What makes Australia a good place for postgraduate education?

I definitely recommend Australia as a good place for postgraduate education because of the multicultural environment in its educational institutions. You don’t just get the benefit of an Australian education, but the benefit of learning from a lot of cultures. In my case, I lived on Lygon Street in Melbourne, a place historically known as the ‘Little Italy’ of Australia. I learned so much about Italy. Another reason is that the Unis have a lot of clubs which focus on specialised and advanced fields, and thanks to this, I was able to get education above and beyond what I got from Melbourne Uni by joining the clubs that were focused on Space, AI, and Biotech. Also, Melbourne has a thriving start-up scene, and by joining an AgTech startup I learned skills and developed networks that would be helpful for the future development of the Philippines. Beyond these, Australia is such a diverse landscape with beautiful scenery, from the red earth of the interior to the stunning beaches of the cost. No other place could compare with this kind of experience

As a Filipino scholar, what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud that I was able to work in fields needed to develop the Philippines.. I worked with a lot of AI related organisations in Australia, and not even a few months after graduating I was already working with the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP)’s clinic to develop the AI and Democratic Values Index, including working on the Philippines’ country report for the AIDV. In addition, I am very proud of the work I got to do with the Melbourne Space Program while at University of Melbourne.

Give one word to describe your Australia Awards journey.

Genuine. Although all the technology and law knowledge were helpful, I couldn’t have done it without all the lifelong connections I’ve made, especially with the local Aussies. And that was only possible with the warm and positive welcome I got from the people of Melbourne.

Now that you're back, how are you making a difference in your field/community?

I learned a lot about critical technology sectors while in Australia, including the space, AI, and biotechnology sectors. These are all areas which will play a very big role in the future of the Philippines and the world. The learning, personal growth, and networks I developed there will be very instrumental, and I hope to help develop these sectors into areas that can make a big impact in Philippine development. Drawing from my experiences in Australia and the global organizations I've since joined, I aim to harness international expertise in these sectors to ensure technological advancements benefit citizens across the entire country. I take immense pride in contributing to the Filipino people's technological progress and digital future. But beyond that, I also feel like the intercultural exchange between different people, like Australia and the Philippines, can produce tremendous benefits for everyone.