Field
Location (during time of takeover)
School/Institution
| Undergrad | University of the Philippines Los Baños Applied Physics (Instrumentation Physics) |
|---|---|
| Teaching | University of the Philippines Los Baños Physics |
| PhD | National Sun Yat-sen University Physics (Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy) |
| Teaching | University of the Philippines Open University |
Featured on September 21, 2025
With a spectrum of experience behind her, this week’s Pinoy Scientist is Phoebe Nicole Perez, Ph.D. She is an affiliate researcher and project leader at the Department of Science and Technology – Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST – ITDI).
Phoebe graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños with a Bachelor’s in Applied Physics, focusing on Instrumentation Physics. While there, she took an internship with Excelitas Technologies Corporation as a Design and Development Engineering Intern. She remained at her alma mater for a year as a Physics Instructor, teaching laboratory classes and serving as Division Secretary. Afterwards, she attended National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan under a straight Ph.D. program in Physics specializing in Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy. After completing her doctoral degree, she returned to the Philippines as a senior lecturer and course writer at UP Open University.
Since 2022, Phoebe has also been a Science and Technology Fellow at the DOST – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST – PCHRD) where she provides expertise for various S&T activities. She also joined DOST – ITDI as an affiliate researcher and project leader of their “Characterization of vector-borne viruses using Raman spectroscopy for the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines” project.
Some fun facts about Phoebe:
- During grad school, she got into running and biking, doing several 100 km rides across Taiwan with her friends. Since there are few dedicated bike lanes in the Philippines, she now plays tennis.
- As a kid, she dreamed of becoming a medical doctor, but a high school career demo changed everything. Seeing a robot (and watching Iron Man) sparked her fascination for physics. Now, she brings both worlds together through biomedical engineering.
- She’s always loved the arts: She did theater as a kid (even performing at CCP), joined declamation contests, and won a Chinese singing competition during her PhD. Today, she runs a STEM account where she shares her journey, and designs science-inspired merch (@curieouscollective).
