A PRIEST environmental scientist has been elected as the new president of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.

In a university memorandum issued Monday, Board of Trustees Chairman Francisco Guerra III named Fr. Mars Tan as successor of Fr. Roberto Yap, who has also been elected as President of Ateneo de Manila University.

Tan will assume his new role on June 1, 2020.

Tan holds a doctoral degree in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame Australia, a masters in Environmental Science from the University of the Philippines, masters in Theology from the Loyola School of Technology, Ateneo de Manila, and a Biology graduate from Ateneo de Davao.

He was born and raised in Surigao del Norte.

"As a passionate environmental scientist, he is a proponent of the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preference, 'To Collaborate in the care of our Common Home', very much responsive to the call made by Pope Francis in his landmark encyclical, Laudato Si," Guerra said.