Science has always been a field typically dominated by men. But through the years, more and more women are leveling the playing field.

Dr. Lourdes Cruz, Filipino scientist and professor at the Marine Science Institute at the University of the Philippines Diliman, adds to the roster of these not-so-ordinary women when she was named laureate at the 12th annual L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science.

Because of her discovery of marine snail toxins that can serve as powerful tools to study brain functions, Dr. Cruz becomes the first Filipino ever to receive the prestigious award.

“I feel great. It’s a big honor for our country, for the UP Marine Science Institute, for the National Academy of Science of the Philippines (NAST), for myself and for my family,” Dr. Cruz says.

AMONG THE BEST

Launched in 1998 by L’ORÉAL and UNESCO, the award is the first international recognition that is devoted to women in science. For the past 12 years, the program has been actively supporting
the cause of women in science by focusing on encouraging scientific vocations and recognizing the accomplishments of female researchers from every continent who are devoting their lives, with strength and passion, to finding solutions to tomorrow’s challenges.

Today, the program has already recognized 62 laureates, 150 international fellows, and 700 national fellows. It is today a benchmark of international scientific excellence, and an invaluable source of motivation, support, and inspiration for women in the scientific field.

The jury for the program is made up of 18 eminent scientists/members of the international scientific community from five continents. An international network of nearly 1,000 scientists nominates the candidates for each year’s awards.

Four other laureates were honored including Rashika El Ridi of Africa and the Arab States, a professor at Cairo University in Egypt who paved the way towards the development of a vaccine against the tropical disease Schistomiasis/Bilharzia; Elaine Fuchs of North America, a professor at The Rockefeller University in the United States for her contributions to the knowledge of skin biology and skin stem cells; Anne Dejean-Assémat of Europe, a professor at the Pasteur Institute in France for her contributions to the understanding of leukemia and liver cancers; and Alejandra Bravo of Latin America, a professor at the Institute of Molecular Microbiology of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma in Mexico, for her work on a bacterial toxin that acts as a powerful insecticide.

All of them were selected at a meeting of the jury presided by Pr. Günter Blobel, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1999.

Dr. Cruz says that the award came as a surprise.

“When the NAST nominated me for this award, initially, I felt na ang dami-daming magagaling na nabibigyan ng award na ito so baka maliit ang chance ko na manalo,” she recalls. Dr. Cruz just accomplished all the requirements needed and left everything to God.

Around midnight about a month ago, she learned that she was among the five laureates chosen. “Actually tulog na ako and then I got this call from the program secretariat in Paris and informed me that the jury for the selection of the award just finished their deliberation and that the chairman of the jury wanted to talk to me. We talked and I was very happy after that, I tried to sleep again but hindi na ako makatulog,” she says.

The awards ceremony will take place in March next year at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Each laureate will receive US $100,000. “Before the awards night, the laureates will give a talk to the scientific community. Aside from my work, I will talk about biodiversity here which is always part of the message I send across whenever I speak in front of an international community and to those who are in my field,” Dr. Cruz says.

UNWAVERING PASSION FOR SCIENCE

Dr. Cruz comes from a family of chemists and it was just natural for her to pursue the same profession as that of her father, sister and cousins.

As a young student, she would spend more time studying Science than other subjects. “Early on, I discovered that I liked science much more and I felt that this was a natural path for me to go into kasi kasi ito talaga ang hilig ko,” she says.

Dr. Cruz took up B.S. Chemistry at the University of the Philippines in 1962, finished her M.S. Biochemistry at the University of Iowa (UI) in 1966, and completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry also at UI in 1968. She continues to make scientific contributions to the biochemistry field of conotoxins, particularly the toxins of the venom of the marine snail Conus geographus.

Dr. Cruz has also published over 120 papers in her field of study in her career as a researcher. She was also awarded the NAST Outstanding Young Scientist Award, in 1981; the NRCP Achievement Award in Chemistry in 1982; and the Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Services Award (Bio-chemistry) in 1986. She was named National Scientist in 2008.

TEACHER, FIRST OF ALL

After finishing her PhD, she started to go into academics. “Kasi you have a wider choice kung ano ang gusto mong gawin and you have the academic freedom to choose whatever you want to work on,” she says.

In 1970, she started teaching at the College of Medicine. “We only taught the medical students but when we started the graduate program, mas marami akong naging estudyante doon.” Then, in 1989, Dr. Cruz moved to the Marine Science Institute.

Since then, she has made practical instruction as her teaching style. “We always try to teach my students in a practical aspect.”

For instance, when she volunteered to teach Civil Welfare Training Service (CWTS) course, she would bring her students to places like Morong in Bataan where they talked to fishermen and Aetas. “It’s not all lecture, I always try to make it practical in approach,” she describes.

Aside from sharing her knowledge to future scientists, Dr. Cruz also finds teaching as a great source of self satisfaction.

“I’m happy to teach young people who are really interested in science,” she says.

Dr. Cruz feels overwhelmed when students would do their theses under her because it gives her a chance to teach younger people about professionalism and ethics. “Maganda yung talagang matutukan yung projects nila and see how they solve or approach problems,” she says.

Amid her achievements, Dr. Cruz is making sure that she is able to share her expertise with the new breed of Filipino scientists.

“I officially retired from teaching in UP since May of this year but I will go back to teaching next semester. I will teach marine science students and other graduate courses and would focus on Biochemistry, Marine Biochemistry, Marine Toxonilogy and some specialized courses along marine science with my partner,” she says.

With her appointment as professor emeritus in process, Dr. Cruz currently spends her time at the Marine Science Institute as a researcher and as a principal investigator of the research project.

THE SUPPORT THAT SCIENCE NEEDS

Despite the recognition that Filipino scientists get both on the local and international scene, Dr. Cruz says that there is still not enough support in science — as a whole — in the Philippines.

“Locally, wala pa rin masyadong support because private companies that ask scientists to do commission research only use this for their own purpose,” she says.

Dr. Cruz says that part of what makes science grow is the publication of works.

“The publication of information is very important because we don’t work in a vacuum and we depend on what have been discovered before so kung lahat ganun, mahirap mag-progress on science,” she explains.

It is very important for industries to support science research institutes and laboratories. “In most countries, the industries practice that but here, hindi. In fact, most industries would get information
from the academics without any returns so yun yung problema ng mga scientists,” she laments.

Dr. Cruz says that although many scientists get grants from international agencies and organizations, these are not enough to accumulate the number of scientists that the country needs. “In many countries, out of thousands of people, there’s a certain number of scientists pero sa atin, there’s much less, as a percentage of the total population, kulang na kulang pa rin yung mga scientists,” she says.

Another thing that contributes to the small number of scientists in the country is the fact that most of them leave for financial stability.

“The major option of scientists here is to go to the academics so those who need to support their families go abroad kasi kulang sa employment opportunities dito,” she says.

Dr. Cruz tells those who are dreaming to be successful in the field to learn how to get funds. “You need this for your research so it’s a must for you to learn writing grants and getting you works published.”

For young people who have an aptitude for science, Dr. Cruz tells them to never give up.

“If you really like doing research then by all means you have to stick to it. Sige lang kasi in addition to the salary, there are so many intangible benefits that go with it,” she ends.