Scientists should continue exploring subjects and media beyond the physical and natural sciences, as Dr. John Dale Dianala shares in Episode 29 of the Behind the Science Podcast. His love for literature and film began in childhood, sparked by the many books available through his mother, a literature professor, and his other relatives. Early exposure to foreign books and National Geographic magazines ignited his interest in environmental sciences, leading to a lasting advocacy for the environment as he pursued a career in academia and geosciences.
In the podcast, Dr. Dianala discussed his PhD dissertation, where he used satellite data to develop a model of the Philippine Fault in Leyte. This model identifies areas that accumulate stress and those that do not, enabling the determination of earthquake locations and recurrence intervals. There was much he had to catch up on, methods he was unfamiliar with, and he had to learn during his doctorate studies. Despite needing to learn unfamiliar tools during his doctoral studies, he firmly believes that scientists should not hesitate to venture into fields outside their expertise. He credited the inputs and discussions with his advisers, mentors, and fellow researchers at Oxford University for helping him acquire the skills necessary to complete his dissertation.
Upon earning his PhD, Dr. Dianala was determined to return to the Philippines to resume teaching, a profession he had fallen in love with. He expressed his passion for education and mentoring students and his desire to give back to the Philippines by sharing the knowledge he gained through his research.
The Behind the Science Podcast is brought to you by the Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, co-presented by the UP Resilience Institute. Here, we bring you research stories from inception to publication. Listen to more stories and detailed discussions of Dr. Dianala’s paper, as well as his advice to young researchers, here:
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Episode 29
📚Research spotlight:
Dianala JDB, Jolivet R, Thomas MY, Fukushima Y, Parsons B, Walker R. 2020. The Relationship Between Seismic and Aseismic Slip on the Philippine Fault on Leyte Island: Bayesian Modeling of Fault Slip and Geothermal Subsidence. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 125(12).
Do you want to nominate a scientist in the field of DRR and geosciences to be featured on the Behind the Science Podcast? Or, have you read an author’s publication whose behind-the-scenes story you are eager to hear about? Email us at upri.educ@up.edu.ph, and we will do our best to feature them on the BTS Podcast!