Mission- and Impact-Driven:
Research and Creative Work
at Ateneo de Manila University

EOS TRINIDAD, instructor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, believes that “education is Ateneo de Manila University’s strength, and that of all Jesuit institutions in general.” For him, leveraging this strength can bring about the possibility for societal, economic, and democratic advancement. 

CARLOS OPPUS, who is trained in physics and computer engineering, is among the co-founders of the Ateneo Innovation Center (AIC), which aims to bring innovative research done in laboratories to reality, contributing to community and society.

DR. CHARLOTTE KENDRA GOTANGCO GONZALES is an associate professor at the Department of Environmental Science, and the current director of the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability (AIS). She is also part of the Human Environment and Dynamics research group of AIS. She specializes in the study of complex interactions between natural systems and human activity.

The Philippines is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis. To address this threat, PAUL CABACUNGAN and his colleagues at the Ateneo Innovation Center (AIC) have developed sustainable technologies that seek to empower their partner-communities.

REGINA HECHANOVA is among the leading psychologists in the Philippines today. Her research is invested in public mental health, which focuses on those who are distressed but may not necessarily need clinical intervention.

ANGEL DY is a medical doctor who specializes in autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. Given that research on autism in the Philippines is largely limited, much of Dy’s research was carried out with the aim of creating a larger pool of data on autism and neurodevelopmental disorders in the country. 

CRISTINA MONTIEL’S interest in political psychology began with her work as an activist during the Martial Law era in the 1970s and 1980s. This tumultuous time left her with many questions about the personal and collective mind  in relation to political engagement. Now Professor Emeritus, she has been with the Ateneo De Manila’s Department of Psychology for the last 45 years.

GLENDA ORIS, who teaches in the Kagawaran ng Filipino (Department of Filipino), is known for her work in the area of children’s literature, specifically picture books and historical fiction for young adults. Oris has won acclaim for her books from the Philippines’ top literature prizes such as the Palanca Awards and the National Children’s Book Awards.