Janina Carla Castro
Location (during time of takeover)
School/Institution
| Undergrad | Ateneo de Manila University Environmental Science, Minor in Japanese Studies |
|---|---|
| Masters | University of Otago Science Communication |
Featured on December 1, 2024
Giving us a flying start into the month of December is Pinoy Scientist Janina Carla Castro, a science communicator with a history in environmental science and sustainability who is taking her Master’s at the University of Otago, New Zealand. She is the co-research lead at Bird Window Strikes Philippines and an article contributor at the Animal Scene Magazine.
Janina took her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Minor in Japanese Studies at Ateneo de Manila University, graduating honorable mention as the Department Program Awardee. She stayed on at the university as the Program Officer for Campus Sustainability at the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability. During this time, she began contributing to the Animal Scene Magazine as a writer focused on Philippine wildlife and conservation. Additionally, she began her role as co-research lead of Bird Windows Strikes Philippines.
Now, Janina is in the midst of her Master of Science in Science Communication at the University of Otago, also serving as a Research Assistant at her department and the School of Computing. Some recent science communication work she has done include curating the “Making the Invisible Visible” pop up exhibition at the University of the Philippines about bird window collision, and working with the Ocean Media Institute for the making of the short film “I Am Ocean” about fisherfolk in Palawan.
Some fun facts about Janina:
- She LOVES birdwatching! She used to watch birds in her backyard everyday, but she also goes on trips whenever she can. Birding led her to meet Jelaine Gan (former Pinoy Scientists contributor) and they both run Bird Window Strike Philippines, a citizen science program about birds hitting windows.
- She has a lot of hobbies. She’s currently enjoying needle felting and field recording, but she also crochets, dyes fabric, and paints, among other crafts.
- She spends her free time watching cartoons and animation! Animated films and shows are such a beautiful medium for storytelling and she loves sharing it with others. She’s currently looking forward to the next Wallace and Gromit releasing later this month.
