Jastine Mae Julita Galang
Assistant Professor 1 University of the Philippines Los Baños
Jastine Mae J. Galang is a Registered Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer and Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, where she works on water resources and agricultural water management. Her work focuses on understanding how water systems, particularly groundwater and agricultural watersheds, can be managed more sustainably through science, technology, and inclusive decision-making. She has experience in hydrological modeling, remote sensing, GIS, and water quality assessment, and has worked with government agencies, international organizations, researchers, and farming communities. Her recent work includes research on groundwater abstraction in irrigated rice systems and the development of AQUASMART, a low-cost groundwater monitoring and decision-support system designed to support more sustainable water management in agriculture. Beyond technical work, Jastine is passionate about making water knowledge accessible and meaningful to young people and communities. She advocates for approaches that are not simply “for farmers, but with farmers,” and believes that young people can contribute not only as advocates but also as scientists, practitioners, and partners in water governance. She hopes to bridge science, policy, and lived realities to help advance equitable and sustainable water management in the Philippines and beyond