Christian Calumpang is considered as USJ-R’s first graduate of its Bachelor of Science in Biology, Major in Microbiology after graduating in July 2022.
Aside from being its first graduate of the course, Calumpang is also the only USJ-R graduate to have passed the Certification Examination for Registered Microbiologist by the Philippine Academy of Microbiology.
Calumpang took the certification examination at the SMX Convention Center Manila on Jan. 21, 2023 to Jan. 22. The results were announced on Feb. 22.
At 22 years old, Calumpang immediately took his chances to be part of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City to start his career in the field of research and development.
Calumpang is currently a science research specialist at RITM’s parasitology department.
Calumpang became interested in science while studying high school at the Abellana National School in Cebu City, which led him to pursue his studies on microorganisms in college.
“After I graduated from high school, I majored in medical biology but my interest shifted into microbiology when I had a full-on laboratory experience with microscopes,” Calumpang said.
He changed his major to microbiology, making him the sole student enrolled in the major at the time, while the rest chose to continue what they started.
Having no peers taking up the same major in college, he had no one to rely on but only himself.
That was when he realized he needed to fulfill his dreams and become a full-fledged scientist.
“I did not have much expectations nga makapasar ko (that I would pass the certification exam). It just happened and I am so happy about it,” Calumpang said, after finally becoming a registered microbiologist.
Asked how achieving the feat made him feel, Calumpang said he feels honored to be the first ever homegrown registered microbiologist from a Cebu educational institution to achieve the mark.
He also hopes his achievement will inspire a new wave of aspiring young scientists, especially in times of public health crisis.
He said microbiologists played a vital role to mitigate the situation when the coronavirus pandemic broke out in 2020.