Father Jose Ramon T. Villarin, S.J., known as "Fr. Jett" by his students and fellow colleagues, is a Filipino

Filipino people

The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....

 Jesuit priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 and scientist

Scientist

A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...

, who currently serves as university

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 president of the Ateneo de Manila University

Ateneo de Manila University

The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...

. On June 29, 2010, he was elected to succeed Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J.

Bienvenido Nebres

Father Bienvenido F. Nebres, S.J. is a Filipino scientist, mathematician, and Jesuit who was the longest-serving university President of the Ateneo de Manila University. He succeeded Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J. in 1993, and served as University President until 1 June 2011...

 as President of the Ateneo de Manila University

Ateneo de Manila University

The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...

. Fr. Villarin's first term as university president is from June 1, 2011 to March 31, 2014. He was succeeded as President of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan by Fr. Roberto C. Yap, S.J.

Early life and education

Fr. Villarin was born in Manila on January 30, 1960. He attended the Ateneo de Manila University for his undergraduate studies, receiving a Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Science

A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...

 degree

Academic degree

An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...

 in Physics

Physics

Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...

, magna cum laude, graduating in 1980 as class valedictorian. Subsequently, he entered the Society of Jesus

Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 and attended the Loyola School of Theology, where he received a Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 degree in Philosophy

Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...

 and received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology

Bachelor of Sacred Theology

The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...

 degree, summa cum laude, in 1985. He then did graduate work in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, receiving a Master of Science

Master of Science

A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...

 degree in Physics from Marquette University

Marquette University

Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...

 in 1987, and his Ph.D.

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...

 in Atmospheric Physics from Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...

 in 1997.

As a Jesuit

Fr. Villarin entered the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches in May 1981. He was ordained priest in April 1991, and took his final vows in January 2005.

As a scientist and educator

Villarin served in various capacities throughout his career as a scientist. He worked in Georgia Tech as a graduate research assistant and as a researcher in the Laser Laboratory of the Ateneo. His current positions include being Head of the Climate Studies Division of the Manila Observatory

Manila Observatory

The Manila Observatory is a non-profit research institute housed in the campus of the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines.Founded in 1865 by the Jesuits, it has served many purposes over the years including weather...

 and assistant professor

Professor

A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...

 at the Department of Physics in the School of Science and Engineering at the Ateneo.

He received the National Outstanding Young Scientist award in 2000, and the Outstanding Book Award for "Disturbing Climate" in 2002. He is also an active member of several local and international environment and climate committees, such as the United Nations' Consultative Group of Experts for Developing Countries, and the Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change, among others.

In 2005, he became president of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, and became a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ateneo de Manila University in 2009. He also sits as a member of the boards of trustees of the Ateneo de Davao University

Ateneo de Davao University

The Ateneo de Davao University is a private and research Catholic university administered by the Society of Jesus in Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. It was established in 1948...

, the Ateneo de Naga University

Ateneo de Naga University

The Ateneo de Naga University is a private university run by the Society of Jesus in Naga City in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It was established in 1940.-Academic philosophy:...

, and the Ateneo de Zamboanga University

Ateneo de Zamboanga University

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University is a Catholic and Jesuit university in Western Mindanao. It is also known by the acronym AdZU. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1912, it is the second oldest Jesuit school in the Philippines. It initially catered to primary and secondary education for boys. It...

.

In 2011, he became the president of Ateneo de Manila University.