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Happy’s Passion for Research & Ateneo
Raphael Alampay, PhD, has been a faculty member of the Department of Information Systems and Computer Science (DISCS) for around six years. Fondly known by many as Doc Happy from his peers and students, Dr Alampay is one of the geekiest members of the department due to his influential passion for academic research. Staying true to his character, he remains to be affiliated with Ateneo ever since his formative education years. We sat down in an interview with him so that he may have the opportunity to reflect on his tenure for being an integral part of the DISCS community and what he had learned as he grew with the University.
One of the reasons for him to have always been “pulled back” into the Ateneo is the culture of the work. He acknowledges that he dislikes any repetitive activity, which makes him gravitate more towards research. “I choose to stay [in the Ateneo] because research is an intellectual adventure. So, this is something you can’t get out of routinary work,” he described. There is some fulfillment on how venturing into the uncertain may spark happiness on him due to the discovery of something novel. From here, it could possibly lead to a more significant contribution.
This is why after receiving his Doctor of Philosophy degree, he was given the opportunity to co-lead the Ateneo Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Environment (ALIVE) alongside the department’s Chairperson Patricia Abu, PhD. Yet despite the circumstances surrounding his appreciation towards research, Doc Happy admits that academic work is not as financially appealing compared to an external opportunity such as the industry. “It is not as lucrative. So I guess it is a work of passion more than anything. Thankfully I do have other things that I, on a professional scale, allows me to still stay in Ateneo. And for that, I’m thankful for it,” he shared.
At the moment, their studies focus on computer vision, a specific sub-discipline in computing that requires specific equipment to ensure machines could “see” with special consideration to its neural network structure. It is still a young entity, which only recently expanded its membership after the pandemic. Their work with the undergraduate and graduate students revolves around biomedical imaging, and even optimizing transportation routes. While there is no external funding at the moment, the primary goal of the laboratory is to be recognized by conferences and open-sourced journals so that it could build credibility over the next years.
Besides research, there are still some customary work that Doc Happy must uphold. He is accountable for evaluating the current intake of graduate students for the department. Similarly, he handles their Individual Program of Study (IPS) on a regular basis. And if that is not enough, he is in charge of the logistics of such post-graduate thesis defenses, ensuring that all of them comply to the timeline of that particular semester. When asked on whether he gets tired pursuing these administrative tasks, he said that it is a requirement so that the department would be able to function. “Admin work is something that is tedious to do. But it is needed to be done,” he added. Brought upon by his hands-on involvement with the graduate community, he has also led him to meet interesting students.
One of his rewarding experiences is able to assist and support the students on their toughest times. There were moments that being a Graduate Coordinator has paved the way for him to help out the difficulties some students face. Of course, there were some restrictions in order to maintain the cordial nature with them. Yet over time, it is something that both the students and Doc Happy cherish once they have graduated. “I think it is also the responsibility of faculty to be able to in some capacity help out. Para matawid ‘yung difficulties na ‘yun,” Doc Happy said it proudly.
At this point, he feels that there is no reason to “escape” Ateneo regardless of how hard he tries. It was realized he has grown used to the means and ways of how the University conducts itself. This community that promotes a holistic perspective for growth is something he does not take for granted. “It is more of a cultural aspect. And I think that’s something that is worth taking care of so that the culture still lives on for generations to come,” he emphasized. Because of it, he learned throughout his stay that always choosing to be truthful is the highest form of kindness someone may practice. Doc Happy promotes that the truth is more consequential since it will liberate someone from stagnancy. Hence, it builds a collection of people towards a productive society.
Text: Michael Lopez II
