Uncategorized - Guam EPSCoR

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

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.

May 2, 2023May 3, 2023

Science and Technology committee reports progress in developing plan for Guam

At the first University of Guam- Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Science and Technology (S/T) committee meeting of 2023, members discussed ways to enhance the island wide S/T plan by examining existing state blueprints as a model/guide.

The S/T committee has been tasked with developing the island’s Science and Technology plan within the next few months. The committee’s primary focus areas are carbon offset, aquaculture, renewable energy, health care, among others.

UOG President emeritus and committee vice-chair Robert Underwood presided over the meeting. He cited several interesting elements from other state plans, specifically, how components are aligned with the established economic activity as well as the higher education research agenda in the area.

In the case of Maine, for example, he said the local lobster industry saw an economic boost through the collaboration of private sector/business support and research activities.

While the state plans provide a helpful reference, Underwood stressed the importance of developing a set of Guam-specific indices for evaluating the island’s knowledge economy as the committee creates its own plan.

“As we write our Science and Technology plan, we want to put in some benchmark upon which we can evaluate the island and ourselves on whether we are truly moving toward a knowledge economy,” Underwood said at the meeting.

Underwood recommended using the Milken Institute’s State Technology and Science Index (STSI) as a reference. The institute developed the STSI to provide a comprehensive review and ranking of the knowledge economies of all 50 US states. The territories are not included in the report.

According to Underwood, some states use the report as a basis for triangulating progress and even for supporting entrepreneurial startups. The report measures state progress using the following subindexes: research and development inputs, risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure, human capital investment, technology and science workforce, and technology concentration and dynamism.

Additionally, the meeting highlighted several accomplishments made by committee members to address the priority challenge areas.

Melanie Mendiola, GEDA administrator, and committee co-chairperson, provided an update on the Guam Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for 2020-2025 (Guam CEDS), adopted by the Office of the Governor.

The Guam CEDS includes a range of community and research-based initiatives, including circular economy and STEM-related projects, and other technology projects.

In previous meetings, the S/T committee explored methods for addressing its priority challenge areas by accessing recently opened resources to support community recovery during the pandemic.

May 1, 2023May 1, 2023

Anthony defends his Master of Science in Biology

Guam NSF EPSCoR Graduate Research Assistant Colin Anthony defended his thesis in front of his mentors, classmates and teachers at the University of Guam Marine Lab in Mangilao.

His thesis was titled, “Acclimation of Endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae: Improved Insights through Flow Cytometric Phenotypic Profiling.”

His chairperson was Dr. Bastian Bentlage. Colin’s committee consisted of Dr. Brett Taylor from the University of Guam and Dr. Cheryl Ames from Tohoku University.

April 27, 2023April 27, 2023

Guam NSF EPSCoR showcases research at sustainability conference

Graduate students, postdocs, as well as other researchers were able to speak about their work to attendees of the University of Guam Conference on Island Sustainability Conference on April 14, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Guam.

The presentations were a part of the Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium for Corals and Oceans, a breakout session presented by Guam NSF EPSCoR. The event was moderated by Sarah Lemer, Ph.D., an assistant professor of marine invertebrate genomics at the University of Guam.

Presenters included Guam NSF EPSCoR Graduate Research Assistants Colin Anthony, Therese Miller, Renee Crisostomo, and Joseph Proietti. They covered a range of topics such as using publicly available data to study global jellyfish distribution as well as evolutionary trends, the microbiome of the staghorn coral Acropora pulchra from West Hagåtña Bay, Phenotypic plasticity in Acropora aspera and its implications for coral restoration, and quantifying genotypic diversity in the coral Porites rus.

Marilyn Brandt, Ph.D., a research associate from the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies at the University of the Virgin Islands talked about Rescue to Reef, a program that links science-based coral restoration to privately-owned resorts within the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Other presenters at the breakout session included postdocs Hector Torrado and Gaurav Shimpi, who discussed their research regarding the relatedness and clonality of Acropora corals on Guam as well as mitochondria and soft corals.

Lastly, David Burdick, who manages Guam’s long-term reef monitoring program, talked about how the island’s coral reefs have changed over the last decade and how different parts of the reefs respond differently to stressors.

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 1, 2023May 3, 2023

Meet Robert Lasley: Crustacean biologist and new biorepository associate curator

The Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium for Corals and Oceans (GECCO) Biorepository, a new marine biodiversity collection operated by Guam NSF EPSCoR (National Science Foundation – Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), recently hired crustacean biologist Robert Lasley, Ph.D. as an associate curator. His responsibilities include building a marine invertebrate collection and documenting the crustaceans in Guam and the region.

Lasley’s first studied photojournalism in college. However, he soon found himself drawn to the study of biodiversity and switched his major.

After completing his undergraduate studies in Zoology at the University of Florida, he earned his Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore before becoming a curator at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in Florida.

At some point, Lasley said he took a break from academia and found work as a deckhand on an expedition yacht for a year and a half. While on break, he also travelled to remote locations and worked as a Zodiac driver.

According to Lasley, his experience operating boats and living at sea proved valuable to his work as a crustacean biologist.

“It has been important just to understand the ocean and also (to understand) practical things like how to operate a boat and how to live at sea,” he said.

Lasley ultimately returned to the field of science and worked as a researcher at the Florida Museum of Natural History. A few months ago, he began his current position as associate curator at the GECCO biorepository.

“The element that unites my background is a love for diversity. So, obviously, marine biodiversity. But also a diversity of habitats as I travel… diverse cultures and so on. The other element is a love for the ocean,” he said.

As a crustacean biologist, Lasley is interested in crab systematics and taxonomy, including describing new species and understanding how they are related. He is also studying biogeography, speciation, natural and sexual selection, and the impact of ecosystems on the evolution and diversification of land crabs.

Lasley said his work at the GECCO biorepository is strategic because Guam is close to the Coral Triangle, the most diverse marine region in the world.

March 16, 2023April 27, 2023

Visiting scholar talks nurseryfish, megamouth shark research at UOG Marine Laboratory

For the month of February, Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomed Tim M. Berra, Ph.D., a professor emeritus and academy professor at the Ohio State University as a visiting NSF EPSCoR scholar.

Berra is a three-time recipient of Fulbright Fellowships to Australia and has authored over 85 scientific papers and 9 books including Freshwater Fish Distribution and A Natural History of Australia.

In 2001, Berra began a long-term field project studying the life history of nurseryfish (Kurtus gulliveri).

Nurseryfish live in the fresh and brackish waters of Papua New Guinea as well as parts of northern Australia. Males of this species carry the egg cluster on a hook that protrudes over their forehead.

This trip was Berra’s first-time exploring Micronesia and his experiences on Guam will help contribute to a book he is writing about the Pacific.

“One of my primary interests in being here is that I’m working on a book about the peopling of the Pacific,” said Berra. “I’ve been throughout Polynesia, Melanesia, and now Micronesia. I wanted to find some answers. Where did these people come from? How long ago was it? How did they get here and what did they bring with them?”

For his research, Berra connected with several local experts such as Michael Carson, Ph.D., a University of Guam Associate Professor of Archaeology.

During his time on Guam, Berra gave three presentations to UOG Marine Laboratory students and faculty regarding his work studying nurseryfish in Australia, the challenges associated with preserving a rare 15-foot megamouth shark, and the descendants of Charles Darwin.

Regarding his time spent at the UOG Marine Laboratory, Berra expressed his excitement about the research being conducted at the facility.

“I’ve met so many people who are dealing with so many important topics like coral bleaching and restoration as well as how climate change affects marine ecosystems,” said Berra. “This is a lively place and students have such a great opportunity when it comes to the Marine Laboratory and EPSCoR to start their careers and make a contribution to science and society.”

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023

Six student researchers join Guam NSF EPSCoR

EPSCoR INCLUDES Family Orientation 2023 1

Guam NSF EPSCoR welcomed six undergraduate students from the University of Guam to its 2023 Student Research Experience (SRE) as part of an orientation ceremony held on Jan. 26, 2023, at the UOG School of Business and Public Administration.

The initiative of this internship is to increase the diversity of students who choose STEM careers.

As part of the program, these student researchers will spend a year receiving mentorship and research experience in fields such as coral genomics, invertebrate genomics, marine microbiology, molecular ecology, marine ecophysiology, and diatom diversity.

These students include Madeline Gonzalez, Thomas Babauta, Anna Mallari, Merry Ocampo, Cassandra Paule, and Brandon Respicio.

“It’s a privilege to be able to welcome and work with all of you,” said Terry Donaldson, Ph.D, the principal investigator and project director of Guam NSF EPSCoR. “Do good work and have a lot of fun!”

These students will also participate in near-peer mentorship programs which will encourage them to share their experiences and learn from participants in the NSF INCLUDES: SEAS Islands Alliance along with other programs under Guam NSF EPSCoR.

During the SRE program, the student researchers will be able to present their research at various conferences such as the National Diversity in STEM Conference held by the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics in Science, the UOG Center for Island Sustainability Conference, and the UOG CNAS Conference.

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023

Graduate student presents at American Society of Naturalists Conference

Kenzie Pollard, a University of Guam graduate biology student and Guam NSF EPSCoR Graduate Research Assistant, presented her research at the 2023 American Society of Naturalists Conference which was held from Jan. 6 – 10, 2023, in Pacific Grove, California.

The American Society of Naturalists is the oldest scientific society dedicated to the study of ecology, evolution, and behavior. The event was fully in-person and included researchers from physiology, phylogenetics, genetics, and other associated fields.

This year’s conference focused on what it means to be a naturalist and researcher in the 21st century.

During the event, Pollard presented her project, entitled, “Cryptic diversity and population connectivity of the coral guard crab, Trapezia bidentata.”

“It was my first time presenting a talk at an international conference and while I was nervous, it was exciting to share what I had spent the last few years on,” said Pollard. “I even had a professor from the University of Florida reach out to me to discuss my research and our shared interest in pocilloporid corals.”

According to Pollard, she appreciated being able to attend the talks held at the event.

“The conference itself was intriguing and packed full of interesting talks,” said Pollard. “The most impactful was the symposium on “Confronting the Legacy of Eugenics in EEB.” A necessary conversation, it raised the voices of underrepresented groups in STEM and focused on the history and impacts of eugenics as well as emphasizing what actions we may take to prevent the perpetuation of these ideologies.”

During the conference, Pollard was able to make new connections easily.

“I could meet somebody new at every meal, and coffee breaks between sessions were great opportunities to approach speakers and chat about their research,” said Pollard. “I was fortunate to attend the conference with colleagues from my undergrad and a prospective advisor for my Ph.D. They introduced me to several scientists in their network and it truly helped build my community.”