Ateneo Physics Department

25/11/2025

14/04/2025

𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Last April 11, 2025, faculty members and students from the Department of Physics received the Scholarly Work Publication Awards during the University Scholarly Work Awards 2025 at The Loft, Areté. The faculty awardees are Dr. Raphael A. Guerrero, Dr. Lyndon Mark P. Olaguera, Mr. Clint Dominic Benette, Dr. Ma. Obiminda L. Cambaliza, Dr. Christian Lorenz S. Mahinay, Dr. Joel T. Maquiling, Dr. James Bernard B. Simpas, Dr. Ramon delos Santos, Dr. Benjamin B. Dingel, Fr. Jett Villarin, and Dr. Carlito Ponseca Jr..

The student awardees are Cindy Lisa Esporlas, Kent Emmanuel C. Soria, Kryss C. Urbano, Luther A. Villacruz, Jezlor A. Villarde, Clint Eldrick R. Petilla, Ramon C. Lapina, Francesca Palabrica,
Patric John P. Pascua, Leia Pauline S. Tonga, Alyssa Gewell A. Llorin, Enrico Alejandro Taña, Floyd Rey Plando, Ryan Felicidario, Larry Aragon, Marco Polo Ibañez, Patricia Ludovice, Paz Victoria Ramos, Marco Budlayan, Alwin Bathan, and Michie de Vera.

A total of 19 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 were produced by the department last year (2024). Congratulations to the awardees! 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉!

𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

Plando, F.R.P. and Maquiling, J.T., 2024. Construction potential of rice husk ash as eco-friendly cementitious material in a low-water demand for self-compacting concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 418, p.135407.

Olaguera, L.M.P., Manalo, J.A., Bathan, A. and Matsumoto, J., 2024. Quantifying the influence of the Madden–Julian oscillation on rainfall extremes during the northeast monsoon season of the Philippines. Atmospheric Science Letters, 25(7), p.e1232.

Budlayan, M.L., Patricio, J.N., Arco, S.D. and Guerrero, R.A., 2024. A Review of Nanostructures in Electrowetting-on-dielectric Systems: From Nanostructured Dielectric Layers to Nanofluids. Current Nanoscience, 20(2), pp.248-263.

Taña, E.A.S., Olaguera, L.M.P., Llorin, A.G.A., Dado, J.M.B., Cambaliza, M.O.L., Cruz, F.A.T., Villarin, J.R.T. and Matsumoto, J., 2024. Patterns and drivers of heavy and extreme hourly rainfall events over Metro Manila, Philippines. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 155(6), pp.5015-5029.

Budlayan, M.L.M., Patricio, J.N., Arco, S.D. and Guerrero, R.A., 2024. Electrowetting-on-dielectric behavior of aqueous droplets and gold nanofluid on an electrospun poly (vinyl chloride) microfiber layer. Materials Research Express, 11(3), p.035303.

Soria, K.C., Dingel, B.B., Villarde, J., Lapina, R.C., Esporlas, C.L., Villacruz, L., Urbano, K., Palabrica, F. and Bennett, C.D., 2024, May. Graphene-Coated Microring Resonator (MRR)-based Gas Sensor using Novel Intensity-Level Detection for low-cost, rapid, and label-free Sensing: Preliminary Simulated Results. In 2024 4th URSI Atlantic Radio Science Meeting (AT-RASC) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.

Petilla, C.E., Cruz, C.J.D. and Mahinay, C.L., 2024. Mechanical properties of Si (1− x)–C (x): strength and stiffness of materials using LAMMPS molecular dynamics simulation. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 63, p.08SP09.

Llorin, A.G.A., Olaguera, L.M.P., Cruz, F.A.T. and Villarin, J.R.T., 2024. Improved WRF simulation of surface temperature and urban heat island intensity over Metro Manila, Philippines. Atmospheric Research, 310, p.107644.

Henson, K.C., Olaguera, L.M.P., Cruz, F.A.T. and Villarin, J.R.T., 2024. The Sensitivity of Extreme Rainfall Simulations to WRF Parameters During Two Intense Southwest Monsoon Events in the Philippines. Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, 60(5), pp.741-757.

Olaguera, L.M.P. and Manalo, J.A., 2024. Climatological analysis of rainfall over Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur in eastern Mindanao—the wettest location in the Philippines. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 155(12), pp.10069-10085.

Visaga, S.M., Pascua, P.J., Tonga, L.P., Olaguera, L.M., Cruz, F.A., Alvarenga, R., Bucholtz, A., Magnaye, A.M., Simpas, J.B., Reid, E. and Uy, S.N., 2024. Application of Kalman filter for post-processing WRF-Solar forecasts over Metro Manila, Philippines. Solar Energy, 283, p.113050.

Llorin, A.G.A., Olaguera, L.M.P., Magnaye, A.M.T., Cruz, F.A.T., Dado, J.M.B., Gozo, E.C., Topacio, X.G.V.M., Uy, S.N.Y., Simpas, J.B.B. and Villarin, J.R.T., 2024. Quantifying the influence of updated land use/land cover in simulating urban climate: A case study of Metro Manila, Philippines. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, pp.1-20.

Olaguera, L.M.P. and Manalo, J.A., 2024. Objective Determination of the Withdrawal Dates of the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) Season of the Philippines Using Cumulative Rainfall. Philippine Journal of Science, 153(5).

Plando, F.R.P., Supnad, M.V. and Maquiling, J.T., 2025. Assessment of compressive strength, microstructure, thermal, and radiation shielding properties of Taal volcanic ash-based geopolymer mortar. Journal of Building Engineering, 99, p.111572.

Al-Shamali, M., Karaliunas, M., Villarde, J., Rabaja, O.E., Jison, A.H., Pido, J.R. and Kašalynas, I., 2024. Characterization of Kuwait Crude Oil via Terahertz Fourier Transform Spectroscopy. In EPJ Web of Conferences (Vol. 309, p. 10011). EDP Sciences.

Felicidario, R.J.M. and Delos Santos, R.M., 2024, October. Measurement of ascorbic acid samples’ optical rotation via an improvised polarimeter for purity assessment. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 2871, No. 1, p. 012009). IOP Publishing.

Ludovice, P.M.C. and delos Santos, R.M., 2024, October. Estimation of methyl orange dye’s molar absorptivity using a photoresistor-based photometer. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 2871, No. 1, p. 012022). IOP Publishing.

Aragon, L.G.B., Ibañez, M.P.A., Ordinario, R.C., Simpas, J.B.B., Cambaliza, M.O.L., Dado, J.M.B., Maquiling, J.T. and Reid, E.A., 2024. Seasonal characteristics of raindrop size distribution and implication for radar rainfall retrievals in Metro Manila, Philippines. Atmospheric Research, 311, p.107669.

Ramos, P.V.T., De Vera, M.V.D. and Guerrero, R.A., 2024. Generating Bessel beams with an elastomeric replica of a weevil carapace. Optical Engineering, 63(7), pp.074105-074105.

21/03/2025

"EXPLORE THE SCIENCE BEYOND THE SKIES"

If you're interested in pursuing a graduate degree in Atmospheric Science, our MS Atmospheric Science Program (MSAS) is now accepting applications for the SY 2025-2026.

The School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) Scholarship Team will also conduct a roadshow of SOSE's graduate programs and available scholarships on March 27, Thursday, 5:00 PM at CTC 414 (Ateneo). You may register using the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7JIfm6VsV-MaytNj6CvxY0jgdf1v6POaerZN_x9DRJeLlLw/viewform

The admission deadline is on May 15, 2025. See this link for more information:
https://www.ateneo.edu/graduate/admissions

17/03/2025

Hello Everyone,

You are all invited to a lecture by Dr. Pierre Flament of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa entitled "Radio Oceanography at the University of Hawai'i: High Frequency radar developments and some results" at Heyden Hall at 2:00PM on 19 March 2025.

Dr. Pierre Flament is a leading oceanographer specializing in radio oceanography, using high-frequency radar and satellite sensors to study ocean currents. As founder of the Radio Oceanography Laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi, he has advanced research on surface dynamics and coastal upwelling. His work seeks to understand ocean circulation, particularly in the Pacific and Philippine waters.

ABSTRACT:
High-Frequency Doppler Radar (HFDR) has been used by the coastal oceanography community for several decades to map ocean currents and waves several hundred kilometers from shore. The HFDR information is essential for maritime research and can be crucial for practical applications such as search-and-rescue missions and tracking of pollution plumes from accidental spills. Low-cost, low-power, autonomous HFDR stations are needed for operations in island and other remote environments; thus, a cost-effective HFDR instrument has been developed by the University of Hawaii. It has been deployed in areas outside of Hawaii such as Taiwan and the Philippines for monitoring sea surface currents and profiling of internal waters.

13/03/2025

05/02/2025

This pyroclastic material—usually considered as waste—is rich in iron, enabling it to efficiently block X-rays and gamma rays.

01/11/2024

Researchers from the Vacuum Coating and Plasma Physics Lab of the Department of Physics of the Ateneo de Manila University recently examined the mechanical properties of silicon carbide (SiC), a chemical compound abundant as stardust, using computer simulations.

Their paper, entitled "Mechanical properties of Si(1−x)–C(x): strength and stiffness of materials using LAMMPS molecular dynamics simulation" was published last August 22, 2024, in the Japanese Journal of Applied Physics.

Summary:

This study investigated the mechanical properties (elastic modulus, tensile strength, yield strength, and toughness) of different percent C of silicon carbide (SiC) using molecular dynamics simulations via the large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator (LAMMPS) with the uniaxial tensile test at four strain rates: 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 m s−1, using the Tersoff potential. The simulation uses 20 × 20 × 20 atoms (108.6 Å × 108.6 Å × 108.6 Å) of the diamond cubic structure of Si, then carbon atoms were placed randomly at 5% intervals from 0–50 percent C. Results show improved mechanical properties when increasing percent C until peaking at 25%, before decreasing. This is caused by the shortest bond length at 25 percent C from the increase of Si=C using the radial distribution function analysis. Increasing the strain rate generally improves the mechanical properties of the material. The deformation mechanism shows that increasing (decreasing) strain rate generally results in multiple (lesser) failure points with a ductile (brittle) fracture mode.

Their article was also featured here:
https://www.ateneo.edu/news/2024/10/24/ateneo-researchers-probe-mechanical-properties-stardust

The link to their paper can be accessed here:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.35848/1347-4065/ad66d7

Congratulations on your publication!

Clint Eldrick Petilla (BS-APS MSE)
Ms. Catherine Joy Dela Cruz
Dr. Christian Lorenz Sillero Mahinay

Scientists from the Ateneo de Manila University looked into the mechanical properties of silicon carbide (SiC), a chemical compound abundant as...

30/11/2023

We would like to invite everyone to a Research Talk entitled, “Particle physics and astrophysics in the LHC and LIGO age”, to be given by Dr. Alan Cornell, Professor of Physics from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Date: December 02, 2023 (Saturday)
Time: 1100-1200
Venue: Faura Hall Room 106

Bio-note:

Dr. Alan Cornell is currently a professor of physics at the University of Johannesburg, having obtained his PhD from the University of Melbourne, Australia. He has previously worked at the Korean Institute for Advanced Studies (Seoul, Korea), the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics (Kyoto, Japan), the Institut de Physique Nucléaire de Lyon (France) and the University of the Witwatersrand. His research has focussed on theoretical particle physics and gravitational physics along with some physics education research. He is coordinator of the SA-CERN programme, a member of the Inter-experimental Machine Learning working group at CERN, the Future Circular Collider collaboration, and is the chair of the Theoretical and Computational Physics division at the South African Institute of Physics.

************************************************************
Abstract:

Particle physics addresses some of the most fundamental questions by studying the structure of matter and its dynamics. By using the knowledge gained from this we can understand the evolution of the Universe, from the Big Bang to the distant future. In a complementary way, we can also look at signals from astrophysical events to test these models of matter. As such, after a review of our current understanding, this talk will also discuss some of the big open questions, such as the stability of space itself and the nature of the dark matter that holds galaxies together, by looking at two of the most topical experiments running at the moment, the LHC and LIGO.

30/11/2023

From Ateneo to Stanford to Netflix: A Homecoming Fireside Chat with Dr. Anne Margot Aaron

December 01, 2023
5:30PM
Faura Hall Audio Visual Room

The School of Science and Engineering, the Department of Physics, and the Department of Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering invite you to a Fireside Chat entitled, “From Ateneo to Stanford to Netflix: A Homecoming Fireside Chat with Dr. Anne Margot Aaron”. Dr. Aaron is the Senior Director of Encoding Technologies at Netflix, Alumna and Valedictorian of the Ateneo Class of 1998 (BS Physics and Computer Engineering, BS PSCE), recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Top 50 Women In Tech in 2018, and awarded the Workflow Media Systems Medal by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in 2019. In 2021, her team received two Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for their work on video encoding and quality. She will be sharing precious nuggets and insights on her being an Ateneo PSCE graduate, her graduate education (MS and PhD) in Stanford University, career opportunities, and her pivotal work in Netflix.

https://www.ateneo.edu/events/2023/12/01/ateneo-stanford-netflix-homecoming-fireside-chat-dr-anne-margot-aaron

28/11/2023

11/11/2023

Congratulations Dr. Floyd Rey P. Plando and Dr. Joel T. Maquiling of the Ateneo Geophysics Research Lab for receiving the Lloyd V. Berkner Award, a prestigious award given to outstanding young researchers whose work represents significant contributions to Earth Systems, Environment, and Sustainability.

They will be presenting their work entitled,"Influence of Rice Husk Ash in Achieving Durable and Sustainable Self-Compacting Concrete in a Mix-Design Development", in the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting on 11-15 December 2023 to be held in the Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.