Education Workforce Development

August 17, 2023October 6, 2023

UOG grad student talks coral reefs at aquatic sciences conference

University of Guam graduate biology student and Guam NSF EPSCoR Graduate Research Assistant Star Dressler presented her research at the 2023 Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) Aquatic Sciences Meeting held from June 4 – 9, 2023, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

ASLO is an organization that fosters a diverse, international scientific community that creates, integrates, and communicates knowledge across the full spectrum of aquatic sciences.

During the event, Dressler presented her research entitled, “Assessing the heterotrophic abilities of two scleractinian corals during thermal stress as a strategy.”

“ASLO was awesome,” said Dressler. “I got to interact with scientists from all over the world. It was an oceanography and limnology-based conference, which means it covered both marine and freshwater topics. I was able to not only listen to everyone’s discussions about diverse topics, but also bring attention to coral reefs.”

Along with her advisor, UOG Associate Professor of Oceanography Atsushi Fujimura, Dressler also chaired a session called “Resilience in Coral Reef Ecosystems.” The session featured various scientists who discussed advancements in understanding resilience in the world’s coral reef ecosystems across species, population, and community levels.

“I appreciated being able to connect with different scientists and receive a lot of information in such a short time. I would love to continue being a member of ASLO and going to their conferences,” said Dressler.

Star ASLO Photo 2 2 — During the event, Dressler presented her research entitled, “Assessing the heterotrophic abilities of two scleractinian corals during thermal stress as a strategy.” “ASLO was awesome,” said Dressler. “I got to interact with scientists from all over the world. It was an oceanography and limnology-based conference, which means it covered both marine and freshwater topics. I was able to not only listen to everyone’s discussions about diverse topics, but also bring attention to coral reefs.”

July 31, 2023August 3, 2023

UOG graduate student studies algae at the University of Washington

Jackson collecting a piece of crustose coralline algae.

Grace Jackson, a University of Guam graduate biology student and Guam NSF EPSCoR graduate research assistant, gained research experience this summer through a course held at the Friday Harbor Laboratory at the University of Washington from June 11 to July 14, 2023.

The class was called Marine Botany: Diversity and Ecology and covered classical and contemporary methods for identification, classification, and phylogenetic analysis of algae. Taught by Thomas Mumford, Ph.D., and D. Wilson Freshwater, Ph.D., the five-week course focused on the diversity of algae species found around San Juan Island.

“I was interested in taking this class because I am studying crustose coralline algae for my thesis,” said Jackson, who is under the mentorship of UOG Professor of Marine Biology, Tom Schils. “I thought that learning about algae from a different ecosystem would give me a broader perspective and appreciation for the work I am doing in Guam.”

Over the course of the program, Jackson explored the species-rich intertidal habitats around San Juan Island. She also worked on a research project that focused on identifying San Juan Island’s different species of crustose coralline algae, which are rock-hard calcareous red algae that can be found at intertidal rocky shores or coral reefs.

“Forming my group and getting them excited about our topic and coaching them along the way taught me a lot about science communication,” said Jackson. “Writing the research report also fostered my writing skills. This whole experience has given me a greater appreciation for the work I have been doing in Guam. I can’t wait to get back in the lab and practice what I have learned.”

July 30, 2023August 3, 2023

G3 partner GUMA holds graduation ceremony

Guam Unique Merchandise & Art (GUMA) held a graduation ceremony for its current batch of entrepreneurs on Saturday, July 29, at the Planet Hollywood at DFS by T Galleria.

The event was a celebration of the successful completion of a 16-week training and mentoring program for approximately 72 graduates from more than 50 local companies. The graduates represent various sectors, from food, retail to agriculture.

GUMA and the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub are partners in promoting the growth of local businesses in an emerging green economy. By providing essential resources and support, the partnership aims to empower Guam’s talented artists, cultural producers, and entrepreneurs to turn their creative concepts into sustainable businesses.

With support from Guam NSF-EPSCoR, the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub plays a vital role in nurturing the growth of new businesses in an emerging green economy. The makerspace provides a creative space for entrepreneurs to upcycle discarded materials and transform them into marketable products. With advanced tools such as 3D printers, a laser cutter, computer numerical control router, vinyl cutter, and power tools, the makerspace can process various materials, including wood, metal, and plastic.

Beyond its local impact, the collaboration between GUMA and G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub also contributes to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which aims to promote Decent Work and Economic Growth.

By fostering an environment conducive to innovative cottage industries, the partnership seeks to reduce Guam’s dependence on imports and decrease waste generation, paving the way for a more sustainable, green economy.

Moreover, these efforts align with G3’s goals of reducing reliance on imported goods and minimizing waste generation.

The graduation ceremony concluded with a sense of hope and promise for the future of Guam’s entrepreneurial landscape. Equipped with the support of GUMA and the innovative resources provided by the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub, these graduates are now ready to conquer the challenges of the local market and build businesses that not only contribute to the local economy but also promote environmental responsibility.

July 3, 2023July 3, 2023

Tramonte defends master’s thesis

On June 13, 2023, Guam NSF EPSCoR Graduate Research Assistant Carlos Tramonte defended his Master of Science in Biology thesis at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory.

Tramonte’s thesis was titled, “Coral Species Replacements on Guam’s Reef Flats: Investigating the Role of Symbiodiniaceae Dynamics and Environmental Stressors.”

His chairperson was Dr. Bastian Bentlage. Along with Bentlage, Tramonte’s committee consisted of UOG Marine Laboratory Director Dr. Laurie Raymundo, and Dr. Sarah Davies from Boston University.

Following the completion of his graduate program, Tramonte will pursue doctoral work at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with the support of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program from the National Science Foundation.

Tramonte will be working on mesophotic reef systems in American Samoa and will be looking into coral physiology and environmental DNA (eDNA).

July 3, 2023July 3, 2023

UOG alum takes part in prestigious marine biology program

Prelosky stands in front of the Lillie Laboratory, where she will conduct research for the rest of the summer.

University of Guam alum Gabriella Prelosky is one of 15 students selected nationwide to participate in the highly competitive Woods Hole Diversity Partnership Education Program (PEP) in Massachusetts from June 3 to August 12, 2023.

PEP is a 10-week multi-institutional program between the six Woods Hole scientific institutions and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore that focuses on giving underrepresented groups in marine and ocean sciences practical experience and real-world training in marine and environmental science.

During her time in the program, Prelosky will participate in a variety of activities such as attending a four-week course titled “Oceans and Environmental Sciences: Global Climate Change,” experience life on a research cruise aboard the Research Vessel Tioga, attend lectures, go whale watching, as well as go on field trips with her cohort.

Over the course of the ten-week internship, Prelosky will study the development of electroreceptors in shark embryos under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew Gillis and Dr. Michael Palmer.

“I feel so incredibly honored to have been accepted into this program as the first University of Guam student to attend,” said Prelosky. “I was so lucky to have been one of the 15 students picked for this incredible and competitive program.”

Prelosky recently graduated from the University of Guam with a B.S. in Biology in May 2023. Throughout her undergraduate experience, she accomplished a number of achievements such as participating in the first-ever National Science Foundation Inclusion Across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES): Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists (SEAS) Bridge to Ph.D. program held at the Pennsylvania State University in June 2023 and naming two potentially new species of diatoms as a 2021 NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance undergraduate student research fellow.

“My time in the INCLUDES program helped me to not only be more confident in who I am but allowed me to gain skills that I believe “amped” up my application skills, writing skill and general lab skills,” said Prelosky. “INCLUDES helped me gain a sense of feeling in the scientific community, and has allowed me to become proud of the scientist I know I am.”

July 3, 2023July 3, 2023

Guam NSF EPSCoR assists with post-typhoon food distribution

Guam NSF EPSCoR joined the Guam Green Growth Initiative and the University of Guam Sea Grant in packing and distributing food to the island community on May 31, 2023 in response to the destructive impact of Typhoon Mawar.

The powerful typhoon hit the island on May 24, 2023.

The organizations gathered at the Guam Department of Education’s Commodity Distribution Warehouse in Piti to provide assistance to the Emergency Food Assistant Program along with the Office of the governor, government officials, and volunteers.

The program achieved its target of packing 7,500 bags of food commodities which included items such as canned beans, cream of mushroom soup, and fruit.

April 27, 2023April 27, 2023

UOG graduate student earns NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Guam NSF EPSCoR Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Carlos Tramonte will pursue doctoral work at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with the support of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports the most promising graduate students in STEM by providing fellows with a three-year annual stipend of $37,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees as well as access to opportunities for international research and professional development.

The fellowship program is highly competitive with annual acceptance rates of about 16 percent among more than 12,000 applicants.

“I’ve been told that the program can be really hard to get into,” said Tramonte. “When I got my acceptance letter, I had to reread it a few times before I went downstairs and told Bastian that I got it.”

Tramonte, who is under the mentorship of UOG Associate Professor of Bioinformatics Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D., originally wasn’t planning to pursue a doctorate degree.

However, he is excited that his acceptance to the fellowship program has given him an opportunity to seek higher education. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Tramonte will be working on mesophotic reef systems in American Samoa and will be looking into coral physiology and environmental DNA (eDNA).

With support from his mentor along with other members of the UOG Marine Laboratory community, Tramonte is fast-tracking his term as a GRA to complete it within two years instead of three so that he can start his time in the NSF fellowship program this summer.

His master’s thesis focuses on highlighting potential mechanisms behind observed species replacements on Guam’s reef flats.

“I’ve been thinking about how in just a few months, I’ll be out of here,” said Tramonte. “I’ve really fallen in love with this island – the people, the culture. It’s such a beautiful treasure of a place. Guam has a hold on my heart that I didn’t think would happen when I moved out here. I love this place so much and the university and the Marine Laboratory and the flexibility EPSCoR has given me to pursue whatever I want has been amazing.”

April 24, 2023May 1, 2023

JOIN US: Colin J Anthony to defend his Master of Science: Biology thesis!

Join us on Friday, April 28th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ChST as we cheer on our student researcher Colin J Anthony as he defends his Master of Science: Biology thesis!

Thesis Title: Acclimation of Endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae: Improved Insights through Flow Cytometric Phenotypic Profiling

Chairperson: Dr. Bastian Bentlage (Committee: Dr. Brett Taylor & Dr. Cheryl Ames (Tohoku University)

Location: Marine Laboratory Classroom Room 205

Zoom link: http://ow.ly/6XxQ50NQ4zP

April 4, 2023April 4, 2023

UOG student headed to the Arctic for climate change research

2023 uog loreto paulino 1 e1680587492928

Loreto Paulino Jr. was one of 11 students selected nationwide to go on an Arctic research expedition this July called the Polaris Project.

Chemistry major Loreto Paulino Jr. works at the UOG Marine Laboratory. He has been assisting graduate students with their research as a way to gain valuable experience for when he applies to doctoral programs in oceanography.

The Polaris Project field expedition in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska in 2017. Photo by John Schade and courtesy of the Polaris Project.

The Polaris Project research crew boards a seaplane on their way to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska in 2017, a remote area in the Arctic. Photo by John Schade and courtesy of the Polaris Project.

From the University of Guam

This summer will be colder than usual for University of Guam student Loreto Paulino Jr., but it will also be unforgettable. The UOG chemistry major will be looking for information on climate change while camping in an Arctic region of Alaska with no phone, no internet, and access only by small plane.

Paulino is one of 11 students selected nationwide — and the first from UOG — to be on this year’s Polaris Project research team under the Woodwell Climate Research Center. The project describes its work, funded by the National Science Foundation since 2008, as investigating the fate of the vast quantities of ancient carbon locked in Arctic permafrost as it melts. It seeks to inform decision-makers and the public about climate change and to train future Arctic researchers.

Paulino found out about the Polaris Project at the 2022 SACNAS Diversity in STEM Conference in Puerto Rico. He visited the booth for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution — one of his top picks for grad school — and met Dr. Nigel Golden, a post-doctoral researcher studying the response of Arctic species to climate change, who encouraged Paulino to apply for the Polaris Project.

A program focused on diversity

Paulino said he was drawn to the opportunity because of the project’s focus on addressing climate change and its focus on building diversity in STEM and among future leaders in Arctic research. When reviewing the application, Paulino said one question stood out to him: How do justice, equity, and inclusion relate to addressing climate change?

“I immediately thought of Guam and how unfair it is that the people living in this region, who will be hit the hardest by the effects of climate change, are not included in climate votes in the United States,” he said. “This exclusion highlights the urgent need to empower and include the most vulnerable communities in our efforts to tackle climate change.”

‘Being part of a bigger picture’

Paulino will head to Massachusetts in April for field safety training. He will then spend two weeks in July with the Polaris Project faculty and research staff doing intensive fieldwork in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska. Each of the students will conduct their own research project there and then spend another two weeks back at Woodwell Climate Research Center analyzing their data.

“Alaska is a place I never imagined I would go, but I am excited to explore its beautiful wildlife and scenery,” he said.

Paulino is pursuing a degree in chemistry and a minor in mathematics with the ultimate goal of obtaining a doctorate in chemical oceanography, a field that studies the composition of seawater and how it interacts chemically with the atmosphere and marine organisms. It’s a field he hopes more students from Guam will get into as well.

Prepping for a Ph.D.

Set to graduate this May, Paulino has made a point to build a diverse portfolio of research experience as an undergraduate in preparation for post-baccalaureate opportunities and eventually a Ph.D. program.

Paulino said his participation with the Guam EPSCOR Student Research Experience at UOG, in particular, helped advance his skills in advanced mathematical skills and coding and also built his confidence.

“This was one of my favorite experiences as it helped me realize that I have what it takes to succeed in the challenging field of research,” Paulino said.

He also participated in an undergraduate research experience at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, where he investigated the presence of fluorinated contaminants in the air using different sampling tools.

“This was by all standards a very challenging project, but Loreto did very well in mastering the tasks […],” said University of Rhode Island Professor of Oceanography Rainer Lohnmann, Paulino’s mentor during the REU. “Loreto is a very smart student. […] I was impressed by his determination.”

Though the STEM fields can be challenging, Paulino said he hopes his achievements will encourage other students from Guam that they have what it takes to be in STEM.

“I want them to be inspired by the work I do, by just knowing someone is taking part in projects like the Polaris Project — someone that was in their shoes and that came from public high school,” he said. “[…] It’s about how badly you want it.”

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023

NSF Guam EPSCoR graduate research assistantship now accepting applicants

Are you a prospective graduate student interested in ensuring the sustainability of coral reefs and the marine environment? If you’re self-motivated, well-organized, and have a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Environmental Science, or related field, NSF Guam EPSCOR has a valuable graduate student research experience for you — and it’s paid!

The Graduate Research Assistantship is a three-year long program designed to train graduates in scientific research. Selected students will benefit from a tuition waiver of up to 3 years or 36 credits for the pursuit of a master’s degree, research training, faculty mentorship, potential travel opportunities, a Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub membership and an $18,000 annual stipend ($1,500 per month).

Selected applicants will participate in Marine ecology, genomics, and oceanography in the field and lab. Depending on chosen specialization, students may learn about DNA extraction and sequencing and/or how to read and analyze data to characterize marine environments. The program may involve hands-on fieldwork to investigate coral reefs or to deploy and retrieve oceanographic instruments while working at the UOG Marine Laboratory or biorepository. Graduate students will also receive support for their individual thesis defenses.

The program seeks to increase the number and diversity of students who choose careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). All qualified students are encouraged to apply, in particular Pacific islanders, LGBTQIA+, women, minorities, and students with disabilities.

The deadline to apply is 12 a.m. CHST on February 10, 2023. Late applications may be considered until the UOG Masters Application Deadline, pending availability of positions. For more information and to apply, visit https://guamepscor.uog.edu/gra/

About NSF Guam EPSCOR

The NSF Guam EPSCoR program at the University of Guam is funded by a five-year, $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Established Program for the Stimulation of Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The program aims to broaden the participation of underrepresented students in STEM fields through developing a research program that helps ensure the sustainability of coral reef ecosystems in the face of environmental change. NSF Guam EPSCoR aims to situate Guam as a premier research and STEM education hub bolstering sustainability, economic development, and informed decision-making by engaging communities in 21st-century science.