Biochemist • Oceanographer • Nat Geo Explorer
Hi there! Thanks for visiting my site.
I’m Andrian, Dian, or Adi for short. I was born and raised in the Philippines and was brought by the sea breeze in Hawaiʻi to pursue my Ph.D. I think a lot about science, the intricacies of the cell, the elaborate design of our genes, the connectedness of life and the environment.
I’m a Ph.D. Oceanography candidate in the Steward Lab. I have a background in chemistry and molecular biology, which I use to advance our understanding of the marine environment. My interests principally lie not at the macro level but on the molecular scale. I am drawn to the organism’s blueprint and gene regulatory mechanisms. Ultimately, I use this to explain processes at the ecosystem level. In my MS work in the Conaco Lab, I applied multi-omics approaches to investigate the thermal resilience of corals and the diversity of marine microbes in the Philippine archipelago. For my Ph.D., I explore the ecology and evolution of marine viruses.
Most of the time, I allow my mind to meander. I am fond of reading about sociology and economics. Above all, I value science communication, collective action, grassroots organizing, and social equity. I value diversity in people, experiences, and opinions, which will propel institution forward.
I created this blog primarily to practice writing and serve as a repository of my ideas. Feel free to message me if you find something interesting here or want to chat about something that I could be of help.
Emel made the illustration above for CNN Philippines.
Andrian P. Gajigan 