UOG’s Mandapat selected for Obama Foundation Leadership Program

Update

Kyle Mandapat, assistant director for communications at the University of Guam Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability, has been selected for the Obama Foundation 2023 Leaders Asia-Pacific program.

“I am so excited for this opportunity to represent our island and our people. I look forward to learning and sharing alongside some great minds from around the world during this program,” said Mandapat, who also handles communications for the National Science Foundation’s Established Program for the Stimulation of Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program at UOG.

Mandapat joins 34 emerging changemakers from the Asia-Pacific region who will participate in the leadership program from February to July 2023. The program will offer virtual skill-building workshops, network-building opportunities, and a variety of conversations with issue-area experts while focusing on individual growth as a leader.

Mandapat has more than 15 years of experience as an on-air personality for radio and television, a print and digital media writer, and a former vice president of operations at Sorensen Media Group.

At UOG, Mandapat’s responsibilities include the development and implementation of strategies for publicizing research and outreach activities to the science community and the public.

Mandapat said, “I hope to be able to bring back everything that I have learned during this program and use it to benefit our people. I look forward to hearing about solutions from around the planet and seeing how they can apply to our troubles and challenges here in Guam.”

At the end of the program, participants will become part of the Obama Foundation’s leadership network. To date, the program has built a network of 270 leaders across 36 nations and territories, working across various sectors and issue areas.

March 5, 2023December 31, 2024

Guam Green Growth Shares Success with Region

Update

The Guam Green Growth (G3) Steering Committee Co-Chairs, Lt. Governor Joshua F. Tenorio and UOG Center for Island Sustainability & Sea Grant Director Dr. Austin Shelton, conducted a series of presentations and discussions with President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr. and his Cabinet earlier this month. Following the success of G3 implementation projects, new funding from the Local2030 Islands Network and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will enable Guam to help neighboring islands establish their own green growth initiatives. The regional coalition will create new green industries and jobs to support a sustainable and prosperous future.

Governor of Guam Lourdes Leon Guerrero committed Guam as a founding member of the Local2030 Islands Network during the 2019 U.N. General Assembly. She then promulgated Executive Order 2019-23 to establish the G3 Working Group. G3 is now the most comprehensive public-private partnership ever created to achieve a sustainable and prosperous future for the island of Guam. The executive order appointed over 100 members from all sectors society to the working group and assigned UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant to facilitate the island-wide initiative.

“Our administration is committed to creating a sustainable future for Guam and our region. We are working to reduce vulnerabilities to external forces and improve our food security and economic prosperity through a green growth approach,” stated Lt. Governor Joshua Tenorio.

“Guam Green Growth is becoming a bright spot that we are pleased to share with our island neighbors. In just a few years, we’ve launched three G3 Community Gardens, a G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub at the CHamoru Village, graduated two cohorts of G3 Conservation Corps, and more,” shared Dr. Austin Shelton.

About Guam Green Growth

Aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Guam Green Growth cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for Guam. UOG facilitates the island-wide initiative in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and the 100 members of the G3 Working Group representing all sectors of our society. To track Guam’s progress on the G3 Dashboard and to find out how you can take action on sustainability, visit www.guamgreengrowth.org.

January 10, 2023December 31, 2024

UOG Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps recruiting 12

Update

The University of Guam is recruiting for the third cohort of the Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps (G3CC).

The five-month workforce development program is looking for 12 new members.

The group will be involved in weekly modules that will help prepare them for a career in the emerging green economy.

Focus areas will include renewable energy, zero waste, watershed restoration, endangered species preservation, agriculture, aquaculture, circular economy, invasive species removal, and more.

“We are excited to begin the third season of the G3 Conservation Corps,” said Director Austin J. Shelton of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. “This program is preparing our people to enter the growing field of green jobs and help create a sustainable future for our island at the same time.”

According to program coordinator Phillip Cruz, G3 Conservation Corps gives members in-depth and in-person exposure to sustainable disciplines and work areas.

“G3CC members will literally get their hands dirty, and their feet wet, with the various activities in conservation and sustainability across the island,” said Cruz. “Experts will mentor the cohort each week, giving them hands-on experience in the various fields.”

Along with professional development opportunities, the corps can also earn 10 continuing education units (CEU) from the University of Guam’s Global Learning and Engagement program for every 10 hours worked, up to 80 for the entire five-month program.

According to Cruz, of the 12 positions available, 10 are for Conservation Corps leaders who will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $1,300 and two are for Conservation Corps supervisors who will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $1,500.

Interested individuals can apply here with applications being accepted from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1, 2023.

January 3, 2023December 31, 2024

Stakeholders join to address housing needs on Guam

Update

The UOG Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) and Sea Grant were honored to be a part of the first Guam Homeless Coalition Conference at the Hyatt Regency Guam on Nov. 10, 2022.

Sponsored by the Office of the Governor and hosted in collaboration with Guam Green Growth, the conference brought together agencies, NGO’s and individuals working together to find solutions for the unhoused population of Guam.

Panelist Leinani Naholowa’a from Catholic Social Services applauded the summit’s ability to bring together stakeholders and groups wanting to make a difference for the houseless community.

“We need to have more conversations. There is so much stigma surrounding homelessness, there is so much stigma surrounding mental health problems, around family violence, and it is perpetuating this on our island because we don’t want to talk about it,” explained Naholowa.

Nahalowa would like to see the efforts grow to include the entire island community doing what they can to address the housing crisis on Guam.

“The only way we are going to break these stigmas so that we can work together as a community, and not just everyone in the room who are already doing the work, is to hold more spaces and have more conversations about these hard topics,” she added.

CIS and Sea Grant personnel facilitated panel discussions, break-out sessions, and on-line streaming to assist with the positive flow of the event. Many attendees expressed their appreciation for being face-to–face with colleagues they had previously known only from emails and phone calls.

The conversations and interactions among participants were lively, productive, and positive. Captain Yasmin Acosta of the Salvation Army, impressed by a panelist’s comments during the Real Estate and Landlords panel, asked how to cultivate finding more landlords as compassionate as him.

Landlord Sinforoso Tolentino replied that they should continue their proactive approach with solid, on-going communication between tenants, property owners, and service providers. Tolentino praised the efforts of the Salvation Army team for their rapid responses to any issues that arise.

Attendees expressed their appreciation of the conference and how it facilitated interagency and service provider dialogues about what the various agencies were doing and what still needs to be done. Although the conference addressed a daunting problem, the people in the room were committed to taking positive steps toward making a difference.

January 3, 2023December 31, 2024

**G3 Conservation Corps alum helps grow native ifit trees at CIS**

Update

One of the plant nurseries at the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) is filling up with native ifit seedlings thanks to the addition of Jacob Concepcion to the team.

“Our Natural Resources division hired a recent graduate of the G3 Conservation Corps, and he is doing excellent work,” said Else Demeulenaere, associate director of CIS.

Concepcion was born and raised in Guam and remembers hearing people talking about ifit trees (the territorial tree of Guam), but he had never really seen them and did not understand the deeper cultural meaning of the tree.

It wasn’t until he worked on the Guam Restoration of Watersheds (GROW) initiative planting seedlings that he came to know ifit trees.

Through his work at GROW, he learned about the G3 Conservation Corps and was accepted into the second cohort last March. Under the G3 program, he worked in the native plant nursery at Guam DoAg Forestry division where Pat Quenga taught him nursery skills, how to propagate seeds, and nurture native plants with fertilizer and love.

“I love planting ifit and am always on the lookout for seeds. Ifit trees are firm and strong like the people of Guam,” enthused Concepcion.

He collects seeds ifit from trees he knows around the island and germinates them in the CIS nursery. He now takes care of over 70 seedlings, preparing them for outplanting in the native reforestation projects in Guam.

Concepcion is truly grateful for all he learned while working with GROW, the G3 Conservation Corps, and for the opportunity to work outside with plants to help restore native plants in the island. CIS is grateful to have him and the enthusiasm and expertise he brings.

January 3, 2023December 31, 2024

Guam Green Growth raises ground on third community garden

Update

The Dededo Sports Complex is the site of the Guam Green Growth (G3) and Guahan Sustainable Culture’s (GSC) third community garden. The ground raising was held on November 1st with members of the community, dignitaries, and volunteers out to celebrate the occasion.

“Our organization is four-years old and to have this ground raising for our third garden shows how much support we have from the community, which is really encouraging,” said Michelle Crisostomo, co-founder and president of GSC.

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) and Sea Grant was there in force to support and showcase the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of Zero Hunger, Good Health & Well-being, Sustainable Cities & Communities.

UOG CIS and Sea Grant Director Austin Shelton commented on the meaning of the occasion, “Having the third community garden means we are making progress toward our sustainable future. The more gardens we have the more opportunities for education and examples of food security for the island to get people involved and taking action toward reducing our reliance on imported food. These gardens benefit all of us.”

Marlon Oberiano, co-founder of GSC, was inspired to give the garden a circular design after visiting the botanical gardens in Chicago. “The concentric circle design allows for expansion with the spaces between the beds wide enough for wheelbarrows and wheelchairs to pass.” She explained that a key feature of this garden is the use of repurposed materials such as concrete blocks obtained from Pacific Soils & Engineering from their PSI testing on concrete for airport tarmacs and roads. “We use the blocks to define the garden beds. The raised beds were made by our partners at Farm to Table and give access for all people to get their hands in the soil.” said Oberiano.

Guam Clearinghouse director Stephanie Flores, summarized the event perfectly, “When we consider the community first it guides us through everything we do and all that comes from that can only be good. The pandemic has taught us if the ships stop coming, we’re in big trouble. Taking care of ourselves, taking care of the land, and taking care of each other leads to a more prosperous society.”

December 12, 2022December 31, 2024

G3 and GSC launch first-ever Guam Grower’s Calendar to kick-off 2023

Update

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability (CIS), Sea Grant, Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative, and the National Science Foundation EPSCoR program officially launched two community calendars for 2023 at the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub.

More than just a tool for organizing and tracking important dates, Austin Shelton, Ph.D., director of Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability, said the new calendars highlight information that promotes a land and sea approach to food sustainability.

“We import over 90 percent of all the food and goods we consume, and we want to reduce that number. The tide chart calendar shows how to catch more local fish and use our abundant local resources in our pelagic areas and the deep ocean. And with the grower’s calendar, we are showing how we can cultivate our land — starting with our own backyard — help community gardens, and bring more local food to families,” Shelton said.

The Guam Grower’s Calendar (Fanha’aniyan Manåmon Guåhan) features photos of fresh local produce. It also includes the CHamoru lunar seasons, growing tips, and pest and disease management guides. The UOG team partnered with Guåhan Sustainable Culture (GSC) for the publication.

The Tide Chart Calendar features photos of some of Guam’s best rod and reel catches, which were selected from locally submitted entries from a photo call-out in August. In addition, the calendar includes information about moon phases and sustainable fishing tips. It also features local tide charts provided by the UOG Marine Laboratory.

“Our publications team and our partners have worked hard to bring amazing information to our children and our community. This is something that we have talked about — a lot of folks are looking at ways to help people grow and catch their own food. So, both calendars are definitely going to help in those areas,” said Kyle Mandapat, assistant director for communications at Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability.

The two calendars are the first two deliverables from a UOG Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability project that focuses on developing and delivering place-based educational resources in marine, environmental, and sustainability sciences. The project received funding from the Governor’s Education Assistance and Youth Empowerment Grant program.

“We are excited and appreciative about all the work that has been put into this project to be able to give locally produced materials to our students,” Sylvia Calvo, GDOE school program consultant, said at the launching.

The community can get copies of the calendars at the UOG Sea Grant office or the G3 Makerspace and Innovation Hub at the CHamoru Village. A digital version of the calendars can also be downloaded at uog.edu/seagrant.

November 18, 2022December 31, 2024

Shelton speaks on island struggles and gains at Obama Foundation forum

Update

Amidst the decline of democratic processes across the globe, how do marginalized communities climate-proof democracy? Austin Shelton, PhD, director of University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, joined changemakers in discussing this issue at a recent forum organized by the Obama Foundation.

The Foundation hosted its first Democracy Forum at the Javits Center in New York City on November 17, in partnership with Columbia University and the University of Chicago. The forum brought together emerging leaders from across Obama Foundation programs with leading experts and practitioners who are reimagining our institutions and strengthening democratic values across the globe.

Shelton spoke about Guam’s experience in “Lightning Talk: Democracy and Climate Change.” The segment featured subject matter experts and leaders who discussed their work in strengthening and expanding democracy across the globe.

According to Shelton, colonization interrupted the island’s sustainable existence by creating a dependence on an external power. But climate change has emerged as another external force that threatens the existence of communities and erodes island democracies.

“It (climate change) is an existential crisis across the whole planet but even more, it is a clear and present danger in the islands. Places that contribute the least impact to the causes of climate change now suffer its wrath. We experience rising sea levels, more frequent and intense storms, and warming waters that bleach and kill our coral reefs.”

He added: “As rising seas chew away on our shores; we lose our land. If islanders become climate migrants, or even climate refugees, what happens to our submerged lands? What happens to our sovereignty? If we are forced to move to somebody else’s higher land in a foreign place, what happens to our people?”

Shelton said climate change is eroding democracy and is also preventing the emergence of stronger democratic institutions. However, he added, while islands have struggles, islands are not powerless.

“That is why we are taking hope into action to end the interruption in our sustainable existence. We build on our legacy of ancient island wisdom, innovate on the present and navigate the waters to our sustainable future,” he emphasized.

As a multi-sectoral initiative, Guam Green Growth and its component programs will place the island back on the path of sustainability, according to Shelton.

For one, he said the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub is charting a pathway for the emerging green economy, as supported by the G3 Conservation Corps, a workforce development program focused on sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, renewable energy, and other areas. In addition, the island wide G3 community garden project continues to serve as beacons of food security and education.

At the forum, former US President Barack Obama said that since its inception, the Foundation’s mission has been to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of change-makers. Now, the Foundation has a global network of leaders, not just in the United States but in Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America.

“I just have to say, the determination and the passion of these leaders, many of whom are here, are already making an impact, in lives saved, environments restored, children educated. Many of you are creating new models for clean energy restoration, new ways of thinking about poverty alleviation, and it is inspiring.”

Obama said that the Foundation will be launching a new and expanded Leaders USA program in the coming months that can help more young people put their idealism to work.

November 5, 2022December 31, 2024

UOG students make waves, broaden connections at SACNAS

Update

More than the experience of attending a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) event outside the island, the University of Guam delegation also earned accolades, learned more about diversity and expanded their network at the National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) conference in Puerto Rico.

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) organized the event from October 27 through October 29. The conference drew thousands of college-levels through professional attendees from historically excluded communities throughout the states and territories.

The conference seeks to equip, empower, and energize participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM.

Austin Shelton, Ph.D. UOG Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability director, Education Workforce and Development coordinator for Guam NSF EPSCoR and SACNAS board member said the conference is the perfect place to expose students to opportunities in STEM. “This is really an important event for our students at the University of Guam. It is the largest multicultural and multidisciplinary STEM diversity conference in the nation. This year, it is the biggest that the conference has ever been. Over half of that are students and over half of them are professionals, and as important, exhibitors who are bringing in opportunities to students in the areas of graduate school or employment in agencies, in nonprofits, in nongovernmental organizations.”

According to Shelton, 51 students and faculty from UOG took advantage of these tremendous opportunities at the conference. Aside from immersing participants in STEM research and professional development sessions, the conference also encouraged engagement in and the sharing of multicultural celebrations and traditions.

Cheryl R. Sangueza, Ph.D. assistant professor of secondary education said attending the conference was a success not only for academic and research opportunities, but also because the Guam delegation left a positive footprint for the island and the university. She believes that the experience “possibly changed life trajectories for the UOG students.

“Our students were engaged in professional networking and found exciting academic and research opportunities, they met new friends and explored new places and cultures, and they were successfully immersed in a culture of scientific research. “Seeing and feeling like they belong at a STEM conference combined with connecting with graduate school and research opportunities illuminated new options and choices for many,” she said.

Sangueza is also the co-principal investigator for the National Science Foundation’s INCLUDES SEAS Islands Alliance Guam Hub and oversees student experience for NSF Guam EPSCoR.

More than 10 UOG students took part in the poster presentations at the conference. One of the students, Michael Fernandez, received recognition for his undergraduate poster presentation on “Host Tree and Mycorrhizal Diversity of Epiphytic Orchids Native to Guam.”

Alyssa Calalo, an NSF INCLUDES student researcher, also presented a poster on “Assessing the Use of Pre-germinated and Soaked Seed of Native Plant Species for Badland Restoration: Lab and Field Trials.”

The UOG undergraduate in biology described her SACNAS experience as inspirational. “It was eye opening meeting scientists with the same culture and values, and it made me feel seen and motivated to keep going! My presentation revolved all around using native plants important to the CHamoru culture to restore badlands that have been affected by erosion. I conducted my research project at Ugum Watersheds. My presentation was a great experience for me, and I was able to connect with people from different labs and cultures – network and share ideas on how to keep the project going!”

SACNAS fosters the success of underrepresented Americans – from college students to professionals – in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and leadership positions in science, technology engineering, and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM. It is the largest multicultural and multidisciplinary STEM diversity organization in the United States, serving more than 20,000 students and professionals.

October 27, 2022December 31, 2024

Sustainable Spotlight: Professors share their sustainable home

Update

A house that sits atop an elevated land in Talo’fo’fo’ attracts passers-by with its unique glass exterior. But beyond its curb appeal, the home has more to offer — it is also a model of sustainable design and function, according to its homeowners, social work professors Gerhard Schwab and Vivian Dames.

Dames said, “People sometimes refer to the house as ‘the boat house or the chapel or the church.’ It has been called many different things because of its modern design.”

Over the years, the house has been retrofitted with energy-efficient features that optimize the use of available resources in the environment. For instance, the house design uses passive ventilation to naturally cool living and workspaces.

“We have ceiling fans in every room. When we built this extension, we designed it so that in the hot afternoon sun, it doesn’t come in in any windows. So, it keeps that side of the house very cool,” Dames said.

Dames and Schwab also invested in a solar energy system that produces enough power for the home and an electric car.

“We have 40 panels out there and that is just enough to cover the household, the fridge, washer and the air conditioner plus our electric car. We have our solar panels covering our entire energy needs,” Schwab said.

The house also has a rainwater catchment system to support the non-potable requirements of the household. According to Dames, the system was designed into the house. In fact, the house has a pitched roof that catches and filters rainwater which feeds into a 2000-gallon fiberglass tank.

“We collect rainwater, and we have two tanks at the back. So, we collect the rainwater and then we pump it back in the house. When we take a shower and wash the dishes, it is all rainwater,” Schwab said.

According to Dames, building a fully sustainable home on island takes a while. “It is important to emphasize that it is difficult on Guam to establish a fully sustainable home environment quickly because it takes time and it takes resources and very importantly, you have to have the external support of people who are experts in the field and the infrastructure. to support sustainable living.” Dames added, “What we have today is something that is the result of years of envisioning and trying things and experimenting.”

Apart from having an energy efficient home, Dames and Schwab also practice sustainable living.

Schwab said, “Guam is very difficult in terms of removing or reducing our ecological footprint. One of my goals is to work on eating more locally produced food and cutting down airline traffic and not flying as much anymore.”

He added, “For us, although the economic savings is nice, trying to live an environmentally conscious life comes out of our fundamental beliefs in a social ecology. It is a framework that comes out of our being social workers and also our faith, our Catholic social teaching about the importance of stewardship. And our responsibility to be good stewards of the gifts of creation.”