Alumni

Spence completed his Bachelor's degree in Physics in 2023 with cum laude honors. His undergraduate thesis focused on the thermodynamic properties of small Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick spin systems at their energy crossings. His studies were supported by a DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship. In February 2023 he participated in the HPAIR Harvard Conference to attend a series of leadership talks and seminars. He later pursued an MS Physics degree at the National Institute of Physics with the support of a Teaching Associate position, completing the program in 2026.

Zheina completed her BS Applied Physics degree in 2018. Her undergraduate research was on Monte Carlo simulations of the radiation-induced bystander effect. She briefly worked at the UPD Marine Science Institute for a project developing a machine learning model for predicting harmful algal blooms. In 2021 she obtained an MS degree in Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in Korea. She has since returned to the Philippines and is now a working for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. When not learning new languages (human and computer), she is outdoors photographing nature or diving in deep water.

Earl graduated from the BS Applied Physics program in 2010. He later obtained a Certificate in Information Technology (Mobile and Embedded Systems) from the UP ITTC (now ITDC). He works for a global energy company where he developed SharePoint architecture for its business applications. He was also briefly deployed to the US as a lead developer for a multisite SharePoint stack standardization initiative. Earl was later assigned to his firm's JDE projects team, which provides consulting and support services for the management of enterprise assets.

Adrianna completed her degree in BS Applied Physics (Instrumentation Physics) in 2026. Her thesis utilized density functional theory to test the application of pristine and platinum-decorated titanium carbide MXenes as a carrier for anti-cancer drugs like hydroxyurea and 5-fluorouracil.

Ricelle obtained her degree in BS Physics in 2005. Shortly after graduation, she worked for various customer management firms as a service officer and technical support supervisor. In 2008 she moved to Singapore and worked for a regional financial and banking services company as a business analyst leading technology and process improvement initiatives within its customer center. She now practices her profession as a senior business analyst in Auckland.

Lean finished his BS Physics degree in 2018. His undergraduate thesis on density functional theory focused on the computation of the piezomagnetic constants of some antiperovskite crystals using the Quantum ESPRESSO package. He is an active member of the UP Concert Chorus and has performed with them on international tours.

Ice earned her Bachelor's degree in Physics in 2025 as a DOST–SEI RA 7687 scholar. Her undergraduate thesis focused on computational materials physics, specifically investigating the effects of surface terminations on the electronic properties and fermiology of MXenes. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Physics at the National Institute of Physics, where she also serves as an instructor. She tries her best in everything she does.

Chrysline obtained her PhD in Physics last 2011. As a SanD graduate student she performed numerical simulations of population dynamics. Her graduate studies were supported by a DOST ASTHRDP scholarship. Chrysline has been a member of the UP Los Baños faculty since 2003. She since was appointed Director of UPLB's Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics (now Institute of Physics), and eventually served as the Dean of the UPLB College of Arts and Sciences.

Xavier graduated cum laude from the NIP BS Applied Physics program in 2015. His research on entanglement in low temperature superconducting states earned him a spot in the National Finals of the 2015 BPI-DOST Science Awards. Xavier's BS thesis was recognized as the Most Outstanding BS Applied Physics Thesis for 2015, earning him a Leticia Shahani Award. Shortly after graduating, he became a power trader for a renewable energy company. He is now a data scientist who has has worked for firms in Cebu City and Metro Manila.

Aaron finished the NIP BS Applied Physics program in 2021. For his research thesis he used the density matrix renormalization group technique to study how the Schmidt gap closes about the quantum critical point in a magnetic spin chain with spin-orbit interactions. In addition to being a student researcher at SanD, Aaron was also a varsity player for the UP Diliman flag football team. He now works as a data analyst with expertise on visualizing data sets.

Joseph graudated magna cum laude from the BS Physics program in 2023. He was supported by a DOST-SEI Undergraduate Merit Scholarship. His thesis analyzes the performance of different singular value decomposition algorithms on image compression, which can also give insights on how they can perform decompositions of different matrices. He proceeded into the NIP MS Physics program in 2024.

Jerico was the College of Science's Most Outstanding BS Applied Physics graduate in 2022, obtaining his degee with magna cum laude honors. His thesis work involved the use of quantum computing architecture for exploratory combinatorics in dynamic magnetic systems. He is now a data engineer who has worked on software development and AI applications. He intends to continue accumulating experience working on data analytics, DevOps, and machine learning engineering.

Cyrone obtained his degree in BS Physics in 2025, graduating <em>summa cum laude</em> and as the College of Science's Most Outstanding BS Physics Graduate. His research interests lie in the intersection of physics, biology, and chemistry. For his undergraduate thesis work, he used quantum chemistry methods to study the electronic structure and photochemistry of a cyanobacterial metabolite, scytonemin.

Mara obtained her BS Physics degree magna cum laude in 2025 with the support of a DOST–SEI RA 7687 Scholarship. For her thesis work, she applied an algorithm that employs percolation theory to detect and identify scratches in multiple images of steel surfaces. Shortly after graduating, she applied for an internship position at the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health.

MJ graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Applied Physics and with summa cum laude distinction in 2023. Her thesis was on machine learning techniques for Filipino language text classification. While working in the finance sector, she has completed a Master's program in data science and continues to pursue a PhD in Physics. Outside of her academic activities, she takes part in advocacy journalism and volunteer work.

Vee graduated from the NIP BS Applied Physics program in 2019. He consequently obtained an MS degree in Data Science from the Asian Institute of Management. He is currently a professional data scientist and applies his expertise in digital marketing.

Tim completed the Materials Physics concentration of the BS Applied Physics program in 2021. For his undergraduate thesis research, he studied how conduction electrons on the surface of a metallic nanoparticle behaves when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation. He continued following his research interests by pursuing an MS degree at the Materials Science and Engineering Program of the College of Science. Outside the academe, Tim pursues weightlifting as a sport.

Mariel obtained her BS Applied Physics degree in 2007 as a DOST-SEI scholar. From 2008 to 2009, she was a Java developer for a software development company where she was tasked to upgrade the online vehicle systems of its corporate clients. Mariel later joined an international insurance group to develop Pega applications as a certified PegaRULES Process Commander (PRPC) Systems Architect. Since 2014 she has been employed by a computer technology company in Makati as a professional programmer analyst.<!--break-->

Kobe graduated from the BS Physics program in the first semester of AY 2022-2023. For his thesis research he worked on the interpretability problem in computer vision by applying the method of integrated gradients. He seeks to continue his interests by pursuing a career in data science.</span>

Jan Philippe entered the NIP MS Physics program as a DOST-ASTHRDP scholar after graduating with highest honors from MSU-IIT. He completed the MS Physics program in 2017. Jan's results on correlation functions in quenched spin chains have been presented at several conferences with the support of the UPD OVCRD through Project No. 161614 PhDIA.

Kevin finished the NIP BS Applied Physics program in 2015. In his senior year he served as a project aide for the research project <a href="/fparaan">OVPAA-BPhD-2012-05</a>. For his undergraduate thesis research he investigated the phase transition in a classical Ising model using cluster algorithms implemented in parallel. Shortly after defending his thesis, Kevin signed up to work for a computer security company.<!--break-->

Ryan graduated from the BS Applied Physics program in 2004. He later obtained a Master of Management (Business Management) degree under the UP Extension Program in Olongapo (UPEPO) while working as a game animator for various online gaming companies. He then worked as a software engineer, developing enterprise applications for startup companies in Silicon Valley and the Boston area. Now based in Makati, Ryan is a video game developer and occasional book illustrator.

Jonah earned his BS degree in Physics in 2025 with support of the DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship Program. For his undergraduate thesis, he investigated the statistical behavior of geometric Brownian motion under a confining quartic potential. He is now pursuing a career in data science, where he aims to apply his foundational skills in statistical modeling and data analysis.

<p style="text-align: justify;">Eddy graduated from the BS Physics program in 2018 with a ;<em>cum laude</em> distinction. He is pursuing further graduate studies in Economics at the University of the Philippines Diliman ;<a href="http://www.econ.upd.edu.ph/">School of Economics</a>. His undergraduate thesis involved the simulation of the radiation-induced bystander effect via fractional Brownian motion.

Alex</span> ;earned her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering in 2019 with the support from the CHEd Faculty Development Program and the <a href="https://ofid.ictp.it/">ICTP-OFID Sandwich Training Educational Programme</a>. She was the Most Outstanding PhD Graduate of the College of Science for the Academic Year 2018-2019. Her dissertation was a theoretical study of how gas molecules like carbon dioxide adsorb on boron nanoclusters. She is a faculty member of the UPLB Institute of Physics.

King obtained his BS Physics degree in 2015 with the support of a DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship. He performed project management tasks for the OVPAA-funded project OVPAA-BPhD-2012-05 as a member of its research staff from 2013–2015. Soon after graduating, King analyzed satellite imagery and oceanographic field data for a joint UP Marine Science Institute/DOST-PCCAARD study on the productivity of the Benham Rise. He now runs a company that provides laboratories with biomedical supplies and equipment.

Neris obtained her MS Physics degree from NIP in 2010. Her graduate studies center on numerical simulations of quantum search algorithms. She has briefly worked as faculty for the Technological Institute of the Philippines and Far Eastern University. Neris defended her PhD dissertation on nuclear magnetic resonance-based quantum computing in 2021. She was supported by a DOST-ASTHRDP scholarship. She is now a faculty member at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Mark graduated with a degree in BS Physics with a concentration on Materials Physics in 2025.

While at the university, Sam did his research on near-term hybrid classical-quantum algorithms and the simulation of simple quantum systems using IBM Qiskit. He completed the BS Physics program in 2024, graduating <em>cum laude</em>. In his free time, Sam likes to stay informed on recent scientific breakthroughs and emerging technologies as well as pursue his hobbies of cooking, reading manga/manhwa, and playing video games. He is currently studying machine learning and quantum computing in preparation for employment within the industry.

Joachim completed the BS Physics program of NIP in 2014. In his graduating year he worked as research staff for the OVPAA-funded research project OVPAA-BPhD-2012-05, performing administrative and research tasks for the project. He has also tutored high school students in science and math part-time. A few months after his graduation Joachim joined a computer security firm in Ortigas.

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Ryan completed his BS Applied Physics degree in December 2016. He benchmarked MPI-parallelized calculations of the phase transition temperature of a frustrated classical spin model for his undergraduate thesis. Ryan has also been an active staff member who performed administrative tasks for the management of <a href="/fparaan">OVPAA BPhD Grant 2012-05</a>. He is now a web application developer in Manila.</span>

Robert earned his BS degree in Applied Physics in 2015 ;with the support of a <a href="http://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/index.php/programs-and-projects/scholarships… Undergraduate S&amp;T Scholarship</a>. His research involved performing fluid simulations and chaos-related calculations on a parallel computing platform. Robert was also ;a student assistant for the <a href="/fparaan">OVCRD-funded Project No. 141420 PhDIA</a>. He is now applying his programming skills to respond to computer security threats.<!--break-->

Miguel obtained his BS Applied Physics degree in 2017 with the distinction magna cum laude. For his undergraduate thesis work he used finite element analysis to simulate the dynamics of gas mixtures in CVD reaction chambers. He was also supported by a DOST Junior Level Science Scholarship. After briefly teaching at a senior high school, Miguel returned to NIP to complete the MS Physics program in 2021. He finished the ICTP Condensed Matter Physics DiplomaProgramme in 2022 and continued his PhD studies at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA).

Charmaine earned her Bachelor's degree in Applied Physics, graduating <em>magna cum laude</em> in 2024. She was supported by a DOST-SEI RA 7687 Scholarship. Her research utilized density functional theory to investigate how the electronic properties and optical spectra of vanadium dioxide are modified by doping by transition metal atoms.

Gina completed the NIP BS and MS Physics programs in 2004 and 2014, respectively. Her graduate research was on the thermodynamic properties of 2D electron systems with spin-orbit interactions. She has worked for technology companies for more than a decade and has experience in software engineering, technical support and operations, services and product delivery, program and project management, governance, quality consulting, customer experience, and data management. She is well-versed in enterprise-wide industry standards and policies. Gina is pursuing a PhD in Computer Science to further build expertise on data analytics.

Clarissa pursued the Materials Physics track of the BS Applied Physics program and completed it in 2024. She was a DOST-SEI Merit Scholar and graduated <em>magna cum laude</em>. Her training and specialization in materials physics provided her with a platform to complete her thesis on the modeling and characterization of prospective solar cell materials. She continues her passion for sustainable development and innovation by working for a firm that provides energy efficiency solutions.

Jhames finished the BS Physics program in 2018 as a DOST-SEI scholar. He was also a student assistant for SanD and managed its computer network. His research involved characterizing the local periodicity of iteroparous Penna populations as a prerequisite to the evolution of spatio-temporal distributed populations. He plans to pursue a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of San Carlos.

Kryss earned her Bachelor's and Master's in Physics degrees in 2019 and 2023, respectively. Her research on 2D Ising models focused on the effect of spinless regions on their critical properties. She worked for the UP Diliman-funded projects PhDIA No. 161614 (2016-2017) and ECWRG Project 2018-1-009 (2018-2019). A DOST-ASTHRDP scholarship supported her graduate studies.

Lei completed the NIP BS Applied Physics program as a member of SanD in 2009. She then entered the MS Physics program as a member of the Instrumentation Physics Laboratory, graduating in 2012. During this time she was a university RA for the UP Marine Science Institute and later became involved with the Automated Rapid Reef Assessment System (ARRAS) Program as a Science Research Specialist. Since 2013 she has been working for a financial management services provider in Makati.

Arvee completed the BS Physics program in 2026. He has a deep interest in simulations and computational predictions of complex physical phenomena, such as those used in weather forecasting and biological modeling. For his undergraduate research thesis, he explored how representative populations of predators and prey change in time using a statistical algorithm that implements events like predation, birth, or death at random time intervals.

Louella completed the MS Physics program in 2006 under a DOST PCASTRD scholarship. Her research on the thermodynamics of carbon nanotubes was supported by a <a href="http://www.ovcrd.upd.edu.ph/">UPD OVCRD</a> grant. She was also an NIP instructor and a SanD research assistant. In 2010, she obtained her PhD degree in Physics from the University of Warwick under the Vice Chancellor's Studentship award. She was later granted a research fellowship in Warwick to develop mechanistic models of stem cell reprogramming. Since 2012 Louella has been a postdoctoral fellow at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, where she performs genomic stem cell research with applications in transfusion therapy and disease modeling.

Marienette obtained her MS degree in physics in 2004 performing first principles simulations of magnetic heterostructures. Her research was supported by DOST PCASTRD and UP OVPAA grants. She obtained another MS degree from the University of South Florida in 2009. In 2015 she obtained her PhD degree from the Università degli Studi di Trieste performing spectroscopic studies of biomedical nanomaterials. She is currently a faculty member of the Materials Science and Engineering Program of the UP Diliman College of Science.

Celso obtained his BS Physics degree in 2019 with <em>cum laude</em> honors. As the SanD system administrator, he was responsible for the management of its computing cluster. For his BS thesis he developed a Monte Carlo algorithm that simulates the proliferation of epithelial cells. His undergraduate studies was supported by a DOST-SEI Undergraduate Merit Scholarship. He is now a management trainee in data science at a financial institution in Makati.

Aura completed her MS Physics degree under the DOST <a href="http://www.science-scholarships.ph/asthrdp.php">ASTHRD Program</a> ;last December 2015. Prior to joining SanD as a graduate student, she was an engineer for an optical device and equipment manufacturer. Aura's research led to the identification of a subsystem observable whose fluctuations can be used to measure quantum entanglement. She has been working for a semiconductor laser company since 2016 and is now assigned to a post in Thailand.

Vlad obtained his BS Physics, MS Physics, and PhD Physics degrees from the National Institute of Physics. He defended his PhD dissertation on refrigeration and spin transport in a one-dimensional Fermi-Hubbard model in 2022. His graduate studies were supported by a DOST-ASTHRDP-NSC scholarship. He is currently working as a faculty member at the <a href="https://www.ust.edu.ph/science/department-of-mathematics-and-physics/">… of Mathematics and Physics</a> of the University of Santo Tomas.

Jan obtained his MS Physics degree in 2017 while on study leave from the <a href="http://www.tca.edu.ph/">Tarlac Agricultural University</a> (TAU). His studies were supported by a DOST-ASTHRDP scholarship. For his Master's research he performed numerical evaluations of the elasticity tensors of several binary metal alloys by molecular dynamics simulations. Jan has since resumed his duties as a faculty member of TAU.

Micah obtained his BS Physics degree in 2025. His thesis was on simulating a planet's chaotic motion in a non-heirarchical, triple-star system and analyzing the stability of its orbits. His interests are diverse, but mostly revolving around computers. Currently, he is self-studying several programming languages (C++ and PHP), game development, real analysis, and some languages (Japanese and Ancient Greek). He plans to return to UP Diliman in order to pursue a graduate degree in Applied Mathematics.