News: Speakers, July 2nd - Assembly IAJU 2025
Speakers, July 2nd
As part of the IAJU 2025 Assembly, we are honored to welcome distinguished leaders from across the globe—academics, Jesuits, and professionals—whose work embodies a profound commitment to justice, reconciliation, sustainability, and the holistic formation of young people.
Their insights, testimonies, and shared practices invite us to reflect deeply on how Jesuit universities can respond boldly and faithfully to the most pressing challenges of our time.
The following speakers will guide and enrich our conversations as we discern the future of Jesuit higher education together.
Dr. Brian Patrick Green
He is the director of technology ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University and teaches AI ethics and space ethics in Santa Clara University’s Graduate School of Engineering. His work focuses on AI and ethics, technology ethics in corporations, the ethics of space exploration and use, the ethics of technological manipulation of humans, the ethics of mitigation of and adaptation towards risky emerging technologies, and various aspects of the impact of technology and engineering on human life and society, including the relationship of technology and religion.
Dr. Annick Castiaux
She is the Rector of the University of Namur, where she also serves as a full professor, researcher, and lecturer in the field of innovation management, with a focus on sustainable innovation and innovation ecosystems. As the highest authority of the institution, she acts as its legal and official representative. She also chairs the Rectoral Council, the Academic Council, the Business Council, and several non-profit associations (ASBL) linked to the university. In addition, she co-chairs the Namur Academic Cluster, a space for inter-institutional collaboration in the region.
Dr. Renato Cerqueira
Graduated in Medicine from the University of Vale do Sapucaí. Specialist in Hematology and Hemotherapy from the Paulista School of Medicine at the Federal University of São Paulo. PhD in Medicine (Hematology and Oncology) from the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). Coordinator of the Neutropenia Outpatient Clinic in the Hematology and Hemotherapy Department at UNIFESP.
Dr. Pablo Garaizar Sagarminaga
Holds a PhD in Computer Engineering and a degree in Psychology. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Deusto, where he has over 20 years of teaching experience. He teaches courses such as Programming, High-Performance Computing, Ethical Hacking, and Cloud Systems Architecture. His research focuses on the development of computational thinking within the Deusto LearningLab. He has authored over 40 scientific publications and has participated in 37 research projects funded by European, national, and regional calls. He is the principal investigator of four European projects. Additionally, he has contributed to the development of various educational applications such as Social Lab, Kodetu, Make World, and Lempel, and is the creator of educational board games, including Moon and Arqueras de Nand.
Dr. Diego Alejandro Patiño Guevara
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. He holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from the National University of Colombia, a Master’s in Automatic Control and Computers from the University of the Andes, and a PhD in Automatic Control and Digital Signal Processing from the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (France). Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions to the advancement of engineering in the country, promoting innovation and technological development.
Dr. Alberto Ares, SJ
He holds a PhD in International Migration and Development Cooperation from Comillas Pontifical University, with academic training in Social Ethics (Licentiate in Sacred Theology, Boston College) and in Economics and Business Administration. A Jesuit, researcher, and professor, he has dedicated his career to the study and accompaniment of migrants and refugees. He is currently the Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Europe (JRS Europe), based in Brussels, and remains affiliated with the University Institute for Migration Studies (IUEM) as a professor and researcher. He has previously served as Director of the IUEM, Delegate for the Social Sector of the Society of Jesus in Spain, head of several SJM centers, and Acting Director of the Migration Commission of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
Dr. Stephanie Russell
Is Vice President for Mission Integration at the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), where she leads formation programs and resources that strengthen the mission of Jesuit higher education institutions and promotes collaboration among them. With over three decades of experience in Jesuit ministries, she served for 15 years as Vice President for Mission and Ministry at Marquette University and played a key role in the Wisconsin Province as Provincial Assistant for Lay Formation and Social Ministry. She is a co-creator of the Ignatian Colleagues Program and has contributed to the development of numerous Ignatian formation initiatives. Her work is grounded in Catholic social and intellectual teaching, Ignatian spirituality, and interreligious dialogue. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University, a Master’s in Pastoral Studies from St. Francis Seminary, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania. She has been awarded honorary doctorates by Spring Hill College and Gonzaga University.
Dr. Margarita Núñez Chaim
She is a human rights advocate and currently coordinates the Migration Affairs Program at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. She holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in Social Anthropology from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS), and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM). She was a fellow of the Young Researcher program of the Consortium for Comparative Research on Regional Integration and Social Cohesion (RISC), through which she conducted her doctoral fieldwork. She has collaborated with the Center for International Studies at El Colegio de México and has served as a consultant for the Social Research Laboratory (LIS) and the organization Justicia en Movimiento. Her work has focused on the defense of migrants in Mexico, with special attention to the support of Central American migrant women from a gender and feminist perspective.
Fr. Tomasz Homa, SJ
He is a professor of philosophy at the Ignatianum University in Krakow. His research focuses on political, social, and existential philosophy, as well as ethics and culture. In particular, he has worked on topics related to political and social philosophy, such as the relationship between the state and society, civil society, the common good, social subjectivity, the ethics of public life, and citizenship. His philosophical approach seeks to shed light on the ethical and human dimensions of collective life in contemporary contexts.
Fr. Pradeep Kerketta, SJ
He is an economist with a Master’s degree and M.Phil. from Loyola College, Chennai, and a Ph.D. in Development Economics from Ranchi University. His commitment to working with excluded populations was strengthened through his involvement in institutional development projects. He has taught Managerial Economics, Macroeconomics, Business Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility. As Assistant Director, he has developed skills in management, communication, and conflict resolution, and has collaborated with the Development Resource Centre on livelihood initiatives based on both rights-based and needs-based approaches.
Fr. Víctor Boudjou Adangba, SJ
He holds a Ph.D. in Moral Theology and Social Ethics from the University of Berkeley, California (USA), where he developed his doctoral thesis on hospitality in the context of migration. He has taught at the Institute of Theology of the Society of Jesus in Côte d'Ivoire, contributing to theological education from an ethical and pastoral perspective committed to justice and the welcoming of others.