Author: Guam EPSCoR

The University of Guam (UOG) was awarded $299,976 from the National Science Foundation to conduct the NSF INCLUDES Launch Pilot project, GROWING STEM. The project will address the grand challenge of increasing Native Pacific Islander representation in the nation’s STEM enterprise, particularly in environmental sciences. Culturally-relevant and place-based research will be used as the framework to attract, engage, and retain Native Pacific Islander students in STEM disciplines. The full science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathway will be addressed from K-12 to graduate studies with partnerships that include the Guam Department of Education, Humåtak Community Foundation, the Pacific Post-Secondary Education Council, the Guam Science and Discovery Society, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. 

The GROWING STEM project will be led by the UOG Center for Island Sustainability, UOG Sea Grant Program and the Guam EPSCoR Program. Dr. John Peterson (pictured left), Dr. Austin Shelton, Else Demeulenaere and Dr. Cheryl Sangueza will serve as lead investigators. Pilot activities include summer internships for high school students, undergraduate and graduate research opportunities through UOG’s GROW Plant Nursery and the Humåtak Community Foundation Heritage House. STEM professional development activities will be offered through conference participation and student research presentations in venues such as the Guam Island Wide Science Fair, UOG Island Sustainability Conference and the SACNAS National Conference. UOG School of Education Faculty and UOG TRiO Programs will lead the development of a mentoring protocol for the project participants. Community outreach activities will expand public understanding in environmental sciences from the GROWING STEM project. 

“This grant is a great example of the University of Guam’s impact on our island and its important role in developing future local professionals and problem solvers.”

UOG President Robert Underwood

“We have an exciting opportunity to put our local students on a pathway to attain doctoral degrees in science. Everything is centered around practical scientific research experiences aimed at improving the health of our land and ocean.”

Dr. Austin Shelton, co-Principal Investigator

Join Guam EPSCoR at the Chasing Coral Mini Expo at 2PM on Saturday, September 9th at the Guam Museum. 

This event will include the Chasing Coral film viewing (2PM), a panel discussion (3:40PM), and exhibits by participating organizations and programs (4:00PM) including the Guam Department of Agriculture (DAWR), Guam Community Coral Reef Monitoring Program, UOG Sea Grant, Micronesia Conservation Coalition, the Center for Island Sustainbility and the University of Guam Marine Laboratory.

For more information contact Dr. Austin Shelton at shelton@triton.uog.edu.

NSF EPSCoR is hosting webinars for those interested in learning more about the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Please join us for one of these informative sessions by clicking a link in the table below and calling in. 

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program provides a prestigious award that supports research-oriented students in a wide range of STEM and social science fields during graduate school. This webinar will provide an overview of the GRFP and program updates for the FY 2018 competition (incl. deadlines, application and review processes) and other program activities. 

The intended audience is students, faculty and university administrators. No registration necessary. For more GRFP information visit www.nsfgrfp.org. Login instructions for the webinars are below.

Date (Guam)	Time (Guam)	Direct Link	Access Code
Tuesday, August 29, 2017	1:00 am ChST	http://tinyurl.com/yboy2rdy	743 986 952
Wednesday, August 30, 2017	4:00 am ChST	http://tinyurl.com/ybg7pwd7	748 804 468
Friday, September 1, 2017	3:00 am ChST	http://tinyurl.com/ycouj77c	743 306 800

Audio Component – Teleconference

Direct Call-in Number:    1-415-655-0002 (Use Access Code from table above to connect to your meeting) 

The meeting will be open 15 minutes prior to the start time for you to login/call-in. You are encouraged to login/call-in early to ensure connectivity.

Visual Component – WebEx

To join the meeting directly through WebEx:

1. Click the link (above) for the meeting you are attending.
2. When requested, enter your name and email address.
3. Click “Join.” 
4. You are now in the “web” portion of the webinar.

WebEx will automatically setup Meeting Manager the first time you join a meeting using WebEx. To save time, we strongly encourage you to setup prior to the meeting to ensure connectivity. To set up the meeting manager, click this link: https://nsf.webex.com/nsf/meetingcenter/mcsetup.php.

If you cannot access the direct login link for the webinar, you can still login through WebEx.

To join the online meeting through the WebEx Website:

1. Click NSF WebEx link: https://nsf.webex.com.
2. Enter the WebEx Meeting ID (Access Code from the table above), then click “Join Meeting.” 
3. When requested, enter your name and email address and passcode; it is EPSCoR17!4. Click “Join”

Administrative Support

If you have any questions about WebEx meeting access, please contactLiz Lawrence at least 24 hours prior to the webinar (Email: elawrenc@nsf.gov; Phone: 703-292-8997)

For Technical Assistance

1. Go to https://nsf.webex.com/nsf/mc.
2. On the left navigation bar, click “Support”.

The playback of UCF (Universal Communications Format) rich media files requires appropriate players. To view this type of rich media file in the meeting, please check whether you have the players installed on your computer by going to https://nsf.webex.com/nsf/systemdiagnosis.php. 

SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (SRE)
Undergraduate Student Presentations

9AM, Wednsday, July 26, 2017
University of Guam, School of Business & Public Administration, Rm. 129

Please join us for Guam EPSCoR’s Summer Research Experience (SRE) Student Presentations. Under the tutelage of Guam EPSCoR faculty at the University of Guam (UOG), undergraduate students from UOG and Duke University have undertaken research projects this summer and will present their findings to the community on July 26th. Join us to learn how the students’ projects have contributed to Guam EPSCoR’s research mission.

Resources

Campus Map

VISITING RESEARCHER PRESENTATION

DR. KIANA FRANK
11AM, Thursday, July 13, 2017
University of Guam, Science Building, Rm. 101

Title: Microbial dynamics of Hawaiian Fishponds

Abstract: Native Hawaiians harnessed the natural activity of coastal ecosystems by engineering fishponds that promoted primary productivity to cultivate herbivorous fish. Because the success of fishponds rests on the productivity of algae and photosynthetic microbes, understanding how microbial abundance, diversity, and composition change across time and space – especially in response to climatic anomalies and restoration efforts – is critical to inform current management practices.  Here we use comparative phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene data to characterize microbial diversity in the context of the geochemical environment to provide significant insight into 1) the environmental drivers of naturally occurring microbial variability, as well as 2) the science encoded in traditional Hawaiian stories. This research provides a data-rich context to support and innovate Native Hawaiian methodologies for restoring fishponds.

Dr. Kiana Frank, native of Kailua, Oahu, is an Assistant Professor in Pacific Biosciences Research Center at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa whose research is focused on understanding how microbes interact with the environment and influence the functionality, health and sustainability of Hawaii’s land and ocean resources.

 For more information contact (671) 735-0301 or email guamepscor@gmail.com

This activity is hosted by Guam EPSCoR and University of Guam Sea Grant

EPSCor Summer Research Experience Student Presentations

Monday, July 25, 2016 at 2:00 PM
Science Building, Room SC200

Contact Dr. Laura Biggs at laura.guamepscor@gmail.com for more information.

This project is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. OIA-1457769.