Dr. Jessie Barrot is a Professor and Vice President for Research and Development at National University, Philippines. He earned his PhD in Linguistics from the Philippine Normal University (PNU), an institution he considers instrumental in shaping the scholar he has become. More than earning a degree, his years at PNU taught him to ask better questions, pursue answers with rigor, and see research not simply as an academic requirement but as a means of creating meaningful impact. The mentorship and intellectual environment he experienced at PNU gave him the confidence and foundation to take his scholarship beyond the university and onto the global stage.

Today, Dr. Barrot is recognized among the World’s Top 2% Researchers by Stanford University and Elsevier in both the single-year (2023–2025) and career-long (2025) categories. In the single-year category, he currently ranks #1 among higher education researchers and #2 nationwide. He has published over 110 papers in leading journals in linguistics and education and serves on the editorial boards of prominent international journals, including TESOL Quarterly, RELC Journal, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Assessing Writing, and Journal of Second Language Writing. His scholarship has also received international recognition from organizations such as TESOL International Association, SEAMEO RELC, the National Academy of Education, and the British Educational Research Association.

His academic journey has brought him to esteemed universities worldwide as a research fellow and visiting scholar, while his commitment to sharing knowledge has led him to deliver over 280 lectures in the Philippines and abroad. He has also coordinated and authored over 30 textbooks. Yet wherever his academic journey takes him, he carries with him the values and scholarly foundation nurtured at PNU. Receiving the 2026 Gawad Sulo for Eminent Alumni made that connection even more meaningful. It’s a reminder of where his journey as a scholar was strengthened and of his responsibility to create opportunities for the next generation of Filipino researchers.

 For Dr. Barrot, every achievement is not simply a milestone reached, but an opportunity to give back, open doors for others, and honor the institutions and mentors who helped make the journey possible.