In recognition for his efforts in building good relations in the Pacific, he received a Presidential Merit Award from President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines and congratulatory resolutions from the Pohnpei, FSM and Northern Marianas Legislatures. He has also been honored by several national Asian Pacific American organizations and was named citizen of the year by the National Association of Bilingual Education in 1996 and Alumnus of the Year by Cal State University Los Angeles in 2000.

His public service includes an appointment to the National Advisory Council on Bilingual Education during President Carter’s administration and an appointment by President Obama to the National Board of Education Sciences. He also served as Chairman of the Chamorro Language Commission for over a decade and is widely acknowledged as a leading authority on cultural, educational and linguistic issues in Guam and Micronesia. He was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Guam Humanities Council and is the only Professor Emeritus of Bilingual-Bicultural Education of the University of Guam.

In 2003, he helped create the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund and served as the first Chairman of the Board. He has worked on several research projects with the East West Center, the University of Hawaii and the Asian Pacific Center for Security Studies.

Robert was born in Guam (1948) and educated in Guam and California. He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Guam (1965) and received a Bachelor’s (1969) and Masters Degree in history (1971) from Cal State University, Los Angeles. He holds a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Southern California.