Author: Amanda Dedicatoria

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Alum participates in artist residency program  

Artist Residency Photo 4
Constance Sartor, a University of Guam Master of Science in Biology and a research associate with the university’s Guam NSF EPSCoR program participated in the National Park System’s Artist-in-Residence program at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in November 2021.
Constance Sartor, a University of Guam Master of Science in Biology and a research associate with the university’s Guam NSF EPSCoR program participated in the National Park System’s Artist-in-Residence program at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in November 2021.
During her stay at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sartor used magazines to make upcycled collages of the animals and sites she saw at the park such as this elk. She worked with park officials and learned that elk had been reintroduced to the park since the natural population was hunted to extinction in the 1900s.
During her stay at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sartor used magazines to make upcycled collages of the animals and sites she saw at the park such as this elk. She worked with park officials and learned that elk had been reintroduced to the park since the natural population was hunted to extinction in the 1900s.
Sartor also created a collage of a rare morph of a turkey she saw during her stay at the park.
Sartor also created a collage of a rare morph of a turkey she saw during her stay at the park.
Sartor created this collage of a waterfall that was important to the park.
Sartor created this collage of a waterfall that was important to the park.

Using an eye for detail, Constance Sartor, a University of Guam Master of Science in Biology and a research assistant with the university’s Guam NSF EPSCoR program, is encouraging others to appreciate the world around them through art inspired by the environment.  

 

 

In November 2021, Sartor participated in one of the U.S. National Parks System’s Artist-in-Residence programs.  

 

The National Park System holds more than 50 residency programs across the nation and encourages visual, musical, and literary artists to create pieces in varied natural and cultural settings.  
 
Sartor participated in a similar program in June 2021 onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel as part of the organization’s Artist-at-Sea program. 
 
During the artist-in-residence program, Sartor spent a month in a cabin acquainting herself with the mountains and forests of the Great Smoky National Park in Tennessee. There, she saw the turkeys, black bears, and salamanders that called the park their home. Using an assortment of magazines, she created upcycled collages of animals and important sites found at the park. 

 

“I made four different collages – one was a rare morph of a wild turkey that I saw in the park. Another was an elk, which they had re-introduced into the park as a part of a rehabilitation project,” Sartor said. “I also did a historic cabin and also a waterfall that was really important to the park.”  

 

During her time in the program, she also held workshops at the park’s visitor’s center and taught visitors how to make different collages of the animals they saw.  

 

Sartor said that creating art encourages her to feel more connected to the organisms she encounters.  

 

“I definitely do feel more of a connection to my subjects when I make a piece because I have to think about the organism a little more than I would,” Sartor said. “I see little details in the animals or plants I wouldn’t have noticed. I also try to learn more about them and how they play a role in the environment and everything, so it’s a good way to research different aspects of the environment.”  

 

She said she enjoyed her time at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and found it interesting to work with the park’s staff to learn more about its environment.  “I really enjoyed the experience because I’m kind of torn between art and science and figuring out a way to blend the two,” Sartor said. “I feel like I’m learning that art is a really good way to communicate science and to get people really interested in science. That’s definitely something I learned through this and something I will continue to pursue in the future.”  

 
Sartor has been accepted to another National Parks System Artist-in-Residence program and will attend it this summer.  

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Students will gain hands-on experience and mentorship through STEM internship  

EPSCoR SRE Photo 1
EPSCoR SRE Photo 1
Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomes 10 undergraduate students to its 2022 Student Research Experience! These students will gain valuable research experience and mentorship this year by conducting fieldwork, learning laboratory skills, and preparing a research paper and a presentation of their findings.

Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomes 10 undergraduate students from the University of Guam to its 2022 Student Research Experience. Through the internship program, the students will gain valuable research experience and mentorship this year by conducting fieldwork, learning laboratory skills, and preparing a research paper and a presentation of their findings to exhibit at various STEM conferences.  

The program is designed to increase the number and diversity of students, particularly from Pacific Islands, who choose STEM careers by giving them the skills and confidence needed for academic and career development.  

The students were briefed about the internship during a virtual orientation on Friday, Feb. 4.  

“I am very happy to welcome our new SRE students,” said Terry Donaldson, the principal investigator of Guam NSF EPSCoR. “This program is really a game-changer. This will either help you become a research scientist later in your career or just teach you how to better adapt to the situations that arise in whatever you do.” 

As part of the internship, the students will participate in near-peer mentorship programs that will allow them to interact with high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who are a part of Guam NSF EPSCoR and with the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance program. 

“This experience for me was so amazing. Not only did it change me as a student, but it changed me as a person,” said Ariana Orallo, a 2021 SRE intern and an undergraduate biomedical pre-pharmacy student at UOG. “Prior to this, I had no knowledge about anything that I was going into. I was working with corals, so it was really intimidating at first. But as you keep going, it keeps getting easier and the knowledge sticks with you.” 

For more information about the Guam NSF EPSCoR Student Research Experience, visit https://guamepscor.uog.edu/sre/. 

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Guam Green Growth Makerspace and Innovation Hub now open at CHamoru Village  

Makerspace Photo 3
Guam Green Growth celebrated the grand opening of its G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub yesterday in three houses at the CHamoru Village in Hagatña.
Guam Green Growth celebrated the grand opening of its G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub yesterday in three houses at the CHamoru Village in Hagatña.
Equipped with a 3D printer, laser cutter, computer numerical control router, vinyl cutter, and power tools, the industrial makerspace can process materials such as wood, metal, and plastic.
Equipped with a 3D printer, laser cutter, computer numerical control router, vinyl cutter, and power tools, the industrial makerspace can process materials such as wood, metal, and plastic.
Once products are created in the makerspace, they can be sold on consignment at the G3 green store and innovation hub. 
Once products are created in the makerspace, they can be sold on consignment at the G3 green store and innovation hub. 

Entrepreneurs and creators can now transform waste material into marketable products through the Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub.  

Guam Green Growth and its partners celebrated the grand opening of its G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub on Tuesday, Feb. 15, in three houses at the CHamoru Village in Hagatña.  

Designed to support Guam’s emerging green economy, the spaces will allow entrepreneurs to upcycle discarded materials into marketable products using a variety of tools and resources. These spaces also support the island’s effort to rely less on imported goods and create less waste. 

“What we are doing is moving forward with our vision of helping people become successful in business. Small businesses are the backbone of our community and government,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “This concept is a win-win for our business, academia, our island’s environment, and all of Guam.” 

Equipped with 3D printers, a laser cutter, computer numerical control router, vinyl cutter, and power tools, the industrial makerspace can process materials such as wood, metal, and plastic.  

“This is an effort to diversify the economy and to do things to benefit multiple parts of our community,” said University of Guam President Thomas Krise. “We have this opportunity to think of a new kind of economy and a new way of dealing with visitors and to be attractive to visitors. I think this is a really great opportunity.”  

The second makerspace house has equipment from Precious Plastic, a plastic recycling project that uses machines to grind, melt, and mold recycled plastic into new products such as furniture, jewelry, and more.  

“What this G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub will be is a beacon to tell everybody on our island that we do not have scarcity – in fact, we have lots of resources. The problem is that we’ve been calling it waste this whole time,” said Austin Shelton, director of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. “The circular economy is about changing this linear economy where all of our products come in from our ports and waste products end up at the landfill. We can bend that line into a loop, regenerate natural systems, and design out waste and pollution to keep our materials in use. We can then create new green economic activity and this is where we can do it together.”   

Once entrepreneurs create products in the makerspace, they can sell them on consignment at the G3 Green Store to test the market.  

The innovation hub supports part of the G3 initiative’s mission to establish sustainable and profitable cottage industries and support regional economic development. Business advisement seminars, creative workshops, and training sessions for the makerspace’s equipment will be held at the facility.  

Creators can access the space and tools available for $50 a month or $500 per year, with a 20% discount applicable for yearly memberships.  

The facility’s hours will be Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

The G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub was made possible by funding from Guam NSF EPSCoR, the Guam Economic Development Authority, Office of the Governor of Guam, 36th Guam Legislature, and partnerships with the UOG Center for Island Sustainability, UOG Sea Grant, the School of Business and Public Administration, and Guam Unique Merchandise and Arts. 

For more information about the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub, please contact G3 Circular Economy Coordinator Myracle Mugol at mugolm@triton.uog.edu.  

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Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomes new Education and Workforce Development Program Associate

Profile Story Emily Wendte
Profile Story Emily Wendte
Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomes Emily Wendte as its new Education and Workforce Development Program Associate. As part of the education and workforce development division, Wendte will assist with the preparation and completion of grant reports to the National Science Foundation, keep track of project progress, and coordinate activities between students, faculty, and project partners.

Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomes Emily Wendte as its new Education and Workforce Development Program Associate. As part of the education and workforce development division, Wendte will assist with the preparation and completion of grant reports to the National Science Foundation, keep track of project progress, and coordinate activities between students, faculty, and project partners.  

Wendte grew up in Indiana where she earned her bachelor’s degree in sculpture and a minor in art history at the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University. She later received her master’s degree in sculpture from Arizona State University. She moved to Guam in April 2021.  

Prior to joining Guam NSF EPSCoR, Wendte taught sculpture classes at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Through her art, Wendte contemplates land use and the relationship people have with their environment.  

It was her interest in sustainability, the environment, and education that led her to want to join Guam NSF EPSCoR.   

“Pandemics have a funny way of making you realize what’s really important in life and I really loved being here, so I just decided that I was going to stop teaching and focus on working with my ideas within art and try to move my career into more of a sustainability-focused field,” said Wendte. 

Education has always been dear to Wendte and she looks forward to engaging with students and helping them achieve their academic goals.  

“Even though I’ve been here for a short time, everyone and how they interact with each other has been just wonderful,” said Wendte. “I’m most excited to work with the students and see their research come into fruition. I hope to contribute to and add to their growth.”  

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STEM internship offers hands-on experience to students 

SRE Meet and Greet
SRE Meet and Greet
Ten undergraduate students will gain valuable research experience and mentorship this year through the Guam NSF EPSCoR Student Research Experience.

Ten undergraduate students will gain valuable research experience and mentorship this year through the Guam NSF EPSCoR Student Research Experience. The students, most of whom had never participated in a STEM research program were welcomed to the program during a meet-and-greet session on Dec. 17, 2021. 

The program is designed to increase the number and diversity of students, particularly from Pacific Islands, who choose STEM careers by giving them the skills and confidence needed for academic and career development. 

Each academic year, undergraduate students from the University of Guam and the Guam Community College are selected to participate in the year-long program and choose a research project, collect data, and then prepare a research paper and presentation of their findings.  

Depending on student interest, training in molecular laboratory skills such as DNA extractions, polymerase-chain reaction, DNA sequencing and analyses may be part of the internship.  

“I’m excited to experience more hands-on work. Because of COVID, labs closed and that made it difficult to learn these skills,” said Lynn Galang, a UOG undergraduate integrative biology student. “I’m just excited to get more experience.”  

Over the course of the program, Galang will be mentored by Sarah Lemer, a UOG assistant professor of marine invertebrate genomics in the Marine Laboratory.  

As part of the internship, the students will participate in near-peer mentorship programs that will allow them to interact with high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who are a part of Guam NSF EPSCoR and with the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance program. 

“This program is like a year-long interview, said Cheryl Sangueza, a UOG Associate Professor of Education and the Guam NSF EPSCoR Student Program Coordinator. “It opens the door to opportunities off-island like conferences and other research experiences.”  

For more information about the Guam NSF EPSCoR Student Research Experience, visit https://guamepscor.uog.edu/sre/.  

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Newly discovered diatom species named after UOG researcher  

Eponymous Diatom Photo 1
Eponymous Diatom Photo 1
A newly discovered diatom species was named after Christopher Lobban, a University of Guam professor emeritus of biology.

After naming around 80 diatom species since he started researching them in 2007, a newly discovered diatom species has been named in honor of Christopher Lobban, a University of Guam professor emeritus of biology.  

Diatoms are single-celled algae found in oceans, lakes, and rivers and are considered important primary producers.  

Funded by the university’s Guam NSF EPSCoR grant, Lobban researches and catalogs diatom species found throughout the coral reefs and mangroves of Micronesia. 

According to the study, the new species, Druehlago lobbanii, was named after Lobban in recognition of his extensive and lasting contribution to marine and tropical diatom research. The paper was published in December in the peer-reviewed journal Phycologia.  

The new diatom species was discovered in a tidal flat in South Africa by Roksana Majewska, the lead author of the paper. Lobban was informed about the naming of the species just a few days after the start of the new year.  

Eponymous Diatom Photo 2
The diatom, Druehlago lobbanii, was named after Lobban in recognition of his extensive and lasting contribution to marine and tropical diatom research.

“Usually, species are named after their characteristics. When species are named after people, it’s to honor them for different things such as their contributions to the research or personal importance,” said Lobban. “After naming so many diatom species from Guam’s coral reefs, I guess it was just a matter of time before someone would name a species after me.”  

Lobban is the co-author of the genus Druehlago, which he named after his doctoral mentor Louis Druehl in 2016. Druehlago lobbanii and Druehlago craspedostauriformis join Druehlago cuneata as three members of the genus.  

According to Lobban, he’s grateful to share this honor with his mentor.  

“A few years ago, when I was naming some new genera, I wanted to honor the people who guided my work,” said Lobban. “I thought of Louis Druehl because he got me into diving and helped me get through to my Ph.D.” 

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Five students accepted to STEM summer research program

Bridge Program Photo 4
Anela Duenas, a biology major and 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study vegetable crop science under the mentorship of Francesco Di Gioia, an assistant professor at PSU.
Anela Duenas, a biology major and 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study vegetable crop science under the mentorship of Francesco Di Gioia, an assistant professor at PSU.
Gabriella Prelosky, a biology student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study the foraging habits of honeybees and alfalfa leafcutter bees under the mentorship of Natalie Boyle, an assistant research professor at PSU.
Gabriella Prelosky, a biology student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study the foraging habits of honeybees and alfalfa leafcutter bees under the mentorship of Natalie Boyle, an assistant research professor at PSU.
Merry Remetira, a civil engineering student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study lab analyses of biomechanics of swimming jellyfish with Margaret Byron, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at PSU.
Merry Remetira, a civil engineering student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study lab analyses of biomechanics of swimming jellyfish with Margaret Byron, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at PSU.
Five undergraduate students will gain valuable research experience this summer through the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Bridge to Ph.D. Program, an eight-week research program held at Pennsylvania State University. Louise Pascua, a biology major and a 2022 Guam NSF EPSCoR student researcher, will focus on mosquito virus interactions and arthropod genetic manipulation under Jason Rasgon, an entomology professor at PSU.
Five undergraduate students will gain valuable research experience this summer through the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Bridge to Ph.D. Program, an eight-week research program held at Pennsylvania State University. Louise Pascua, a biology major and a 2022 Guam NSF EPSCoR student researcher, will focus on mosquito virus interactions and arthropod genetic manipulation under Jason Rasgon, an entomology professor at PSU.
Anna Aguirre, a biology student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study plant pathology and environmental microbiology under Sharifa Crandall, an assistant professor at PSU.
Anna Aguirre, a biology student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study plant pathology and environmental microbiology under Sharifa Crandall, an assistant professor at PSU.

Five undergraduate students will gain valuable research experience this summer through the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Bridge to Ph.D. Program, an eight-week research program held at Pennsylvania State University.  

From June to August 2022, the students will be trained for a future as a Ph.D. student, learn about coral physiology, and gain hands-on experience in biological techniques such as DNA and RNA analysis.  

For these students, it will be their first time participating in an off-island research program.  

“I am looking forward to learning more about myself. This is roughly a two-month program that is planned to be in person, so this will be the longest time I will be away from home without my mom,” said Louise Pascua, a biology major and a 2022 Guam NSF EPSCoR student researcher. “It will be a very fun and interesting journey not just scientifically, but also personally.” 

While at PSU, the students will practice basic oceanographic techniques aboard the UMCES flagship research vessel Rachel Carson and strengthen their science communication skills by participating in outreach activities. 

Over the course of the program, the students will be placed in a Penn State research laboratory to do independent research and be mentored by the laboratory principal investigator, their students, and staff.  

Hands-on experience  

Pascua will focus on mosquito virus interactions and arthropod genetic manipulation under Jason Rasgon, an entomology professor at PSU. 

Gabriella Prelosky, a biology student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study the foraging habits of honeybees and alfalfa leafcutter bees under the mentorship of Natalie Boyle, an assistant research professor at PSU.  

“I genuinely look forward to working with a topic outside of my comfort zone,” said Prelosky. “I’ve been looking at different topics that don’t focus on marine biology, and I’ve been increasingly more interested in topics of ecology and now entomology, and I look forward to exploring this discipline.” 

Anna Aguirre, a biology student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study plant pathology and environmental microbiology under Sharifa Crandall, an assistant professor at PSU.  

“I’m very excited about the research I will do because the topic is one of my great interests. I think this experience will also be unlike any other because I’m attending it off-island with my friends for a whole two months,” said Aguirre.  

Merry Remetira, a civil engineering student and a 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow, will study lab analyses of biomechanics of swimming jellyfish with Margaret Byron, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at PSU. 

“I feel very grateful to my mentors and peers from the EPSCoR program and my high school marine biology teacher who have made it possible to make me apply and for broadening my experiences,” said Remetira.  

While at PSU, the students will have the opportunity to interact with students from other NSF SEAS jurisdictions.  

“I am so honored and excited about being accepting into this great program,” said Anela Duenas, a biology major and 2021 NSF SEAS research fellow. “I am most excited to meet my peers from other SEAS hubs such as the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico!”  

During the program, Duenas will study vegetable crop science under the mentorship of Francesco Di Gioia, an assistant professor at PSU.  

About NSF INCLUDES 
The NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance is administered by the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant programs in partnership with the School of Education at the University of Guam. UOG faculty members Austin Shelton, Cheryl Sangueza, and Else Demeulenaere serve as investigators of the grant award. NSF INCLUDES collaborates closely with the Guam NSF EPSCoR program, also funded by the National Science Foundation. 

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UOG students present and network at STEM diversity conference

Louise SACNAS
During the conference, the students were able to connect with organizations and colleges. Representatives from Boston University, Rutgers University, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography w contacted Gabriella Prelosky, a UOG undergraduate biology student, about research experience opportunities.
During the conference, the students were able to connect with organizations and colleges. Representatives from Boston University, Rutgers University, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography w contacted Gabriella Prelosky, a UOG undergraduate biology student, about research experience opportunities.
Louise Pascua, a UOG undergraduate in biology, said that she was proud to present her work at the 2021SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Digital Conference which was held virtually from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, 2021.
Louise Pascua, a UOG undergraduate in biology, said that she was proud to present her work at the 2021SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Digital Conference which was held virtually from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, 2021.

Four members of the Guam NSF EPSCoR undergraduate Student Research Experience and five research fellows from the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance program presented their research at the 2021 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Digital Conference from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, 2021.  

SACNAS, the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, is the largest multicultural STEM diversity program in the US.  

During the conference, the students were able to attend workshops, research presentations, and connect with officials from schools nationwide for research experience opportunities.  

“I feel great that I got to present at SACNAS,” said Louise Pascua, a UOG undergraduate biology student. “I wasn’t sure if we were going to finish in time for the conference because we had a lot of difficulties, but everything worked out in the end. I’m glad I got to show everyone all the work I’ve been doing this past year.”  

Through the Guam NSF EPSCoR undergraduate Student Research Experience, Pascua was mentored by UOG Professor of Biology Daniel Lindstrom. Pascua’s presentation entitled, “Genetic Barcoding of all Amphidromous Nerite and Thiarid Snails Native to Guam,” focused on determining whether or not certain species of snails were native to Guam.  

“I feel very thankful and appreciative that a student with my background was able to present at this conference,” said Merry Remetira, a UOG undergraduate civil engineering student. “Everyone has been very kind.”  

UOG Assistant Professor of Oceanography Atsushi Fujimura mentored Remetira for her Student Research Experience. Remetira’s project, “The Relationship between Seagrass Cover and Water Physicochemical Parameters in Achang Bay, Guam” focused on determining water quality and environmental factors that affected the growth of seagrass on Guam. According to the study, seagrass meadows are beneficial ecosystems that provide habitats and food sources for many marine species.  

During the conference, the students were able to connect with organizations and colleges for research opportunities. 

Representatives from Texas A&M University and Iowa State University reached out to Pascua and Remetira about their work. 

Boston University, Rutgers University, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography were among several institutions that contacted Gabriella Prelosky, a UOG undergraduate biology student, about research experience opportunities.  

As an NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance research fellow, Prelosky was mentored by Christopher Lobban, a UOG Professor Emeritus of Biology. Her project, “Biodiversity of mangrove diatom communities in three Western Pacific islands” focused on documenting the most frequently occurring diatom species in Guam, Palau, and Yap. Through her project, 13 new species of diatoms were recognized. Earlier this year, Prelosky discovered two potentially new diatom species from Yap.  

“A lot of people reached out to me to check out their programs and even my dream school messaged me! It was a lot of fun and it’s an opportunity that not a lot of people get to experience,” said Prelosky. “I feel really lucky.” 

The NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance is administered by the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant programs in partnership with the School of Education at the University of Guam. Austin Shelton, Cheryl Sangueza, and Else Demeulenaere serve as investigators of the grant award. NSF INCLUDES collaborates closely with the Guam NSF EPSCoR program, also funded by the National Science Foundation. 

Merry R SACNAS
“I feel very thankful and appreciative that a student with my background was able to present at this conference,” said Merry Remetira, a UOG undergraduate civil engineering student.
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Researchers discover four new species of marine algae

New Algae Species Photo 4
Ramicrusta adjoulanensis was named after Adjoulan Point, which is located at the mouth of Talo’fo’fo Bay.
Ramicrusta adjoulanensis was named after Adjoulan Point, which is located at the mouth of Talo’fo’fo Bay.
Tom Schils is a professor at the UOG Marine Laboratory whose research interests focus on the unique biodiversity and ecology of tropical seaweeds in the Mariana Islands.
Tom Schils is a professor at the UOG Marine Laboratory whose research interests focus on the unique biodiversity and ecology of tropical seaweeds in the Mariana Islands.
Matthew Mills is a research associate at the UOG Marine Laboratory. Mills worked on the Ramicrusta study as part of his master’s thesis.
Matthew Mills is a research associate at the UOG Marine Laboratory. Mills worked on the Ramicrusta study as part of his master’s thesis.

University of Guam researchers have discovered four new species of Crustose Calcifying Red Algae (CCRA), a group of marine algae that deposit limestone like stony corals — including one that has been named after the UOG Marine Laboratory in honor of its 50th anniversary.  

The study, which was funded by the university’s National Science Foundation EPSCoR grant, was published in November by the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE.  

CCRA are a dominant and diverse group of organisms on Guam’s reefs that are difficult to identify and have sometimes been mistaken for coral. They serve several important ecological functions on reefs such as building and cementing reefs together or serving as the preferred settlement substrates for coral larvae which then further develop into adult colonies. 

Since 2017, more than 500 CCRA specimens have been collected from numerous sites around the island. A number of those specimens represented six species of red algae belonging to the genus Ramicrusta. Four of these species are new species to science and Guam now has the highest documented diversity of Ramicrusta species in the world. 

“In other parts of the world such as the Caribbean and Taiwan, certain Ramicrusta species are known to overgrow and outcompete other reef organisms on disturbed reefs,” said lead author Matthew Mills, a UOG alum and Marine Laboratory research associate. “Given their ecological importance, we decided to investigate them into detail.” 

Naming the new species  

The four new CCRA species were named after the CHamoru names of their type locality, which are the collection sites that were used to describe the new species. 

Two of the new species were found in Pago Bay. Ramicrusta labtasiensis was collected from the seawater intake channel behind the UOG Marine Laboratory. 

“We wanted to highlight the Marine Laboratory’s 50th anniversary, which happened last year,” said Tom Schils, a UOG Professor of Marine Biology and the co-author of this study. “Most of the anniversary celebration events were canceled because of the pandemic, so we thought it was fitting to name this new species after the Marine Laboratory for all the important biodiversity work that has been conducted at the unit since its founding in 1970.”  

Ramicrusta taogamensis was named after Taogam Point, which delineates the northern boundary of Pago Bay.  

The other two new CCRA species were found in Talo’fo’fo. Ramicrusta adjoulanensis was named after Adjoulan Point, which is located at the mouth of Talo’fo’fo Bay. Ramicrusta asanitensis was named after Asanite Cove, also known as First Beach.  

“This species is a common alga at this popular beach in Ipan,” said Schils. “As a seaweed biologist, I had always been bothered that I could not identify this alga from a beach that we visited often with the family. Now, we have finally resolved that this is a new species of a genus that had previously not been reported for Micronesia.” 

Mills and Schils are currently working on a larger diversity assessment of CCRA from Guam.  

“Before we started our studies, the only in-depth survey of CCRA on Guam was done in 1975,” said Mills.  

Schils added, “CCRA play an important role in the community changes that we are witnessing on Guam’s reefs. Resolving the diversity of this group is a first step in understanding their contribution to reef health.” 

New Algae Species Photo 3
Example of a common and abundant calcareous red alga from Guam’s waters.
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Students present and win at STEM conference

New Diatoms Photo 1 3
Britney Sison, an undergraduate chemistry and biology student and a research fellow of the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance, received a combined total of $2,000 from the JFK High School of 1969 and the Palau Women’s Club Scholarships.
Gabriella Prelosky, an undergraduate student studying marine biology at the Unieristy of Guam, discovered two potentially new species of diatoms while doing a research fellowship under the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Island Alliance program.

Five undergraduate NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance research fellows from the University of Guam joined over 1,300 scientists and researchers from all over the world at the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) 2021 Conference which was held virtually from Nov. 1 – 4 and 8 – 11, 2021.  

This year’s conference theme was “CERF at 50: Celebrating Our Past, Charting Our Future.”   

During the conference, students had the opportunity to interact with peers, network with mentors, and attend workshops and panel discussions.   

Among the delegation, UOG students Gabriella Prelosky, Britney Sison, Anela Duenas, Daniel Mabagos, and Anna Aguirre presented student posters of their research projects.  

Prelosky and Sison won the only two “CERF 2021 Best Undergraduate Poster Awards” for their research projects which concerned the documentation of different diatom species in the Marianas.  

Both Prelosky and Sison were mentored by Christopher Lobban, a UOG professor emeritus of biology.   

“Receiving an award for my work is amazing! There was a lot of effort done through both me and Dr. Lobban and it really paid off,” said Prelosky. “Knowing UOG took the only two “Best Undergraduate Posters” is amazing.” 

Sison said that her experience being mentored by Lobban has made her a better scientist and is thankful for receiving the award.  

“I feel happy and extremely grateful to my mentor, Dr. Lobban, Gabby, and everyone from the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance Program,” said Sison.  

The NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance is administered by the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant programs in partnership with the School of Education at the University of Guam. Austin Shelton, Cheryl Sangueza, and Else Demeulenaere serve as investigators of the grant award. NSF INCLUDES collaborates closely with the Guam NSF EPSCoR program, also funded by the National Science Foundation.  

 

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