Dr. Gay Jane Perez appointed PhilSA OIC replacing Dr. Joel Marciano Jr.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has named Dr. Gay Jane Perez as the officer-in-charge of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).

Perez, formerly PhilSA's deputy director general, replaces former Director General Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano Jr., who resigned last month.

She holds a doctorate in physics and conducted postdoctoral research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Her expertise lies in remote sensing and satellite data applications, which earned her recognition as one of The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service in 2019 and an Outstanding Young Scientist in 2021.

She was the first Filipino recipient of the ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women for her research on using satellite data to forecast droughts and enhance agricultural productivity.

Perez also spearheaded the development of the Philippines' first microsatellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2.

PhilSA stated that under Perez's leadership, the agency will continue its commitment to utilizing the domestic space ecosystem for sustainable development and nation-building.