Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA)

GEC / GECCO

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2025

Xavier De Ramos

Mentor: Ciemon Caballes, Ph.D

Lauren Kallen

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Garret O'Donnell

Mentor: David Combosch, Ph.D

Zoe Trumphour

Mentor: Heloise Rouze, Ph.D

Andrew O'neal

Mentor: Atsushi Fujimura, Ph.D

Anela Duenas

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Nikko Galanto

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Diana Noto

Mentor: Robert Lasley, Ph.D

2024

Olivia Barry

Mentor: Sarah Lemer , Ph.D

Thesis: The Larval Survivorship and Population Genetics Of Leptastrea In The Southern Mariana Islands

Pablo De La Vega Basurto

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Courtney 'Star' Dressler

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Thesis: Diel cycles of Prochlorococcus spp. across the north Pacific subtropical gyre

Grace Jackson

Mentor: Tom Schils, Ph.D

Reilly Kleven

Mentor: Tom Schils , Ph.D

Karina Mejia

Mentor: Daniel Lindstrom, Ph.D

Andrew O’Neil

Mentor: Atsushi Fujimura, Ph.D

Joseph Proietti

Mentor: David Combosch, Ph.D

Thesis: First Assessment of Population Genetic Structure Across The Mariana Archipelago

2023

Colin Anthony

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

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

Mackenzie Heagy

Mentor: Tom Schils, Ph.D

Thesis: Diversity and Biogeography of the Mastophoraceae in the Mariana Islands

Therese Miller

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Thesis: The microbiome of the staghorn coral Acropora pulchra from West Hagåtña Bay

Grace McDermott

Mentor: Laurie Raymundo, Ph.D

Thesis: Intraspecific color variation in Porites cylindrica: the role of color variation in coral resilience

Carlos Tramonte

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Thesis: Coral Species Replacements on Guam’s Reef Flats: Investigating the Role of Symbiodiniaceae Dynamics and Environmental Stressors

Sarai Vega

Mentor: Atsushi Fujimura, Ph.D

2022

Justin Berg

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Thesis: Here’s the Dirt: Sedimentation Effects on Coral Microbiomes

Kenzie Pollard

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Thesis: Cryptic diversity and population connectivity of the coral-guard crab, Trapezia bidendata

2021

Ka’ohinhani Kawahigashi

Mentor: Terry Donaldson, Ph.D

Thesis: Reproductive Behavior of Gomphosus Varius (Labridae) in Relation to Current Patterns at a Spawning Aggregation Site: Implications for Larval Dispersal

Constance Sartor

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Thesis: Transcriptomic Signatures of Acclimation in ‘Susceptible’ Acropora Surculosa and ‘Resistant’ Porites Rus

2020

Kelsie Ebeling-Whited

Mentor: Terry Donaldson, Ph.D

Thesis: Mating Success of the Sixthalassoma Hardwicke, Bar Wrasse (Labridae) Utilizing Two Mating Strategies

Dareon-Lou Rios

Mentor: David Combosch, Ph.D

Thesis: The Population Genetic Structure of Acropora pulchra in Guam

Victoria Moscato

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Thesis: Characterizing the role of heat stress resistance of the scleractinian coral Acropora surculose

Karim Primov

Mentor: David Combosch, Ph.D

Thesis: The Phylogenetics and Population Genomics of Cryptic Lineages of massive Porites on Guam

Student Research Experience (SRE)

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

Year 5 (2025)

Napu Camacho

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Ale’a Duenas

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Diego Quiogue

Mentor: Robert Lasley, Ph.D

Maya Flores

Mentor: Christopher Lobban, Ph.D

Year 4 (2024)

Ave Lyn Medina

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Mya Ngemaes

Mentor: Ciemon Caballes, Ph.D

MaryJolleen Perez

Mentor: Christopher Lobban, Ph.D

Nicole Pineda

Mentor: Heloise Rouze, Ph.D

Daniel Urbano

Mentor: Robert Lasley, Ph.D

Year 3 (2023)

Madeline Gonzalez

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Anna Mallari

Mentor: Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Merry Ann Ocampo

Mentor: Christopher Lobban, Ph.D

Cassandra Paule

Mentor: Ciemon Caballes, Ph.D

Brandon Respicio

Mentor: Heloise Rouze, Ph.D

Year 2 (2022)

Antoni Aleksander Badowski

Mentor: Daniel Lindstrom, Ph.D

Project: Genetic Barcoding of all Amphidromous Shrimp Native to Guam

Zaine Benavente

Mentor: David Combosch, Ph.D

Project: Genetic Barcoding of Cryptic Massive Porites Species in Guam’s Reef Flats

Jacquelyn Renee Cabusi

Mentor: Atsushi Fujimura, Ph.D

Project: Evaluating the Impact of Anthropogenic Chemicals on Coral Health

Anela Eliza K Duenas

Mentor: Tom Schils, Ph.D

Project: Succession of Crustose Calcifying Red Algae Communities in Experimental Versus Natural Environments

Lynn Grace Galang

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Project: Taxonomic and Genetic Diversity of the Corallivorous Snail, Drupella spp., on Guam

Louise Pascua

Mentor: Daniel Lindstrom, Ph.D

Project: Genetic Barcoding of All Amphidromous and Freshwater Nerite and Thiarid Snails Native to Guam

Monita Paule

Mentor: Christopher Lobban, Ph.D

Project: The Diatom Plagiotropis as a Test for Regional Endemicity in a Marine Microbe

Gabriella Piper

Mentor: Terry Donaldson, Ph.D & Christopher Lobban, Ph.D

Project: The Population Genetic Structure of Acropora pulchra in Guam

Hunter Edmund Sidell

Mentor: Daniel Lindstrom, Ph.D

Project: Genetic Barcoding of all Amphidromous Shrimp Native to Guam

Rita Edrianna G Taitague

Mentor: Terry Donaldson, Ph.D & Christopher Lobban, Ph.D

Project: The Population Genetic Structure of Acropora pulchra in Guam

Year 1 (2021)

Laura Caser

Mentor: Sarah Lemer, Ph.D

Project: Characterization of the coralivorous snail Drupella on Guam, using Genetic Analyses

Mercy Gilniy

Mentor: Tom Schils, Ph.D

Project: The Population Genetic Structure of Acropora pulchra in Guam

Onglibl Diana Rae Lakobong

Mentor: Terry Donaldson, Ph.D

Project: Diatoms species diversity between latitudinal climate gradient of the northern and southern regions of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Ariana Orallo

Mentor: Laurie Raymundo, Ph.D

Project: Differences in Competitive Ability Between Two Colors Morphs of Porites cylindrica

Louise Pascua

Mentor: Daniel Lindstrom, Ph.D

Project: Genetic Barcoding of all Amphidromous Nerite and Thiaridae Snails Native to Guam

Merry Jubiliane Remetira

Mentor: Atsushi Fujimura, Ph.D

Project: The Relationship between Seagrass Cover and Water Physicochemical Parameters in Achang Bay, Guam

Summer Math Research Program (SMRP)

Mentors

SMRA

SMRE

Mentors

Leslie Aquino, Ph.D

Year 1 (2021)
Year 2 (2022)
Year 4 (2024)

Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D

Year 1 (2021)
Year 2 (2022)
Year 4 (2024)

Ciemon Caballes, Ph.D.

Year 2 (2022)

Jaeyong Choi, Ph.D

Year 1 (2021)
Year 2 (2022)
Year 4 (2024)

Hyunju Oh, Ph.D

Year 1 (2021)
Year 2 (2022)
Year 4 (2024)

Laurie Raymundo, Ph.D

Year 1 (2021)
Year 4 (2024)

Summer Math Research Assistants (SMRA)

Regina Mae Dominguez

Year 1 (2021)

Jaron Bautista

Year 1 (2021)

Jovic Cassi

Year 2 (2022)

Cabrini Aguon

Year 2 (2022)

John Christian Sual

Year 3 (2023)

Samuel Wheaton

Year 4 (2024)

Summer Math Research Experience (SMRE)

Year 4 (2024)

Joanna Laguana

Project: An analysis of coral transplantations and bacterial networks on Guam

Sean McManus

Project: An analysis of coral transplantations and bacterial networks on Guam

Sean Pascua

Project: An analysis of coral transplantations and bacterial networks on Guam

Yoonji Seo

Project: An analysis of coral transplantations and bacterial networks on Guam

Carlo Tapia

Project: An analysis of coral transplantations and bacterial networks on Guam

Year 3 (2023)

Tabitha Abay

Project: Statistical Analysis on Acropora aspera and White Syndrome Outbreak in
Guam

Randy Ebilane

Project: Statistical Analysis on Acropora aspera and White Syndrome Outbreak in
Guam

Gabriel Florencio

Project: Modeling the Spread of White Syndrome Disease Using a Closed Disease Compartment System

Pedro Medina Jr.

Project: Modeling the Spread of White Syndrome Disease Using a Closed Disease Compartment System

Ian Galang

Project: Statistical Analysis on Acropora aspera and White Syndrome Outbreak in
Guam

Year 2 (2022)

Christine Barrozo

Project: A Mathematical Model of Coral Response to Disease with Bleaching and Algae Interactions within the Island of Guam

Ernie Samelo

Project: A Mathematical Model of Coral Response to Disease with Bleaching and Algae Interactions within the Island of Guam

Aaron Gonzales

Project: A Mathematical Model of Coral Reef Response to Predator-Prey Interactions, Human Control on Crown of Thorns Starfish, and Rises in Temperature

Darryl Dela Cruz

Project: A Mathematical Model of Coral Reef Response to Predator-Prey Interactions, Human Control on Crown of Thorns Starfish, and Rises in Temperature

Brandon Respicio

Project: A Mathematical Model of Coral Response to Disease with Bleaching and Algae Interactions within the Island of Guam

Year 1 (2021)

Aaron Bumagat

Project: Mathematical Model and Analysis of the Effects of Overfishing on Coral Reef Ecosystems

Michelle Lucas

Project: Mathematical Model and Analysis of the Effects of Overfishing on Coral Reef Ecosystems

Henry Song

Project: Mathematical Model and Analysis of the Effects of Overfishing on Coral Reef Ecosystems

Loreto Paulino

Project: Investigating Coral Resiliency through Mathematical Modeling

Ethan Vargas

Project: Investigating Coral Resiliency through Mathematical Modeling