Carmen Camacho Velasquez: Distinguished Fish Parasitologist

by
Melchor F. Cichon

One of a few Filipino experts on fish parasitology is Dr. Carmen Camacho Velasquez. A former professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, she published a pioneering book titled Digenetic Trematodes of Philippine Fishes (1975). This book provides a comprehensive summary of the classification, structure, life histories and distribution of known digenetic trematodes of Philippine fishes.

Here is an excerpt of an article about her in the nast.dost website: “Dr. Velasquez's contributions to science include thirty-two new species and one new genus of digenetic trematodes from Philippine food fishes, two from birds and five from mammals; nine life cycles of trematodes of the family Transversotrematidae, Echinostromatidae, Notocotylidae (2), Plagiorchidae, Heterophyidae (2), Microphallidae and Philophtalmidae. In addition, two new species of nematodes from Philippine fishes and a new species of Capillaria from the intestine of man. Also, a new species of parasitic copepod in Glossogobius giurus (Goby). Most of these works are published in international journals and cited in a number of journals abroad.”

Dr. Velasquez holds the following degrees: BS (Zoology), University of the Philippines, 1934; MS (Zoology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1937 ; Ph. D. (Parasitology) University of the Philippines, 1954.

She received, among others, the following awards and honors:
1. Guggenheim fellowship (1957 and 1963)
2. The Presidential Distinguished Service Medal and Diploma of Honor (1965)
3. The Professional Chair in Zoology, University of the Philippines, 1973-1977.
4. The Special Award of the Biology Teachers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (1975)
5. Outstanding Woman in Science in the Philippines (1975)
6. National Scientist, 1983.

Dr. Velaquez is listed in the following prestigious directories:
American Men and Women of Science
International Scholars' Directory
International Who's Who of Intellectuals
World Whos' Who of Women

Dr. Carmen C. Velasquez was born in 1913 and died in 1994.

Sources:
Anon. Apr-Sept 1989. In Memoriam. The Carillon Newsletter, p. 8.
Anon. Carmen C. Velasquez. http://www.nast.dost.gov.ph/pro_velasquez_c.htm. Retrieved: April 16, 2009