Josette Biyo
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Dr. Josette T. Biyo (née Talamera; born 1958) is a Filipino educator and former executive director of the Philippine Science High School System. She has received international recognition for her contributions to science and education.


Early life and academics

Josette Biyo was born on March 19, 1958, in Januiay, Iloilo. She earned her bachelor's degree in biological sciences from the University of the Philippines Visayas in
Miagao Miagao (also written Miag-ao), officially the Municipality of Miagao ( krj, Banwa kang Miagao; hil, Banwa sang Miagao; tl, Bayan ng Miagao), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it ha ...
, intending to continue to medical school. Instead, she took a teaching post and afterward earned a Ph.D. in biology from
De La Salle University De La Salle University ( fil, Pamantasang De La Salle or Unibersidad ng De La Salle), also referred to as DLSU, De La Salle or La Salle, is a private university, private, Catholic Church, Catholic coeducational research university run by the I ...
in Manila. Her dissertation examined seagrass community dynamics on
Guimaras Island Guimaras , officially the Province of Guimaras ( hil, Kapuoran sang Guimaras; tl, Lalawigan ng Guimaras), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Jordan while its largest local government ...
. In 2004, Biyo was conferred with an honorary doctorate in humanities by the Manila Central University.


Career

After her research concluded, Biyo spent eight years teaching in a rural community in her home province, Iloilo. She used her knowledge of biology to educate the residents in primary health care using local plants and ingredients. In 1995, Biyo accepted a science teaching position at the
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus: Thirty Years After… by: Carlito A. Cerbo, Jr (Faculty, Social Science Unit) Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus (PSHS-WVC) was created following the mandate set by t ...
. In her three years there, she developed an educational philosophy that fosters a "culture of science". She also organized teaching trips for educators on the island of
Panay Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
, was invited to
Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
and Cambodia to speak on her teaching ideology, and developed a formal method of science teaching and research. Biyo served as the Executive Director of the Philippine Science High School System from October 17, 2011 to March 31, 2014. Afterwards, she became the director of the
Department of Science and Technology Department of Science and Technology may refer to: *Department of Science and Technology (Australia), an Australian Government department between November 1980 and December 1984 * Department of Science and Technology (India) * Department of Science ...
– Science Education Institute.


Biyo science research teaching method

Biyo's methodology encourages students to adopt several learning and life behaviors, in order to maximize their career potential. * Build a physical library of science books * Conduct field studies that ask interesting and difficult questions * Establish personal connections with research institutions and laboratories * Hold science forums in and after school * Teach students field and lab techniques to aid in research work. Biyo's mentorship and teaching methods have cultivated noteworthy scientists in diverse fields of research, including oceanography, marine life, physics, and robotics.


Awards and honors

* Outstanding Teacher of the Philippines, 1997 * Ten Outstanding Young Filipinos, 1998 (Philippine Jaycees and Gerry Roxas Foundation) *
International Excellence in Teaching Award The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is an annual science fair in the United States. It is owned and administered by the Society for Science, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Each May, more th ...
during the ISEF in 2002 * Award for Continuing Excellence and Service (ACES), 2004 * Distinguished Lasallian Award, 2004 * "Women of Distinction Award", 2004 (Soroptimist International) * Fil-Up Award, 2004 (Global Doors Foundation) * Doctor of Humanities (honoris causa), 2004 (Manila Central University) * Philippine American Foundation Friendship Award, 2004 (National Press Club) * Presidential Award, 2007 (Philippine College of Physicians) * Lingkod Bayan Award, 2007 (Civil Service Commission) * Special Award, 2007 (Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service) * 50 Great Men and Women in Science, 2008 (Department of Science and Technology) * National Award for Community Service, 2008 (Rotary Club of Makati) * Honorary Fellow, 2009 (Philippine College of Physicians) The Florian main-belt asteroid
13241 Biyo 13241 Biyo, provisional designation , is a background asteroid from the Flora family, Flora region of the inner asteroid belt, approximately in diameter. It was discovered on 22 May 1998, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research team (LINEAR) ...
, discovered by LINEAR at Lincoln Lab's ETS in 1998, was named in her honor. The naming was part of the
International Excellence in Teaching Award The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is an annual science fair in the United States. It is owned and administered by the Society for Science, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Each May, more th ...
she received during the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in 2002. The official naming citation was published by the
Minor Planet Center The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Function ...
on 24 July 2002 ().


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Biyo, Josette 1958 births Filipino educators Living people People from Iloilo De La Salle University alumni University of the Philippines Visayas alumni Visayan people Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines)