Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr.
Location (during time of takeover)
School/Institution
| Undergrad | University of the Philippines Diliman Electrical Engineering |
|---|---|
| PhD | University of New South Wales Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications |
| Postdoc | University of California - San Diego University of California Berkeley UP-Dado Banatao Postdoctoral Fellow (Engineering) |
| PhD | Hokkaido University Honorary |
Featured on August 18, 2024
We’re flying through this week of August with Pinoy Scientist Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr., the first and current Director General (DG) of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). He is a Full Professor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, where he held the Dado and Maria Banatao Professor Chair in Engineering. As the PhilSA DG, he also holds the rank of Cabinet Secretary and is the Presidential Adviser on Space Matters.
Dr. Marciano received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from UP Diliman and completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He was the UP-Dado Banatao Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Berkeley and UC San Diego. He was also a Director at the Philippines-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Advanced Science and Technology Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). From 2014 to 2020, he led the development and deployment of the Philippines’ first scientific Earth observation microsatellites: Diwata-1, Diwata-2, and the Maya nanosatellites. He also headed the establishment of their ground operations, data processing, calibration, and distribution infrastructure.
He has received several recognitions for his research, teaching, and public service. He was recently conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Hokkaido University, Japan in January 2023 for his distinguished contributions to advancing education and research via international exchanges.
Some fun facts about Dr. Marciano:
- When he was small, he dug holes in his backyard hoping to find dinosaur bones.
- Growing up, he spent most summer breaks in Oriental Mindoro where, at night, they would go stargazing and count shooting stars.
- He loves good coffee, and he is a big Voltes V fan. He collects old tennis racquets, and among his favorite movies are Stand and Deliver, Moneyball, Battle of the Sexes, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and the Matrix trilogy.
