Dr. Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo, a renowned entomologist, spider expert, and Professor 12 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, recently spearheaded the Science Communication Workshop held at Palawan State University.

The initiative, organized as part of the Department of Science and Technology-MIMAROPA Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week, aimed to empower students and teachers to translate complex research into accessible narratives using visual media and storytelling.

PalSU President Dr. Venzon L. Limpiada opened the event with his welcome remarks, setting an encouraging tone for the interactive session.

Dr. Barrion-Dupo delivered a lecture focused on human-centered science storytelling. She emphasized the critical distinction between merely presenting academic data and engaging in true science communication, demonstrating how humanizing complex concepts makes them relatable and easier to digest.

An avid advocate for science communication, Dr. Barrion-Dupo actively leverages platforms like Facebook and Instagram to educate the public on arthropod diversity, conservation, and the vital roles critters play in the ecosystem. She also sits on the Board of Judges for the 10th Indie-Siyensya Filmmaking Competition.

Aside from being a Professor 12 and UP Scientist III at the UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences and Curator for Spiders and Moths at the UPLB Museum of Natural History, she previously headed the National Research Council of the Philippines.

She also served as UP Faculty Regent from 2021 to 2022, where she instituted faculty welfare initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Barrion-Dupo earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Entomology from UPLB and was named an Outstanding Young Scientist by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2015.

Joining Dr. Barrion-Dupo as a resource speaker was advocacy filmmaker and fellow Indie-Siyensya judge Seymour Sanchez, who shared techniques for conveying scientific topics through documentary filmmaking styles and narrative structures.

Following the talks, Juan Antonio Tuazon of the DOST-Science Education Institute presented details on the Indie-Siyensya Film Festival, the country’s premier science filmmaking competition.

Through Dr. Barrion-Dupo’s leadership and insights, the workshop successfully inspired a new generation of students and educators to become future science communicators through storytelling and film.