Tumampos: ‘I hope more Filipino women will be recognized’

 Author: SciCommPH Board

Courtesy of Nikki Myzah Tumampos

​Stephanie Tumapos, a doctoral student in geoscience and remote sensing at Technology University of Munich in Germany, and at Impe-rial College London, said she was “overwhelmed,” “surprised” and “humbled” when she was featured in a book and in two online stories during the celebration of the International Women’s Month last month

Tumampos was among the 15 women from different sectors who were featured in the book “Becoming Sheroes: Stories of Heartstrong Women,” and among the scientists in the online “10 Women Shaping the Earth Sciences” and “Who is Who in GRSS.”

“I was overwhelmed. These recognitions of my being part of a community, and learning that people notice me makes me feel valued, that what I’m doing makes an impact or can make an impact,” Tumam-pos, a former Business Mirror Science reporter and photographer, said in a social media interview.

Recently launched “Becoming Sheroes” recognizes the women in their “becoming heroes to the people around them. The book is reflec-tive of the authors' [the featured women] evolution and growth from their experiences and challenges to become heroes of their own sto-ries.” said the book’s online introduction.

Featured in the book are the inspiring stories of Marissa Atienza, Karen Batungbacal, Rebecca Bustamante, Kristine Calleja, Ayhee Campos, Laurice Chiongbian, Mawi Fojas de Ocampo, Nica Jones, Monica Maralit, Shawntel Nieto, Arizza Nocum, Paulynn Sicam, Unyx Sta. Ana, Stephanie Tumampos and Sharon Vaswani.

Tumampos, 33, said it was Maralit who approached her to be-come one of the authors. Maralit is an advocate for women’s
empowerment and young women’s education, and the leading force in making the book published. 
“I was wondering that out of all those [women] who could be in-vited to write their own stories, ‘Why me?’ Then I just realized, ‘Why not?’ Maybe some readers would see themselves through me, that they can realize their dreams and act on them like [what I did] in my journey”

Tumampos was from humble beginnings in Bohol. She graduated with BS in Applied Physics from the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños, Laguna; MS in Environment Engineering from UP Diliman; and is now taking her doctoral studies under the European Union’s Erasmus Mundus Scholarship.

In the book, she shared not only her journey in life, titled “Looking through life in a scientific lens,” but also a “little recipe” for success.

It includes being stubborn but being mindful; being with the right people who value you as a person and listen to you; and “the most im-portant ingredient is being yourself.”

“It is you who define your life. It is you who have all the answers. It is important to see yourself and be your own cheerleader. And it is only you who make decisions to achieve your dream that matters,” Tumpanpos pointed out.

Tumampos was featured in “Who’s Who in GRSS?” owing to her role as the organization’s Chief of Publicity and Public Relations. 

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’s (IEEE) Ge-oscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS) is an international or-ganization with more than 5,000 members worldwide. 

“Through my role, I implement publicity strategies including our marketing materials and social media engagement. This way, I connect not only to the members but also to the greater geoscience and remote sensing community and, of course, to the public on what we do for our planet,” Tumampos said.

She thanked a lot of people for the recognition, especially her media and PR friends.

Her BusinessMirror family, she said, “accepted this young girl more than 10 years ago, who was kind of lost and kind of exploring, but gave me an incredible gift to learn the ropes in media and publicity, without even having a single knowledge to do so when I started.”

She said earlier that her being a former journalist was a plus point in her doctoral studies because scientists are encouraged to communicate their researches. 

A multi-awardee, she won in 2018 the top prize for print media in the “Bantog” award from the Department of Science and Technology.

She is a member of Science Communicators Philippines Inc.

Being named as one of the Top 10 women leaders shaping Earth sciences, “surprised” Tumampos.

“I didn’t know why I deserve such recognition. It took time for me to process the news [besides the fact that I was on a business trip abroad for a meeting],” she said. 

As part of an “underrepresented group [or women]” in the field of space data, Tumampos said it gives her “hope my recognition will pave the way for more Filipino women to be recognized, too.”

The recognition, she said, “humbles” her.

“It reminds me that I didn’t make this to happen alone but with all the people who helped build my foundations. I lack in so many ways but I am truly grateful to all the people who see me and my dreams [coming true],” she said. 

“Just wait, Philippines. I’ll come back when the time is right,” she remarked. Lyn Resurreccion
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