Search for the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) Dean of Ateneo de Manila University

I.  FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR SOSE

Jim Collins, in his book, “Good to Great”, said that for a company to grow from good to great, one of the things the company must do is to identify the common denominator for its economic engine.  I think that for the School of Science and Engineering, that economic denominator must be ISI publication cost: total operating cost per ISI publication.  The aim of SOSE should be to lower the ISI publication cost.  If we agree on this economic denominator then many things must change in SOSE.

A.  Publication requirements for students and faculty

BS students should be required to have a national or international conference paper, MS students an ISI paper, and Ph.D. students two ISI papers (includes the 1 ISI paper in their masters).  Otherwise, they cannot graduate.  This was an issue last faculty day, but I think it is the only way to go.  We should not measure ourselves against UP with 100+ ISI papers per year.  We should measure against National University of Singapore with 1000+ papers per year.  Being contented with our present publication output goes
against the Jesuit tradition of magis.

We may not be able to do anything with our tenured faculty, but Ateneo can still do something in the choice of whom to hire and fire in its non-tenured faculty, based on publication output.  The promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate, and for that of
the Associate to Full Professor should also have specific number of ISI publications as minimum requirements.  In this way, faculty members have a goal to reach and a benchmark to test themselves whether they are already eligible to be nominated for the next rank.
We may need to express conference papers, book chapters, and entire books in ISI publication units, and so are the number of citations to a paper.

B.  SOSE Silicon Valley

SOSE needs buy a parcel of land in Marikina valley to be leased to Companies into Research and Development for high-technology products.  These companies can purchase teaching units from Ateneo and convert them to research units for the faculty, using the Manila Observatory model.  Students doing research for their thesis and on-the-job training can work there.  Excellent research works can then be patented or published in ISI journals.  This was how Standford University built the Silicon Valley and Hewlett
Packard was one of the start-up firms who first leased there.  Once the SOSE Silicon valley gains momentum, there is no stopping SOSE’s publication and patent engine.

The SOSE Silicon valley would be the Big, Hair, and Audacious Goal (BHAG) that would unite all the SOSE departments.  The School of Management (SOH) would also be interested and we can have venture capital from business and technology firms.  I think it is doable once we institute the publication requirements in part A.  We get the best students and faculty from all over the Philippines, so we have a right to expect the best from them. Jesuit education is not meant for people who wants an ordinary job.  Rather, Jesuit
education is for people who wants to be sent as missionaries into unknown frontiers–be that in science, arts, or business.  Otherwise, Jesuit education falls short in its aim for the greater glory of God and salvation of souls.

II.  QUALITIES OF THE NEW SOSE DEAN

I would like a person who can institute the changes in Part I.  He must have lots of publications and patents.  He must have management experience in research and technology firms.  He must have experience working in the Philippine government in terms of science and technology.  He must have numerous international linkages around the world.  He is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, because we do not want somebody who is not familiar with the Jesuit and Ateneo tradition.

III. NOMINEES FOR THE NEW SOSE DEAN

There is only one person who fits what I think is the job description for the new SOSE Dean: Dr. Greg Tangonan (BS Physics ’69).