Transition.

It’s been quiet here at 14N 121E the past seven months. I’ve been transitioning to my new research job at the Department of Biological Sciences at National University of Singapore. After five fruitful years at Fauna & Flora International’s Philippines country programme, which is part of a productive career spanning fifteen years in conservation work, I am back to doing research in academia where my professional career all began for me.

I keep thinking the past 2-3 years have been a transition to return to my beginnings. Perhaps I am starting to come full circle? Well, nothing in this professional journey has ever been straightforward. I am thankful though that the jump from the non-government sector to academia continues to allow me to be involved in conservation, albeit at a different portion of the spectrum: that of doing good science and research to inform and support conservation interventions such as policy and site-level actions.

I’ve been meaning to post updates many times but several things, on top of acclimatising to my new work environment, also equally kept me from finding the time such as recovering after getting sick and being hospitalised, finishing the thesis, and concluding remaining bits of my MSc degree, not to mention adjusting to living by myself and the realities of the physical distance with family, and other distractions.

Well, after this short post, it seems I’ll be back to blogging again. Cheers.