PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Dr. Franz Asunta De Leon, associate professor of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering at University of the Philippines, as director of the Department of Science and Technology’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute.

De Leon, the ninth ASTI director, was sworn in on Thursday.

He replaced Dr. Joel Joseph Sacro Marciano Jr. who was appointed as head of the Philippine Space Agency.

ASTI leads the research and development in the fields of information and communications technology, microelectronics and space technology.

During these times, De Leon said there is a need for solutions and applications that will uplift the spirits of Filipinos and help them adjust to the new normal.

“As the new ASTI director, I want to make the Filipinos enjoy the benefits of innovative solutions in the field of ICT, Microelectronics, and Space Technology,” De Leon said.

“We will also continue to invest not only in upgrading the facilities, but more importantly in our human resources to be agile and ready for the next generation technologies,” he added.

De Leon earned his bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering in 2003, and his master’s degree in electrical engineering in 2005.

He finished his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom in 2014.