Ateneo Physics Department

22/09/2026

Meet Fr. Daniel McNamara of the Fr. Daniel McNamara SJ Fund as he explains what this fund is for!

07/09/2026

As part of the Ateneo Department of Physics 60th year celebration, we ask your help to continue Fr. Dan’s legacy of service through quality Physics Education.

Your support for the Fr. Dan McNamara, SJ Fund helps provide scholarship opportunities to students who aspire to pursue Physics and contribute to the Filipino community.

Want to support the fund? Donating is easy. Just follow the instructions below.

Every contribution, big or small, helps make a difference.

For more information please contact [email protected], or send us a message here at the ADMU Physics FB Page. Together, let’s make Physics education accessible to more Filipino students.

31/08/2026

Six decades of Physics in Ateneo. Now, we invest in the next generation.

As part of the department's 60th year celebration, the Fr. Daniel McNamara fund can help us build a future where more students can pursue Physics, regardless of where they come from or their financial circumstances.

Join us as we continue to shape the vision of the original Jesuits to shape generations of scientists, educators, and leaders.

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...