Dr. Asuncion Raymundo led the way in microbial genetics and the use of biotechnology in farming in the Philippines. Born on August 15, 1946, she is a hard-working researcher, who has execute several study projects including some funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, UNIDO and the Australian Centre for International Agriculture. She is also a creative author, having published more than a hundred technical articles in refereed journals and actions, both local and international field.
As Professor, she has instituted and educated a number of courses in microbiology and plant pathology, written a number of laboratory handbook in assorted courses, and supervised more than a hundred undergraduates, masteral and doctoral students. She developed the area of microbial genetics locally.
Dr. Raymundo was conferred the status of Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in 2002. NAST is a top quality group of reputed Filipino scientists who compose an advisory group to the Office of the President in subject of science and technology. She also presently leads the NAST Bioremediation Task Force and is the NAST central person in charge of biology teaching.
Dr. Raymundo recognized because of her effort in microbiology, microbial genetics and biotechnology. She has established various awards, including the National Research Council of the Philippines Distinguished Award in Biology, PCARRD Pantas Outstanding Researcher Award, Outstanding Microbiologist Award given by the Philippine Society for Microbiology, UPLB Outstanding Teacher and also as Researcher, Crop Science of the Philippine Achievement Award in Research, Republica Award given by the Commission of Higher Education and the UP Outstanding Professional Award in Natural Sciences biology (microbiology) in 2007.
She is presently Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). Formerly she was the Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB for 7 years. She finished her BS degree (cum laude) at the UP College of Agriculture, majoring in Soil Microbiology. She received her MS at the University of Hawaii, and her PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soon after, she took post-doctoral education in microbial/molecular genetics at IRRI and had study stints at Monash University, Osaka University and Kansas State University. She is a member of numerous honor and certified societies, including both the Philippine Society for Microbiology, which she served as President, and the American Society for Microbiology.