Education Workforce Development

January 27, 2022March 14, 2022

STEM internship offers hands-on experience to students

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/.

January 20, 2022March 14, 2022

Five students accepted to STEM summer research program

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.

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.

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.

January 11, 2022March 14, 2022

Search for Guam’s next conservation force underway

Guam NSF EPSCoR is a catalyst for Guam Green Growth (G3).

The call has sounded for a second crew of conservation stewards eager to further Guam’s progress in island sustainability and the emerging green economy.

The recruitment period for the second cohort of the Guam Green Growth (G3) Conservation Corps officially began on Jan. 10, 2022.

The G3 Conservation Corps is a five-month workforce development program that aims to advance and apply 12 corps members’ skills in the focus areas of agriculture and aquaculture, circular economy and zero waste, ocean conservation, invasive species management, reforestation and watershed restoration, energy conservation and renewable energy, and island beautification from March to August this year.

Corps members will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn alongside teams from partnering government agencies and private organizations in support of various conservation initiatives throughout the island, while equipping themselves for a brighter future.

“The green economy is growing on Guam, and we want to help our community prepare for the emerging workforce through this program,” said Phillip Cruz, G3 Conservation Corps coordinator.

The first G3 Conservation Corps cohort made significant strides toward our sustainable future. They recycled over 70,000 aluminum cans, planted 2,000 food crops, collected hundreds of bags of illegally dumped waste from streets and jungles, planted 2,890 trees, installed 640 solar rooftop panels, and more.

“The inaugural G3 Conservation Corps cohort made incredible contributions to our island’s sustainability in 2021,” said Austin Shelton, director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. “We are proud of what they contributed during the program and the sustainable actions they continue to make as trained citizens. This year, we look forward to a new group of conservationists who will serve our island and inspire our community.”

“We’re looking for individuals who are respectful, reliable, and aren’t afraid of hard work. If you would benefit from this workforce development program, please apply today. Share widely with your friends and family, who may also benefit from this program,” added Cruz.

How to Apply
Those interested in applying can submit their application through the G3 website at guamgreengrowth.org by Feb. 6, 2022.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have reliable transportation, and be U.S. citizens, nationals, or legal residents.

Selected applicants will be required to submit police and court clearances, purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test results, proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, submit to a drug test, and undergo a physical examination.

G3 Conservation Corps members will receive a biweekly stipend of $1,300. Members will earn up to 80 continuing education units from the university upon successful completion of the program.

The G3 Conservation Corps program is made possible through FY22 Guam Green Growth appropriation to the University of Guam.

About G3
Aligned with the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, the Guam Green Growth Initiative, or G3, cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for Guam. The University of Guam facilitates the island-wide initiative in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and over 100 members of the G3 Working Group, representing all sectors of society. Guam Green Growth in funded in part by NSF Guam EPSCoR.

December 27, 2021March 14, 2022

Come spark new industries in new Guam Green Growth Makerspace

Entrepreneurs and creators throughout the island can put their innovative abilities to work and transform waste into marketable products at one convenient location in the coming weeks.

The Guam Green Growth (G3) Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub will celebrate its grand opening to the public at 3:30 p.m. January 13, 2022, out of three houses at the CHamoru Village in Hagåtña.

The spaces will provide creators resources to upcycle items and materials in contribution to Guam’s emerging green economy. Moreover, the effort will help address the overreliance on imported products and increased amount of waste generated locally.

Alongside a green store and innovation hub offering local merchandise for the environmentally conscious and guidance for those seeking business advisement, the maker space house features an abundance of tools capable of processing wood, metal, various other materials, and plastic in a third house devoted to world-renowned Precious Plastic machines.

For a fee, creators can access a laser cutter, computer numerical control router, 3D printer, vinyl cutter, and apparatuses to shred, extrude, inject, press, and melt plastic, among other convenient equipment. Patrons can avail of the services for $50 per month or $500 per year with a 20% discount applicable to yearly memberships.

The G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub also supports G3’s mission toward establishing sustainable and profitable cottage industries, improving the performance of enterprise facilitation and development programs, and supporting regional economic development.

The center’s managing and support staff are seasoned in business and product development and are willing to share their skills and knowledge with those utilizing the spaces. Those eager to learn can attend creative workshops and hear from members of the University of Guam (UOG) School of Business and Public Administration, Guam Unique Merchandise and Arts, the Small Business Development Center, and the Guam Economic Development Authority. Additionally, products created can be sold in the green store on consignment.

Myracle Mugol, G3 circular economy coordinator, sees the operation as a place to grow with like-minded people and convenient resources, what she says can be missing factors for ideas to come to fruition.

“When people ask me about the space and all the things that come with it, I tell them it’s my three Cs of G3: curation of equipment, tools, and workshops to make our ideas happen; collaboration with development and resource partners, who assist with the innovation and expansion into business and cooperatives; and community – the people surrounding these spaces, who allow for ideas to grow, develop, and move,” said Mugol.

“The community is the support and backbone for sustainability; the very change-makers who push the culture needed for the initiatives to move forward,” she continued.

“Our team looks forward to the opening of the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub and all the creative products that will be developed by our talented community,” stated Dr. Austin Shelton, director of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. “The hub will reduce our island’s waste and diversify our economy through the stimulation of new green industries.”

The G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium for Corals and Oceans, better known as EPSCoR GECCO, GEDA, and the Office of the Governor.

Ahead of the January 13 grand opening, the Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub is currently open for small tours which can be arranged via email to mugolm@triton.uog.edu.

About G3
Aligned with the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, the Guam Green Growth Initiative, or G3, cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for Guam. The University of Guam facilitates the island-wide initiative in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and the 99 members of the G3 Working Groups, representing all sectors of society.

December 22, 2021March 14, 2022

Students present and win at STEM conference

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.