the basis that won her the award when she graduated.
“they actually consume my free time,” she said. “Being alone in Europe, I have to find ways to keep busy.”
Speaking in webinars for Filipinos, like with the Department of Science and technology’s events, was her way of “giving back” to the country.
“It has been instilled in me, as an Iskolar ng Bayan [People’s Scholar], to serve my country. this is one way I am serving my country for now,” she pointed out.
She was invited to the webinars, she said, because besides establishing herself as a scholar, “a lot of people knew the struggles and challenges I had to overcome to be where I am today.”
“a lot of people draw inspiration from my journey. I came from an island and chances are slim [for me] to succeed, especially since I grew up in a family, whose earnings are below average,” she said.
“I remember I was even picked and called ‘probinsyana’ [province lass] for fun because I never knew how to dress up like every Manileño,” tumampos shared.
Poverty is not a hindrance to success
the eldest of five children, tumampos’s two brothers and two sisters have also graduated from college.
“I draw my inspiration from them. I have to be better because I want them to look up to me and say that our family status is not a hindrance to the success and realization of our dreams,” she explained. “I have to work hard. I want to break the generational chain of poverty.”
the doting sister, who supports some of her siblings’ school needs, would also treat them “for leisure like travels or concerts.”
“I just want them [siblings] to experience life,” she said.
Travelled to 30 countries
TUMAMPOS herself has traveled to many countries—at least 30 as she has stopped counting—mostly for conferences and workshops.
She has been to all continents, except africa, which she plans to travel soon.
Message to the young students
HER advice to young students is “to do what your heart wants.”
“It may not have a sense to others but if it makes sense to you to take that degree [in college], take it,” she said.
a lot of people are worried about future jobs and the opportunities right after graduation “but all I can say is there is no guarantee for the future,” she said.
She explained that “four years of college studies means four years of changing landscapes and opportunities. and once you love what you do, you will always know how to find ways to earn.”
her plan after graduating from PHD in 2025?
tumampos said: “I would like to cross the bridge when I get there. 2025 is still too far and opportunities and circumstances change over time.”