A Cuppa With LVNS Leader in Asia
A Passion For Science Communication And Leave a Nest
Yevgeny Aster Dulla or Yev is the youngest among four, and was raised in Iloilo City, Philippines. His father is an engineer and mother a medical doctor. Given the family background it is not surprising that Yev grew up developing a strong interest in science and technology. In addition, he was an avid fan of science communication outlets such as the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic Channel, “The programs not only educated me, but also influenced me to pursue higher studies in science.” Armed with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry, he taught at the University of Philippines-Manila for three years, before moving to Japan to pursue his Masters in Health Life Sciences and then Ph.D in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kumamoto University. It was during his Masters in 2014 that he had an opportunity to learn about Leave A Nest (LVNS) during a lecture by Dr. Yukihiro Maru (Founder & Group CEO, LVNS) and that was a crucial turning point. “ I did not understand how LVNS operated that time, but what mattered to me was that LVNS was involved in science communication, and this was something that I was passionate about which attracted me to explore more,” said Yev enthusiastically.
Persistence Is Key
With his interest piqued, Yev tried a couple of times to be more involved with LVNS, but failed attempts to either become an intern or an employee immediately after his graduation, did not deter him. Finally in May 2020, Yev joined Leave a Nest in Japan, giving up his previous position as a business consultant. By March 2021, Yev opened Leave a Nest’s subsidiary in the Philippines. Yev’s persistence to join Leave a Nest had paid off. “My main intention to join LVNS was to become a bridge between Japan and the Philippines and try to improve the situation back home,” said Yev.
A Dream Come True With Leave a Nest in The Philippines
During his Ph.D studies, Yev chose a subspecialty related to business development and startups, with the intention of opening his own company in the Philippines in due time. Later, when presented with an opportunity by Dr. Maru to establish the subsidiary in the Philippines, Yev did not bat an eyelid and moved ahead in spite of the persisting COVID-19 pandemic. Yev said that, “The chaos created by COVID-19 is actually an opportunity, and Filipinos are frustrated and want to bring change and improvement. This is the best time to leverage on the sentiment, towards empowering local communities”. Aptly, Yev’’s vision for LVNS Philippines is to empower local people through implementation of science and technology, and make education in science accessible to the masses and not only to the elite.
