Gawad Youth 2010: Panel Interview

A week after I submitted my portfolio, a representative of the Selection Committee called up to inform me that I was a finalist, and I was up for interview on March 3rd at the provincial capitol. 

When I got there, I met the other four finalists. Two of them are teachers; one in high school, and the other in university. One of them is a member of a dance troupe. The other one is a budding politician.

This photo was taken right before the panelists began with the interview portion. While one was on the hot seat, the others were downstairs, talking. As it turned out, all of us learned about the award when the forms were handed over. Plus, we did not realise that the interview is part of the competition. It was very to easy to build rapport with the finalists, hence the difficulty in remembering that we're competing.

When my turn came up, I was faced with the challenge of making the interviewers appreciate what I do as a scientist since I don't think any of them is into starch chemistry. The interviewers came from non-scientific backgrounds, I think. If I remember correctly, the panelists were introduced as educators and heads of different provincial offices or committees (I distinctly remember the heads of the land transportation management office and of the history, arts, and culture office). I would want to avoid a similar reaction to what my IELTS speaking examiner told me in 2004, 

"You do NOT dish out those words - amylopectin and capillary electrophoresis - during an IELTS exam!" 

Because of their background, I thought that if ever a question about how my work has helped the community comes up, I would discuss the gelatinisation temperature paper. The applications of the findings reported in that paper are relatively simpler to explain to rice consumers (including the panelists), as compared to the other papers that I have submitted to journals.

I bet non-science people often imagine Dexter (in Dexter's Lab), complete with white lab coat and thick glasses when they hear the word "scientist." They may also think that all scientists just work and not play; which was probably why one of the panelists asked how do I spend my free time. This question caught me off-guard, but since I am playing a few sports, and I do have a hobby, I talked with the panel about these things. 

The panel interview was an eye-opener for me. Here are some lessons I've learned:

1. There are existing stereotypes about scientists; 

2. The backgrounds of the interviewers should be taken into consideration when discussing technical subjects (such as my work); 

3. (I have to thank Kuya Mitchie for this) you know you've conquered the interview when it's been transformed into a conversation.