Long-time UST professor Emily Tan died from acute respiratory failure on Sept. 11. She was 73.
Her death was confirmed by her nephew Niñoson to the Varsitarian.
Tan started teaching at the University in 1979. She taught mathematics courses at the Faculty of Pharmacy until 2013.
In 1989, she became a faculty member of the Graduate School.
Niñoson said Tan was supposed to continue teaching in Academic Year 2021-2022 but her health collapsed.
Tan obtained her bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in mathematics education at UST in 1969 and 1983, respectively.
She took her doctorate in development education in 1988 and was admitted to the University of Western Australia for her postdoctoral fellowship in 1995.
Tan received various recognitions for her research achievements, including the National Research Council Achievement Award in 2010. She was a former director of the defunct Institute for Development Education.
Tan’s former student Jouie Buena remembered her as a “sweet” person who makes sure her students will not be “shortchanged.”
Niñoson said his aunt was selfless and family-oriented.
“There was never a day when she missed to send a text message to each [of] us. Every day, she would have a message that would be sent to all…Those text messages would be one of the things that we would miss seeing,” he said.
Tan’s remains were interred on Sept. 14 at Manila Memorial Park.
