Designer of the UOG Logo Recognized

A draftsman by profession, Mr. Jose Martinez Flores created the University of Guam seal about 50 years ago after the institution was renamed the University of Guam in 1968. UOG President Robert A. Underwood recently recognized Flores for his work in creating the seal as it is still used as the institution’s primary visual identity. Pictured seated from left:  Maria Patricia Flores, Mr. Jose Martinez Flores, and Catherine McCollum;  pictured standing from left:  Jade San Nicolas, Monica Flores San Nicolas, Underwood, and Antoinette Flores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UOG Student Government Association

Officers of the University of Guam’s Student Government Association recently received certification at the National Conference on Student Leadership in Washington D.C. on November 24, 2009. In the last three years the UOG SGA has sent 25 students for certification and all have returned home certified student leaders. Pictured at the back from L to R: SGA President Benjamin F.A. Leon Guerrero II and SGA Senator Christian Santiago. Middle Row from L to R: SGA Vice-President Lisa Maureen Meeks, SGA Senators Regina Bato, Frank Lee Borja, Bianca Nguyen, Leonora Balajadia and Senator Heather Leon Guerrero. Front Row kneeling L to R: SGA Secretary Leilani Sablan, SGA Senators Charles Santos and Paciano Gumataotao. Leon Guerrero received his certification in 07, while Meeks and Santos were certified in 08. All other individuals pictured were certified in 2009.

Similar to the first survey in March 2009, this second survey asked Guam consumers to assess their experience with the local business conditions, in particular, their income and employment experience, as well the regional and global economy.  In addition, the survey asked Guam consumers to look 12 months forward to evaluate their prospects on the same five areas, as well as their plans to purchase big-ticket items and to vacation.  The Septembersurvey garnered 315 respondents and results include:

·         On balance, respondents assessed their current situation to have met or exceeded expectations they formed 12 months ago.  Supportive of this finding have been the significant decreases in the percent of respondents who assessed their current situation to be “much worse than last year’s” in all five areas and those who replied “worse than last year’s” in all areas except “local income situation” and “global business conditions”.

·         Guam consumers are more optimistic about the future prospects of the local economy than they were six months ago.  This can be seen by comparing survey results between March and September 2009 which show proportionately more respondents with positive prospects, proportionately less with negative prospects, and, on balance, increases (although smaller) in those with neutral prospects.

·         In terms of planned purchases of big-ticket items, both March and September surveys show Guam consumers to be as cautious in March 2009 as they were in September 2009.  Both surveys show two categories of big-ticket items, TV and other audio-visual equipment and air conditioner, to be the most likely to make it to consumers’ purchase plans in the next 12 months.

·         Guam consumers’ greater confidence in future economic conditions was better captured in their responses to the September 2009 survey with regard to their vacation plans in the next 12 months.  Our September 2009 survey shows a noticeable increase in the percent of those who are likely to travel within Micronesia/Western Pacific, Asia or to the US mainland in the next 12 months compared to those who replied similarly in the March 2009 survey.  Between the two surveys, the Philippines and Japan continue to be the top two Asian destinations.  The September 2009 survey shows a significant interest to vacation in Australia, which topped the destinations among countries other than those in Micronesia/Western Pacific, Asia or the US mainland.

            “These two surveys represent the beginning of a data series on one of the very important measures of the Guam economy,” said Maria Claret Ruane, Ph.D, UOG School of Business and Public Administration economics professor and in-house economist for the PCEI.  “The next survey will be conducted in March 2009, at which point, we will have the first opportunity to check for possible seasonal effects on consumer confidence.”

PRESENTATION AND WORKSHOP BY UNITED NATION'S EXPERT ON DECOLONIZATION- DR. CARLYLE CORBIN

Green Student Internship (Teaching Assistant)
UOG Green is proud to offer seven student internships supporting sustainability initiatives. Work will support energy conservation and recycling. Positions are ten hours a week from November to May. Pay starts at $7.28 per hour. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume showing relevant experience (education, jobs, volunteer work) to uoggreen@uog.edu by Friday, October 30, 2009. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply.
 
 
Ann Rasmussen
Sustainability Coordinator
University of Guam
(671)735-0214
www.uog.edu/UOGGreen

UOG Guam Community and Economic Development Conference
Adds Featured Speaker: Certified Economic Developer Gayle M. Cooper
 
UOG’s Guam Community and Economic Development Forum confirmed another featured speaker for its November 12 & 13 event: Gayle M. Cooper, Certified Economic Developer, Executive Director of the Economic Development Group of Eloy, Arizona, and member of the International Economic Development Council.
 
Cooper will present on day two of the forum under the session, “Guam: the Making of the Pacific Tiger,” and her presentation will cover the essentials of strategic economic development. Her presentation will touch on a series of discussion points and segue to the “Buildup and Post-Buildup Economic Development Opportunities”
panel where four panelists will address economic development opportunities during and after the buildup.
 
Cooper joins other featured speakers Derek J. Mitchell, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, who will give a broad overview of Guam’s role in Asia and the current state of the Guam Buildup, and Republic of the Philippines Senator Richard Gordon, who will share his insight on the overall Asian economies and the redevelopment of economic zones.

For more information or to register for the forum, visit www.uog.edu/economicforum. Early bird registration is $125 until Oct. 30 and $145 thereafter. UOG faculty and alumni rates are $100, and a limited number of $25 seats are available for UOG students.
 
Contact Dr. Anita Borja-Enriquez at abe@uguam.uog.eduor Cathleen Moore-Linn at cmoore@uguam.uog.edufor more information.

 

October 13, 2009

The UOG Guam Small Business Development Center to release the
Guam Business Resource Guide 2009 Edition on October 23
The UOG Guam Small Business Development Center will release copies of the 2009 Guam Business Resource Guide on Friday, Oct. 23 at 11:00 a.m. in the Jesus and Eugenia School of Business and Public Administration Building, room 129. The Guide contains useful, relevant information that entrepreneurs can use to start their own business.
“Our goal is to make the process of doing business in Guam easier,” said Casey Jeszenka, Network Director. “All the basic information that businesses operating in Guam need to know is contained in this Guide.”
“In 2007, the Guide was the only publication of its kind for Guam,” said Rodney Webb, Business Counselor, Training Coordinator, and lead editor for this publication. “Now, in the 2009 edition, the Guide has been comprehensively updated, with web links provided to source documents wherever possible.”
The Guam Business Resource Guide contains information on the following key areas:
·         Business Planning
·         Setting up a Business
·         Business Taxation
·         Sources of Business Finance
·         Business Incentives
·         Business Assistance
·         Federal Contracting in Guam
·         Operating in Guam
Copies of the Guide will be available free of charge on Friday, Oct. 23 at the release event. Thereafter, copies will be available from the UOG Guam Small Business Development Center. Copies will also be made available to the Guam Chamber of Commerce, GEDA, GVB, and others.
Refreshments will also be provided.
For more information about the Guide, contact Casey Jeszenka at 735-2593 or casey@pacificsbd.com.

 

 

October 9, 2009

The Seoul 2010 International Conference in Business and Information Technology
            The University of Guam’s School of Business and Public Administration (SBPA) Faculty are organizing the Seoul 2010 International Conference on Business, Economics and Information Technology, scheduled to be held at the Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul, Korea on March 1 – 2, 2009.  This year’s conference theme is “Doing Business in the Global Economy: Economic, Political, Social, Cultural and Technological Environments”. Conference co-chairs Dr. Maria Claret M. Ruane and Dr. James J. Taylor of the University of Guam’s School of Business and Public Administration. They are joined by co-chairs Dr. Barbara Wiens-Tuers and Dr. Jungwoo Ryoo of the Division of Business and Engineering at Penn State Altoona, and Dr. Seong-Bong Lee of the Department of Business Administration at Seoul Women’s University.
 
            Seoul 2010 is the latest in a series of annual international conferences aimed at providing a venue for scholarly interactions among academics, researchers, business people, government officials and students.  It is the fourth conference that UOG’s School of Business and Public Administration has sponsored and organized, beginning with Guam (2007), Hanoi, Vietnam (2008), and Nagoya, Japan (2009).  Information on Seoul 2010 can be found at http://www.altoona.psu.edu/icbeit.
 
            By design, the conference series encourages collaborative efforts with multiple universities, including at least one university from the city where the conference is being held.  In the past, these efforts and the relationships they help develop have extended beyond the conference, creating opportunities that benefit the institutions involved and the faculty, students and administrations affiliated with the institutions.  Past conference partners have included Nagoya University’s Economic Research Center, Alfred University’s College of Business, the Vietnam National University’s Hanoi School of Business, and the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics.
 
            Seoul 2010 will help highlight the importance of the global environment in doing business, emphasizing how faculty at UOG can design strategy to strengthen Guam’s regional and global position.  Faculty participants from SBPA will be able to enhance their understanding of global factors in business, bringing back from the conference to their students and colleagues additional knowledge and experience. Increasing the understanding of Guam’s regional and global position helps UOG carry out its mission as a land-grant institution.
 
            Seoul 2010 will also provide opportunities for scholarly, faculty-student collaboration, providing students with the experience of participating as paper writers, presenters and active participants.  Following the conference will be a three-day study tour including a visit to a major Korean company and to places of educational and historical importance in the cities of Seoul, Kyungju and Busan.
 
            Seoul 2010 will also provide UOG faculty with the opportunity for publication in the conference proceedings and in an academic journal. Both of these are subject to a double-blind, peer-review process.  Papers accepted for journal publication will appear in the highly regarded Allied Academies’ Journal of International Business Research.  This scholarship supports UOG’s efforts to maintain its WASC accreditation and the SBPA’s application for IACBE accreditation.  Scholars from multiple academic institutions serve in the journal editorial review board under the editorial leadership of Dr. Ruane and Dr. Taylor of SBPA and Dr. Wiens-Tuers of Penn State Altoona.  For more information contact: Maria Claret M. Ruane Ph.D. at ruanemcm@yahoo.comor
James J. Taylor, Ph.D. at  jtaylor@kuentos.guam.net

 

October 8, 2009

CERAMIC CELEBRATION III PLUS

CONTACT:  735-2965/6      Velma Yamashita, Director Gi Young Hwang, Extension Associate

EVENT: Ceramic Celebration III plus is an Isla Center for the Arts fundraiser that will feature the works of Fine Arts Professor Lewis Rifkowitz.  The event will run for one week and include two-dimensional as well as three dimensional works by other local artists and UOG fine arts students.  All works will be available for sale.

 LOCATION: Isla Center for the Arts at the University of Guam

                                                House #15 Dean’s Circle

 DATE AND TIME: Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

ADMISSION: The public is invited. Admission is free.  Donations are appreciated. 

SPONSORS: College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UOG

 

Event Summary

 

Ceramic Celebration III plus is an Isla Center for the Arts fundraising event featuring the beautifully handcrafted ceramic pieces created by Lewis Rifkowitz, a University of Guam Fine Arts Professor of Sculpture/Ceramics.  Included this year will be other local artists’ ceramic works and two dimensional pieces by UOG Fine Arts students.  This special fundraising event will run for one week, October 15 – 23, 2009.

 

Start shopping for the holidays!  Or purchase a one of a kind tea set for yourself!  There will be over 200 ceramic pieces in a variety of shapes and colors available for purchase.  Prices begin at $10.00. 

 

Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used for programming at the Isla Center for the Arts. 

Please call 735-2965/6 or email us at islacenter@gmail.comif you have any questions.

 

October 7, 2009

University of Guam Cancer Research Center Receives $8M Grant
The University of Guam received an $8,000,000 five-year U-54 grant from the National Institutes of Health to support a strong national cancer program aimed at understanding the reasons behind significant cancer disparities and the impact on minority populations. The grant encompasses several objectives including:
·         Increase the cancer research capabilities at the University of Guam
·         Increase the number of minority scientists of Pacific Islander ancestry engaged in cancer research
·         Provide pertinent undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate education and training opportunities for Pacific Islander students
·         Further strengthen the research focus on cancer health disparities with particular emphasis on aspects of particular relevance for the people of the Pacific
 
“The overarching goal is to reduce the impact of cancer on the population in the Guam, and the region,” said Dr. Helen Whippy, UOG senior vice president and co-principal investigator of the grant. The projects funded by the grant include beetle nut and oral cancer research; breast cancer and obesity research; funding support for the cancer registry; an outreach program for youth tobacco cessation; and curriculum development in the Micronesian Studies masters program, cancer biology, and understanding the cultural context of cancer research.
 
The University of Guam opened the Cancer Research Center in 2004, supported by the University of Guam and Cancer Research Center of Hawaii research partnership and an initial $3.6M NIH planning grant which ended in 2009. The newly awarded grant continues support for the partnership.
 
“One of our goals is to continue to produce more cancer researchers of Pacific Islander heritage. I am pleased to announce that UOG alumna Yvette Paulino, who received funding from the cancer grant to pursue her doctorate, recently defended her dissertation for her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and is now teaching at the University of Guam. With this new cycle of funding, we hope to produce more success stories like Professor Paulino,” said Whippy.
 
“This grant positions the University of Guam to engage in more research to determine the causes of cancer disparities among our unique population,” said UOG President Robert A. Underwood. “Our scientists will work with their counterparts from the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii to pursue their research, raise awareness of cancer prevention, and other initiatives.”
 
Underwood, Whippy, and University of Guam scientists will be joined by CRCH’s Carl Vogel to celebrate the grant award and formally begin the grant at an initial meeting on October 8 at 11am in the President’s Conference Room in the School of Business and Public Administration, UOG campus. For more information contact Dr. Helen Whippy at 735-2994 or hwhippy@uguam.uog.edu

 

 

October 1, 2009

UOG Hosts Guam Community and Economic Development Forum Nov. 12 & 13
“Strategies for a Sustainable Future”
The University of Guam and the UOG Endowment Foundation will host the Guam Community and Economic Development Forum, with the theme “Strategies for a Sustainable Future,” on November 12 and 13, 2009 at the Sheraton Laguna.
The forum will result in a series of white papers that will serve as the foundation for strategic economic development for Guam. “Conference speakers will include experts on strategic economic development,” said UOG President Robert A. Underwood. “Information shared at the conference will assist the Guam community in developing policies that will encourage Guam’s long-term economic growth, as well as policies that ensure we preserve our cultural and natural resources.”
Confirmed speakers include:
·         Derek J. Mitchell, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, who will give a broad overview of Guam’s role in Asia and the current state of the Guam Buildup
·         Republic of the Philippines Senator Richard Gordon, who will share his insight on the overall Asian economy and the redevelopment of economic zones.
Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Anthony Babauta signed off on a Technical Assistance grant award on September 24th that provided $25,000 of support for the forum.
“The second day of the two-day conference focuses on how we can leverage the anticipated double digit growth to address new industry opportunities and turn Guam into the first Pacific Economic Tiger,” said Anita Borja-Enriquez, Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration. Forum Topics include:
·         Preparing for Economic Growth and Beyond, The Making of the Pacific Tiger
 
·         Economic Development Opportunities
 
·         Socio-Economic Impact
·         The Environmental Impact Statement Process
·         Implications on the Environment and Sustainability
Conference registration is open at www.uog.edu/economicforum. The full agenda is being finalized, but the current draft can be viewed at the above website. The conference early bird registration is $125 and $100 for UOG alumni.
“This forum provides an opportunity for the community to get involved in shaping Guam’s future economic and social policies,” added Underwood. The conference committee includes representatives from Governor Camacho’s office, Speaker Won Pat’s office, GEDA, and the Chamber of Commerce, among others. The conference co-chairs are Former Governor Joe Ada and UOG President Robert A. Underwood.

 

October 1, 2009

Research Indicates Healthy Coral Reefs Need Diverse Fish Communities
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, one of the nation’s preeminent science publications, recently published, "Functionally-diverse fish communities ameliorate coral disease," a research paper written by University of Guam Marine Lab faculty Laurie Raymundo, Andrew Halford, and Alex Kerr along with the University of Hawaii Department of Zoology’s Aileen Maypa.
Coral reefs continue to decline in health and productivity on a global scale, and effective tools to stop this downward spiral are urgently needed. In an effort to gain a wider understanding of coral diseases, the scientists examined the role that diverse, intact reef fish communities play in maintaining healthy corals by looking at fish abundance and diversity, as well as coral health and disease, both inside and outside Marine Protected Areas in the central Philippines. 
The scientists found that:
·          All Marine Protected Areas had fewer diseased corals than did their paired fished sites.
·          Reefs with more diverse fish communities had less coral disease.
 “Establishing Marine Protected Areas to protect remaining fish stocks is a popular management strategy worldwide, but their role in promoting other aspects of coral reef health and productivity is largely untested.  Our work demonstrates that they can also be an effective means of keeping coral—the creators of fish habitat—healthy and productive,” said Raymundo.
“This work suggests that Marine Protected Areas can serve as a novel management tool for managing coral disease and increasing reef health," said Kerr.
The scientists also found that only butterfly fishes that feed directly on coral were positively correlated with coral disease and that these fishes were more abundant on reefs with lower overall fish diversity.

 

September 30, 2009

UOG LIBRARY RECEIVES $401K FOR GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT
The University of Guam’s Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Library received $401K in grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under a National Leadership Grant program. The project, “Information Literacy for Future Island Leaders" will create a comprehensive system of graduate student support through new bibliographic instruction classes, research services, and digital resources. 
“The UOG Library team will design services and instruction to support graduate programs and research using both traditional and digital resources,” said UOG Professor Kevin Latham.
 The project will address research needs at the region’s only four-year, master degree granting, U.S. accredited institution of higher education by creating:
·         Advanced information literacy classes
·         A research assistance center for graduate students
·         A faculty and graduate student research blog
·          Digitizing the UOG thesis and special Projects collection
UOG faculty-ranked librarians will teach the graduate bibliographic instruction classes and manage the project.  The project will demonstrate and test methods of advanced academic research assistance and instructional tools that can serve as models for libraries seeking to respond to student research needs.
Out of 101 proposals, the University of Guam is one of thirty institutions selected to receive the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant.  Grant proposal recipients were identified as having a national impact on library and information services and serve as models to libraries across the nation. 
“Our graduate students will be the recipients of the grant’s many positive outcomes,” said Christine Scott-Smith, Director of the RFK Memorial Library. “I appreciate Professor Latham’s work on the grant proposal, which will greatly improve our services to UOG graduate students.” 
The full list of grant awards can be viewed at www.imls.gov.

 

September 29, 2009

UOG’s Travis Certified Government Financial Manager
Gloria Travis, University of Guam Administrative Services Officer, recently passed the Association of Government Accountants certification as a Government Financial Manager. She was recognized on September 23, 2009 by the Guam Chapter. Travis underwent a lengthy six-day review course in December 2008 and is at this writing the only person out of 35 participants to pass the three-part examination. Pictured from left are Chief Judge of the District Court of Guam Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, Gloria Travis, University of Guam ASO and AGA-Guam Chapter Secretary, and Jojo Guevara, Port Authority Controller and AGA-Guam Chapter President.  AGA serves government accountability professionals by providing quality education, fostering professional development and certification, and supporting standards and research to advance government accountability.

 

Spetember 25, 2009

Assistant Secretary Babauta Signs off on $25K Grant to UOG
to Support Guam Community and Economic Development Forum
During his visit to the University of Guam campus yesterday afternoon, US Department of Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Anthony Babauta signed off on a Technical Assistance grant award providing $25,000 of support for the Guam Community and Economic Development Forum which is scheduled for November 12 and 13 and organized by UOG in conjunction with the UOG Endowment Foundation and government and community partners.

“We understand the forum will provide a comprehensive community-wide dialogue of the issues, challenges and resource opportunities related to the impending military buildup on Guam,” wrote Babauta in his notification letter.
“The forum will result in a series of white papers that will serve as the foundation for strategic economic and community policy development for Guam,” said UOG President Robert A. Underwood.

The forum will be held at the Sheraton Laguna and on November 12 and 13, 2009. The full agenda is being finalized, but a draft can be viewed at www.uog.edu/economicforum.

 

September 23, 2009

TakeCare Contributes $150K to Nursing Program at UOG
$1.7M in Total Contributions to UOG Since 2001
TakeCare will donate $150,000 to the University of Guam's Nursing Program today at 5:00 p.m. in the UOG Lecture Hall at the Mangilao campus during Family Night where students and their families share their experiences and encourage the development of a family support network so that nursing students can concentrate on their studies.
 
 This donation brings TakeCare's total contributions to the University of Guam's Nursing Program to $1.7 million over an eight year period. "Since 2001, TakeCare has contributed more than $1.7M to the Nursing Program in support of student scholarships, classroom equipment, clinical supplies for the nursing labs, NCLEX reviews and clinical instruction for students and graduates, computer equipment, faculty development, and continuing education of nurses," said Dr. Maria Salomon, Director of Nursing at UOG. "Without a doubt, their contributions served to strengthen our program and have assisted us tremendously in producing nurses for Guam and the region."
 
"TakeCare's support of the nursing program at UOG has enabled the program to obtain necessary equipment and supplies, offer additional scholarship opportunities to students, as well as support for faculty development," said University President Robert A. Underwood. "The Nursing Program is recognized by all facets of the community as an outstanding program. TakeCare's generous support over the years has significantly contributed to program's success."
 
Twenty students completed their nursing degrees during the University's spring 2009 commencement ceremonies. To meet community demand, the
University needs to produce approximately 60 nurses per year. With the military buildup that number will increase to 80 nurses per year. This coming Spring, the program looks forward to increasing the number of students admitted to nursing fundamentals.
 
"The School of Nursing and Health Sciences and its staff continue to do a great job in preparing their students for a career in healthcare.  Because of this, TakeCare maintains its unwavering commitment to the university and its students and will continue to do so for generations to come," said Gus Sablan, TakeCare Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing.
 
TakeCare is also funding University faculty member Margaret Hattori-Uchima's doctoral studies. "I could not accomplish this goal without financial assistance from TakeCare," says Hattori-Uchima.  Two adjunct faculty have completed their Masters degree in nursing with support from TakeCare contributions and more are pursuing their graduate studies. 
 
The nursing program at the University of Guam is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc.
 
Caption: TakeCare donated $150K to the University of Guam’s Nursing Program on Sept. 22 during the nursing program’s family night. Pictured from left are: UOG President Robert A. Underwood, Gus Sablan, TakeCare Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing, Jean Blais, Student Nurses Association of Guam president, Maria Salomon, UOG Director of Nursing, and Elise Ralph, UOG Assistant Vice President of Graduate Studies, Sponsored Programs and Research.

 

 

September 22, 2009

UOG Fall 2009 Enrollment up 4.8%
Highest Enrollment in Ten Years
The University of Guam welcomes 3,550 students to campus for the Fall 2009 semester, a 4.8% increase over the prior year and the highest enrollment since 1999.
“The Fall 2009 enrollment numbers continue a trend of increasing enrollment over multiple years,” said UOG President Robert Underwood. “The quality of our programs and multiple outreach efforts at various levels continue to attract students to campus, including the 781 new undergraduate students who chose to come to the University of Guam this semester.”
Of the 3550 students enrolled for Fall 2009, 61% are female and 39% are male, while 92% describe themselves as Asians or Pacific Islanders. Additionally, 134 students transferred to UOG from other institutions, an increase of 34% over the Fall 2008 figure of 98.

 

September 22, 2009

The Guam National Guard 94th Civil Support Team Presents overview of disaster response
The 94th Civil Support Team-Weapons of Mass Destruction, Guam National Guard will present an overview of their capabilities for disaster response to students of UOG at the Field House on 01 Oct 2009.  Briefings will be held at 10am, 12 noon, and 2pm; each session will be approximately 45-60min long.  During the presentation the Team will display their Mobile Laboratory and several hazard assessment instruments used to detect and identify chemical, biological and radiological hazards.  This briefing is intended to inform UOG students of technology and techniques used in emergency response as well as career opportunities available in the National Guard.  If you like to watch "CSI", come see the real deal...CST!

 

September 16, 2009

PREL AND UOG CONNECT WITH STUDENTS VIA TECHNOLOGY

Starting this semester, in collaboration with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), the University of Guam (UOG) will start the pilot use of Elluminate Live as a distance learning tool for synchronous classes.

 

The Elluminate software offers the opportunity to reach students in different locations simultaneously over an Internet connection. Although the current test will only allow for ten students per class, the software can support hundreds of participants concurrently.  The initial test will take place in the ED 643 and ED 645 classes taught by Dr. Matilda Rivera and Dr. Catherine Stoicovy, respectively.

 

The small bandwidth requirements of Elluminate, along with its ease of use and management, make it a very viable educational tool for the Pacific region. For the past couple of years, PREL has been using Elluminate as a standard communication and professional development tool for its offices throughout the Pacific with excellent results.

 

The University of Guam and PREL have a tradition of working together to facilitate the needs of the Pacific region and offer solutions; our aim is to bring learning opportunities, using the latest educational technologies that the current infrastructure can support. The importance of this latest joint effort resides in the possibility of extending our partnership, while reaching out to students who are otherwise unable to be physically present in the classroom.

 

For more information about this pilot test or educational technology and distance learning, please contact:

At PREL

Arthur Garbiso, CIO PREL garbisoa@prel.org  or Javier Elizondo Communications Director, PREL elizondoj@prel.org

 

At UOG

Dr Helen Whippy, Senior VP Academic and Student Affairs, UOG hwhippy@uguam.uog.edu

 

September 16, 2009

UOG’s Borja-Enriquez and Ruane Receive Research Award – Dr. Anita Borja-Enriquez, Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration (SBPA), and Dr. Claret Ruane, a UOG SBPA economics professor, received the Allied Academies Distinguished Research Award for their research paper, “The Making of the Pacific Tiger: Lessons from the Celtic Tiger.” The paper will be published in the Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research. Pictured from left are Borja-Enriquez and Ruane. Not pictured is co-author Vanessa Lee Williams, currently a law student at the University of San Francisco School of Law.

 

 

September 15, 2009

CHUUK HOSTS UPGRADED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Focus on Emergency Communication and Distance Education

An upgraded communication system has been installed in Weno, Chuuk increasing the capability for distance learning instruction and improving emergency communication services for the island state. The combined expertise of PREL, the University of Guam, the Chuuk State School System, PEACESAT and their personnel contributed to the rehabilitation and relocation of the satellite earth station, which is now housed on the same grounds as the PREL service center in Weno.

 

A reliable and cost effective instrument for emergency management and health services, the earth station will also provide an extraordinary opportunity for education via distance learning, professional development and training. Video teleconference capabilities are also available.

 

PREL looks forward to the opportunity to strengthen its partnership with the University of Guam, PEACESAT, and the Chuuk State School System in order to reach as many members of the community as possible with educational offerings that address their particular needs.

 

Over the course of one week, T.R. Mori  from Chuuk State,  Bruce Best from the University of Guam, Jason Newcomb and Ryan Hiraefrom PEACESAT, and Arthur Garbiso from PREL worked diligently to disassemble, transport and refurbish the station. Thanks to their combined efforts the community of Chuuk can enjoy the satellite earth station services.

 

A special thanks to the Chuuk State School System and Director Sony for allowing this resource to be transferred to the PREL Chuuk Service Center and to Mr. Mark Mailo, land owner of the AMJ building for allowing the satellite earth station to reside on his property.

 

For Information regarding the use of the earth station’s VTC capabilities, please contact the PREL’s Chuuk Service Center at:

PREL’s Chuuk Service Center
Phone: (691) 330-5449/6466/5439
Fax: (691) 330-5450
Email: chuuksc@prel.org

 

September 14, 2009

7^th MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN AGAINST MILITARISM

CHinemma’, Nina’maolek, yan Inarespetu para Direchon Taotao

RESISTANCE, RESILIENCE, AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Location: Catholic Social Services Conference Room (Barrigada), University of Guam (Mangilao), and Carmel on the Hill Retreat Center (Malojloj), Guåhan. Dates: September 14-19, 2009. Click here for the agenda.

 

September 11, 2009
UOG UPWARD BOUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

The University of Guam Upward Bound (UB) college prep program is currently accepting applications from eligible high school students. Interested students and their parents are encouraged to attend the UB Open House on Saturday, September 19th from 10 am - 11 am at the UOG Cafeteria. Sign-in begins at 9:30 am and light refreshments will be provided. The program provides free academic support services such as: college and career preparation, tutoring, financial aid information, summer program at UOG, academic classes, off-island educational trips, parent workshops, incentives, and more! Only students currently in 9th through 11th grade who attend GW, JFK, Simon Sanchez, or Southern high school may apply. Students must meet eligibility requirements in order to be selected for participation in upward bound. Applications will be available at the Open House and at each school counseling office. Deadline to submit preliminary applications is October 2, 2009. For more info, please call the UB Office at 735-1992/ 2245 or e-mail the UB Assistant Director, Rowena Andrade at ubrowie@hotmail.com.

 

September 11, 2009
UOG Pacific Center for Economic Initiatives Research Paper: Survey of Federal Contracting by Small Business on Guam

The University of Guam’s Pacific Center for Economic Initiatives released its most recent research paper today entitled, “Survey of Federal Contracting by Small Business on Guam.” The paper, written by Drs. Maria Claret Ruane, Annette Taijeron Santos, and Anita Borja Enriquez, of UOG’s School of Business and Public Administration, discusses outcomes from an August 2009 survey developed to ascertain why many Guam small businesses seem eager to participate in federal contracting opportunities, but few actually do so.

“There appears to be a disconnect between Guam small businesses’ interest in federal contracting opportunities and their ability and actual experience in pursuing those opportunities,” said Ruane. “We wanted to survey businesses to find explanations for this disconnect so that appropriate approaches and/or policies could be developed to increase the capacity and confidence of Guam small businesses to pursue federal contracting opportunities.” Federal contracting opportunities are important for Guam businesses because they make up between 6 to 9% of Guam’s economy.

The survey results offer some meaningful information for small business support agencies such as the Guam Procurement Technical Assistance Center, GEDA, U.S. SBA, SBDC, Guam Chamber of Commerce, and the Guam Contractors’ Association, as well as federal government representatives who interact with small businesses, including:

· Federal contracting opportunities are not limited to construction and engineering projects as perceived with the planned military buildup.

· Federal contracting opportunities are not limited to Department of Defense needs.

· As provided by the Fleet Industrial Supply Center and the U.S. General Services
Agency, small businesses can provide an array of support services and goods to just
about all federal government agencies, similar to what any community would need.

· Small business support groups should identify more robust ways to reach small businesses to address their need for assistance in registering or applying for certification to do business with the federal government as well as training on how to access and use the federal government website.

· Need for easier access to a federal government representative and ease in registering or applying for certification to do business with the federal government (or assistance with such).

“The survey also provides a good indication that most small businesses have had a positive experience with the federal government and those who have not yet engaged should pursue the opportunities offered to them,” said Borja Enriquez.

The Guam Procurement Technical Assistance Center will use the results to prioritize federal contracts training and technical assistance, including a Government Contracting 101 workshop, and the Small Business Development Center will use the data to plan upcoming training activities.

This study was conducted by the University of Guam Pacific Center for Economic Initiatives and was funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. The PCEI publications are part of an effort to fill in the gaps in availability of periodic and updated business and economic data on Guam. These data will be useful for planning by policymakers, businesses and the local community in general, and in preparation for the military build-up on the island, in particular. Click here to read the report.

 

September 11, 2009
UOG ARMY ROTC Change of Command Ceremony

The Fall 2009 UOG Army ROTC Change of Command ceremony was held at 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2009. Professor of Military Science, LTC. John Howerton, recognized incoming Triton Warrior Battalion Commander Manuel Diaz, and outgoing Triton Warrior Battalion Commander 2nd Lt. Ann Marie Caasi.

 

September 10, 2009
Japanese Waste Management Technologies

Professor Takeshi Fujiwara from Okayama University in Japan gave a presentation entitled “Japanese waste management technologies” on Thursday, September 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the University of Guam’s College of Natural and Applied Sciences, room 127.

 

September 10, 2009

Enviromental Science Seminar at UOG
Professor Takeshi Fujiwara from Okayama University in Japan gave a presentation entitled  “The role of solid waste management towards sustainable society” on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at the University of Guam, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Room #104.

 

September 3, 2009

UOG TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM RECEIVES $302K
The University of Guam TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program received $302K for the 2009-2010 program year which began September 1, 2009.
The SSS program serves 160 students who are enrolled at the University of Guam. SSS is a federally funded program that provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students towards the successful completion of their post secondary education. Services include tutoring, financial aid counseling and advocacy, career exploration activities, study skills and academic workshops, and many other activities.  Participants must be low-income, first generation college students, or students with a physical or learning disability.
Additionally, TRIO Student Support Services will receive $27K in Supplemental Grant Aid which will be awarded to eligible and qualified participants of the SSS program.  “Over the last four years, we have set aside approximately $25 to $30K annually for aid awarded to our SSS students,” said Yoichi Rengiil, Director of the TRIO Programs at the University of Guam. “This year, thanks to an additional $20K in grant funds, we are able to distribute $47K as supplemental grant aid to participants who demonstrate financial need or who are at-risk of dropping out of college due to financial difficulties.”
TRIO instructors will talk to students in the University’s English, math and introduction to college life classes to inform them of the opportunities offered through the TRIO Programs. 
“The activities offered through the Student Support Services program are key to the successful completion of a college degree for many of our students,” said Rengiil.  “Research shows that the most at-risk students are in their first and second year of their college education. The SSS Supplemental Grant Aid awards will be given to eligible first and second year students enrolled at UOG.”
For more information about the TRIO Programs at the University of Guam contact Yoichi Rengiil at 735-7514 or yrengiil@gmail.com.

 

September 2, 2009

University of Guam Army ROTC Change of Command Ceremony
The ceremony will be held Friday, September 11, 2009. behind the Administration Building (HRO/Business Office) beginning at 8:00 a.m.
 
A Major Affair
The CO335 Communication class is organizing A Major Affair in the Student Center Rotunda from 10 am to 3pm on September 16. The event allows undeclared students to find out more about UOG’s academic programs.

 

September 2, 2009

UOG Receives Sea Grant Extension Program Grant

Focus on Youth Outreach, Environmental Stewardship

 

The University of Guam received the first year of funding for a Sea Grant Extension Program grant amounting to $70K for 2009 and a total of $370K over the three-year grant period ending in 2011.

 

“One of the grant’s objectives is to work with the Guam Department of Education in enhancing its K-12 science curricula by focusing on environmental science activities relevant to our oceans and our ways of life,” said Jason Biggs, assistant professor at the University of Guam’s Marine Lab.  “Our children will become more aware of the importance of our marine resources and coral reefs and gain a greater understanding of how these delicate ecosystems contribute to our overall quality of life. We also hope to instill the concept that each one of us can easily become part of the solution to environmental degradation.”

 

Environmental stewardship, long-term economic development and responsible use of America’s coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources are at the heart of Sea Grant’s mission.

The overarching goal of the UOG Sea Grant Extension Program is to enhance understanding of coastal processes in ways that promote the use of sustainable practices in human activities and result in improved conservation, protection and maintenance of coastal resources and property.

 

Grant objectives include:

·         Improve public and government agency awareness of coastal processes; promote stewardship of coastal resources and develop a marine education extension program in collaboration with public, private and government stakeholders

·         Work closely with policy makers by advising and assisting in developing novel approaches that will achieve sustainable use of coastal resources

·         Develop, produce, and distribute informational literature and media products that expand knowledge of the intricate links between land and sea and the benefits of using ecologically sound development practices

·         Enhancement of information and data for decision-making and management of coastal resources, fisheries and ocean-based businesses

 

“Using previous Sea Grant funding, the UOG Sea Grant is conducting an island-wide needs assessment for coastal marine resources issues and priorities, and is assembling a Sea Grant Advisory Board to create a long-term strategic plan for UOG Sea Grant in Micronesia.” said Biggs.

 

“We look forward to this project, and to the future development of a full-scale Sea Grant program at the University of Guam,” said UOG President Robert A. Underwood.

 

Sea Grant is a nationwide network (administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), of 32 university-based programs that work with coastal communities. The National Sea Grant College Program engages this network of the nation’s top universities in conducting scientific research, education, training, and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of our aquatic resources.

 

For more information contact Jason Biggs at 735-2696 or biggs.js@gmail.com or Elise Ralph at 735-2170 or eralph@uguam.uog.edu.

 

-END-

 

August 31, 2009

University of the Philippines Scholar
Presents Inaugural Lecture at UOG CLASS Philippine Studies Lecture Series
 
The University of Guam’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences presents the first in the Philippine Studies Lecture Series featuring Dr. Clarita Carlos, a professor of Political Science at the University of the Philippines, on Thursday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the CLASS Lecture Hall.
 
Dr. Carlos’s lecture is entitled, "US strategic policy in the Asia Pacific: A Philippine perspective." Dr. Carlos earned her doctorate in political science from the University of the Philippines and did post-doctoral work in Comparative Foreign Policy Analysis at the University of California Los Angeles as a Senior Fulbright Fellow; and post-doctoral work in Political Psychology at Cornell University in New York as a Fulbright Visiting Fellow.  She has been a consultant on constitutional reforms, anti-corruption , security and defense issues to the Philippine Senate and Philippine House of Representatives for many years, and is a former president of the National Defense College.
 
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., light refreshments will be served.
This event is made possible with a donation from the Nueva Ecija Family Association.
 
In addition to her faculty role at UP, Dr. Carlos is also president of the Center for Asia Pacific Studies, and director of the Philippine National Red Cross. She is the author of several books on Filipino political parties, electoral reform, and many other issues.
 
For more information contact Dr. Lilnabeth Somera at 735-2704 or someralp@uguam.uog.edu.

 

August 31, 2009

Dave J. Santos Scholarship Award - SBPA Student - Monica G. Cruz

Monica G. Cruz, a Business Administration Major (Double Concentration:  Marketing, and Finance and Economics), was awarded the Guam Chamber of Commerce Dave J. Santos Scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year.  This generous scholarship covers full tuition, fees, and books for both academic semesters.  Monica will also serve as a paid intern at the Guam Chamber of Commerce (8/21/09 – May 2010).  The Guam Chamber of Commerce launched this upgraded scholarship program last year, with Nathan Taimanglo named as the 2008-2009 Dave J. Santos Scholar.

 

August 28, 2009

Moylan's Insurance Supports Training for Insurance Industry professionals

Kurt Moylan, CEO of Moylan's Insurance, Net Care and First Net, has donated classroom space and employee expertise to support insurance industry certification courses in partnership with the University of Guam's Professional and International Programs and Tokio Marine Pacific Ins Ltd. Pictured from left are Larry Gamboa, director of UOG's Professional and International Programs, UOG President Robert A. Underwood, Kurt Moylan, and Loling Cepeda, outreach coordinator for Professional and International Programs.

 

August 27, 2009

UOG MARC Publication
Father Felix K. Yaoch, S.J: Island Priest
Father Felix K. Yaoch, S.J.: Island Priest was recently published by the University of Guam’s Micronesian Area Research Center.  Edited and written by Dr. Donald Shuster of MARC, the book celebrates the life and work of Father Felix K. Yaoch of Palau  It is made up of 17 essays that begin with a short story written by the young Felix Yaoch, then a student at the Pacific Island Teacher Training School (PITTS) in 1950-51.  The story explains the origins of good and bad by means of a Palauan legend.
After a school year at PITTS, Felix transferred to Father Duenas Memorial School on Guam where he graduated in 1954.  He went to the Philippines for novitiate training and then to Berchmans College and finally to Woodstock College in the U.S. for his Jesuit preparation. He was ordained in Buffalo by Bishop James McNulty on June 8, 1967 and returned to Palau soon afterward.
Little is known outside Palau of the Modekngei, Palau’s indigenous religion.  While completing his Jesuit training at Woodstock, Fr. Felix wrote an important paper describing and explaining Modekngei.  Recognizing the commonalities with Catholicism, he observed that in Palau “ecumenism and charity are supplanting polemic apologetics… so that the Modekngei and the Christian can say. ‘We have finally come together as one people of God.’”  Bringing people together was an important mission for Father Felix.
Father Felix’s essay about the Palauan family, “Knitted Togetherness” exhibits his deep understanding of the family and the complicated relationships within it.  Speaking for the whole of Palau in 1977 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Father Felix, criticized the grandiose Super Port idea as destructive of both the marine environment and Palau’s social structure.
The heart of the book is the five conversations where Fr. Felix speaks at length about a whole host of critical issues for Palau: the 1979 Constitutional Convention, family relationships, leaders and leadership, helping people gain full awareness, the festive 1992 elections, riding on Yaoch’s wings, Roman Tmetuchl’s style and passing (a cousin to Fr. Felix), the “us” versus “them” mentality regarding guest workers in Palau, the search for the Jesuit missionaries executed by the Japanese military police during the Pacific War, responsibilities of national congressmen, harmonizing individual strivings with concerns for the larger social group, the value of remembering, recalling the strengths of past achievements, recognizing deep cultural continuities, circumstances surrounding how Felix became a priest, building a harmony of relationships, reconciling and integrating Palauan values with foreign values, run-a-way foreign investment, relying on our own—Palauan—efforts, and the growing sophistication of Palauans.
The book concludes with two beautiful essays that are a tribute to the Island Priest. Mosang Miles describes Father Felix’s life as one of humility, love, and justice and Fr. Leger, a fellow Jesuit, describes Father Felix as the conch blower of Palau, a man who lived a live of humble courage.  He passed away in December 2002.
Copies of the Father Felix book can be purchased at the Micronesian Area Research Center for $10. For more information contact Dr. Don Shuster, Professor, MARC at 735-2166.

 

August 27,2009

HANKUK UNIVERSITY STUDENTS STUDY ENGLISH AT UOG
College students from Seoul's Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) arrived last week to begin a 10-day English program at the University of Guam. “This is the third consecutive year that Hankuk students have come to UOG to improve their English language skills,” said Rita Edwards, assistant director of UOG’s Professional and International Programs. “This year, 77 students from Hankuk have come to our island to learn English as well as to promote a cross-cultural exchange of good will between their university and the University of Guam.”

Hankuk students have been honing their English listening and speaking skills both in and out of the classroom, mingling with local college students and the island population in general, as part of a program designed to provide students with memorable and purposeful language learning experiences not available in their native land.
Hankuk students and their instructors have been conducting field surveys of Guam residents regarding a variety of cross-cultural topics at local malls and the Chamorro Village. They will present their survey results before their course wraps up on August 28.  
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies students also participate in in-class debates, listening activities, and will each give a final presentation on an aspect of Chamorro culture. “They students are not only learning English, they are learning about the people and culture of Guam. This is an added benefit for UOG, Guam, and the Hankuk students,” said Edwards.
 
For more information contact redwards@uguam.uog.edu.

 

 

August 26, 2009

UOG & GDA Cultivate Banana Plants for Local Growers

 

Guam Department of Agriculture and the University of Guam are partnering to make clean planting stock available to farmers for local banana production.

 

Growers and farmers have been calling Dr. George C. Wall, UOG plant pathologist, to find out how to obtain disease-free banana for planting. To satisfy this need, GDA and UOG are collaborating on a three-year project to make disease-free planting material available to local growers.

 

Currently, the most prevalent bananas available in markets are imported, with a limited selection of local varieties for sale. Increasing local production will allow for more choices in types and tastes for Guam banana lovers.

 

Dr. Wall and his staff at the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center Plant Pathology Laboratory will obtain disease-free banana stock, which will be made available to GDA. Dr. Wall will provide tissue culture training to GDA personnel to clone the disease-free material ensuring purity and plant health.

 

The advantages to planting in vitro propagated plants are many:

• Since they are disease and insect free they will grow faster and more vigorously than suckers taken from the field
• All tissue-cultured plants are guaranteed to be of the same variety
• They can be ordered in advance and available in large numbers at one time

 

Within the three-year time period of this contract with UOG, GDA plans to propagate via tissue culture thousands of banana plants per year to be distributed to growers. These tissue-cultured plants will benefit growers and retailers giving consumers more selection and a better opportunity to buy local bananas; consumers will be able to enjoy fresher and more nutritious produce.

The University of Guam and Guam Department of Agriculture continue the tradition of working together for the benefit of Guam’s farmers and consumers.

 

Please visit http://www.wptrc.org/for information on WPTRC research activities.

 

August 25, 2009

UOG TRIO PROGRAMS RECEIVES $338K GRANT 

The University of Guam TRIO Programs Educational Talent Search (ETS) received $338K from the US Department of Education for the 2009-2010 Academic Year. “This funding is for the fifth and final year of the current grant funding cycle,” said Yoichi Rengiil, Director of UOG’s TRIO Programs. “This brings the total funding amount for the program to more than $1.3 million dollars over a five year period.” 

The Educational Talent Search Program currently serves 600 middle and high school students in Guam and in Chuuk. The program recently completed its four-week summer enrichment activity for both middle and high school students where participants focused on improving science, math, and English skills, among other activities. 

Renewal forms and recruitment activities will occur over the next few months at target schools including: Agueda Johnston, Astumbo, FB Leon Guerrero, Luis P Untalan, Oceanview, Jose Rios, and Vicente Benevente middle schools; and George Washington, John F. Kenney, Okkodo, and Simon Sanchez high schools.

Educational Talent Searchis a federally funded program that helps disadvantaged and minority middle and high school students prepare for postsecondary educational programs. Applicants must be middle and high school students who are potential first generation college students and have met the family income guidelines established by the US Department of Education.

“TRIO Programs Educational Talent Search has produced numerous success stories” said Rengiil. “Many students who participated in this program went on to earn their college degrees and used their knowledge to help strengthen our community.”  

For more information on Education Talent Search, call 735-2246 2250/1 or email ets.uog@gmail.com.

 

August 25, 2009
University of Guam Designated as Program Office for Guam/Micronesia Area Health Education Center
Receives $867K in Federal Funding
The University of Guam has been designated as the program office for the Guam/Micronesia Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in partnership with the University of Hawaii, the Guam Community College, the College of Micronesia, the College of the Marshall Islands, and the Pacific Islands Health Officers Association. The Department of Health and Human Services awarded $867K in funding to UOG for the first year of a three-year grant that supports the improvement of individual and community health throughout Micronesia by recruiting and training additional health care professionals.

“Area Health Education Centers will be established in Guam, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia,” said Maria Salomon Director of Nursing at the University of Guam and Guam/Micronesia AHEC program office director. “The first year of the grant will focus on establishing the centers and developing training program curriculum.”

The goal of the Guam/Micronesia AHEC is to improve the health of the underserved through collaborative regional training initiatives across the Micronesian region. This area has some of the highest health workforce shortage ratings, and greatest health and education disparities in the US. The Guam/Micronesian Area Health Education Center emphasizes community-based interisland training for healthcare providers and students while enhancing health career education and recruitment from elementary to community college levels. The grant objectives include:

• Improve the diversity of the health professions workforce by mentoring and providing health career activities for over 1,200 underrepresented minority students per year.
• Improve the distribution of the health care workforce in Micronesia by providing local/on-island interdisciplinary training for more than 150 students a year.
• Improve the quality and retention of the health workforce in Micronesia by providing culturally relevant continuing education to more than 780 medical providers.

“We will begin recruitment activities throughout the region at the elementary level in order to familiarize young students with health care professions,” said Salomon. “Additionally, we will create programs to train these students based on the health care needs of each particular area served by the centers.” Training and continuing education programs will include curricula for nurses, dental workers, technicians, public health professionals, and physicians, among others.

The expansion of the health workforce by approximately 30 individuals per year will be accomplished through collaborative partnerships with eight postgraduate educational institutions, 30 primary and secondary schools, six Community Health Centers, local departments of health and education, providers, hospitals, and organizations.

For more information on the Area Health Education Center grant, contact Dr. Maria Salomon at 735-2650 or msalomon@uguam.uog.edu.

-END -

“The Navy has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the conservation of Guam’s resources by funding this project,” said UOG professor Thomas Marler. Dr. Marler has administered the project and is managing the conservation planting. “The novel idea was initiated several years ago, long before we knew for sure that the death rate among Guam’s fadang population would be so extreme,” said Marler.

The fadang tree is called ‘Cycas micronesica’ by scientists, and belongs to a unique group of plants called cycads. It has grown for thousands of years in the forests on Guam and Rota with no real threats. But two exotic insect species have recently invaded Guam and Rota, and their voracious appetite for fadang trees has pushed the tree into the endangered status.

“We felt that the remote locations on Tinian were ideal for establishing a safe haven for Guam’s fadang plants,” said Navy Natural Resources Program Manager Anne Brooke. Dr. Brooke was responsible for coming up with the initial idea and successfully establishing the project. The premise behind this sort of conservation effort is that the threats within the natural range of the endangered species are absent from the new location. This new safe zone then becomes a repository for the species even if the entire population is killed within its natural range.

“This project is a great example of a highly coordinated effort to conserve a valuable natural resource,” said Marler. “It combined the contributions of UOG, the U.S. Navy, the CNMI government, and a private landowner.” According to Marler, the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources contributed extensively by fast-tracking the permitting process and providing materials and space for many of the activities, and the Fleming family in Tinian donated space for growing the fadang plants until they were ready for planting.

Fadang is the only plant of its kind in the Mariana Islands, and this extensive planting in Tinian has become a crucial component of the ongoing conservation efforts to save the species. 

You may have never encountered the New Guinea sugarcane weevil Rhabdoscelus obscures, but this naughty little weevil may be enjoying life in your coconut, betel nut or other palms. The larvae bore into living tissue of palm branches, producing tunnels that weaken affected parts of the host plant and permit the invasion of fungal and bacterial pathogens. In coconut palms they bore into the base of the trunk and can weaken the tree until it is blown down in high winds. In betel nut palms they frequently bore into areas near the growing tip of the tree and the end result may be death.

Dr. Gadi V. P. Reddy of the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, UOG has been awarded a $75,000 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service grant to address the weevil threat to palms in the region. This miniature menace is especially troubling for nursery owners.

In collaboration with the Northern Marianas College, Dr. Reddy and his research team will develop environmentally friendly control tactics designed to reduce the use of insecticides currently employed to control the New Guinea sugarcane weevil. This integrated pest management (IPM) approach will safeguard the environment and keep palm trees healthy.

USDA grant funding will support the design of an efficient pheromone trap for catching weevils in field conditions, and experiments with Petri dish traps containing fungal spores (Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae) for auto dissemination through trapped weevils.

Dr. Reddy will conduct sugarcane weevil control experiments at several major ornamental nurseries throughout Guam, which will allow growers and nursery owners to participate in all phases of the project and learn integrated control tactics and environmentally friendly best pest management practices. This project will provide basic, applied, and practical information on the control of R. obscurus in the Mariana Islands.

“Dr. Reddy is a star researcher at WPTRC with an excellent international reputation for research in his field,” says Greg Wiecko, associate director of the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center. A chemical ecologist and entomologist with over 25 years of experience in entomological research and a strong background in IPM (Integrated Pest Management), Dr. Reddy serves as Subject Editor for the journals, Environmental Entomology and Annals of the Entomological Society of America and as Associate Editor for Florida Entomologist. He is also co-author of the book Biological Control of Tropical Weeds using Arthropods, which was recently published by Cambridge University Press. For more information contact Dr. Reddy at 735-2142 or via email reddy@uguam.uog.edu. 

August 12, 2009

UOG Scientists Successfully Compete for Research Grants

Within the last 12 months one million dollars in extramural grants have been awarded to University of Guam scientists working at the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center (WPTRC). Research at WPTRC is as diverse as the agencies that fund the many projects geared toward protecting the environment, helping farmers and studying the ecosystems of the island and the region.

Greg Wiecko heads the WPTRC. "Dr. Wiecko has been urging his faculty to find new sources of external funds, and this year they have responded with this impressive list of funding agencies that are now supporting the WPTRC and its role in meeting UOG's mission," said Lee S. Yudin, Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is a new source of funding for WPTRC scientist Gadi Reddy. A chemical ecologist and entomologist, Dr. Reddy will seek to eliminate the use of toxic insecticides by developing ecologically sound and cost effective integrated pest management practices (IPM) for Guam farmers with a $50,000 EPA grant.

Dr. Reddy is working toward increasing ecological insect pest management on Guam through the application of semiochemicals with $60,000 in funding from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program of the US Department of Agriculture.

WPTRC researchers have successfully tapped the support of several other USDA agencies to mitigate the threat of invasive species to endemic plants. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has awarded $30,000 in funding to Thomas Marler to study biocontrol issues for cycad aulacaspis scale and cycad blue butterfly. Entomologist Aubrey Moore has also received $223,995 in funding from USDA APHIS to address the devastation of Guam’s coconut trees due to the voracious appetite of the rhinoceros beetle.

USDA Forest Service has also funded Dr. Moore with $254,000 for coconut rhinoceros eradication efforts and they are providing $18,000 in support of Dr. Marler’s continued monitoring of ongoing activities for Guam’s threatened cycads.

In addition, USDA T-STAR (Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture Research) has recently awarded $120,318 to Marler, in collaboration with pollination biologist Irene Terry, for studies of the little known pollination process of Cycas micronesica.

In the agricultural arena, T-STAR is funding the research of Dr. George Wall, plant pathologist, in collaboration with Dr. D. Nandwani from the Northern Marianas College with a $162,856 award toward improving papaya cultivars from the Mariana Islands in their tolerance to papaya ringspot virus (PRV) and other important diseases.

Hui Gong, an aquaculture researcher with WPTRC, was awarded a $186,960 T-STAR grant for genetic variability studies of specific pathogen free (SPF) Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei. She has also received $60,000 in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a pioneering study of shrimp nutrition and genetics as well as monies from the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture for establishing a comprehensive and strategic health management scheme to protect the entire region from the introduction of viral pathogens to shrimp operations.  

WPTRC scientists honor the UOG mission, “To Enlighten, to Discover, to Serve.”

Thursday, August 27th (12:00pm-2:00pm)

"GROWTH VENTURE SERIES: How to Make Strategic Decisions"
Presented by the Bank of Guam Women in Business Program: One common denominator among successful entrepreneurs is their ability to think strategically and make critical decisions about the future direction of their business. This workshop will help you work on your business strategy, and provide you with a plan to accomplish your goals and achieve your vision. This workshop will be conducted at the Bank of Guam in Hagatna, 2nd Floor conference room. For more information contact Denise Mendiola Hertslet at 735-2594 or email denise@pacificsbdc.com. Seating is limited to 15 participants. Advance signup and a workshop fee of $20 (includes lunch) are required. If paying by check, please make payable to: UNIVERSITY OF GUAM. Individuals interested in attending the workshop should contact Lorie Sablan at 735-2590 or email laurine@pacificsbdc.com. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made 72 hours in advance. Services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. The Pacific Islands Small Business Development Center Network is a program supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under a cooperative agreement. SBA does not endorse any products, opinions, or services of any external parties or activities.

 

 

Friday, August 28th (9:00am-11:30am)
"How to Manage a Business"
Presented by Guam SBDC: Managing other people effectively depends on managing yourself. Better business performance will therefore flow from improving your self-management skills. We have identified 8 different aspects of managing as business – managing yourself, your time, your employees, your customers, sales and networks, solving problems, managing risk, and managing your finances. This workshop identifies the issues you may face in each area, and provides you with practical recommendations for dealing with them. Included in the workshop are several evaluation tools that can be used to better manage your business. This workshop will be conducted at the SBDC #148 Jesus & Eugenia Leon Guerrero School of Business & Public Administration Building on the campus of the University of Guam. Seating is limited. Advance signup and a workshop fee of $20 are required. If paying by check, please make payable to: UNIVERSITY OF GUAM. Individuals interested in attending the workshop should contact Lorie Sablan at 735-2590 or email laurine@pacificsbdc.com. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made 72 hours in advance. Services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis.

August 7, 2009

Rotary Friendship RC of Tokyo Kunitachi 40th Anniversary Scholarship Award for AY2009-2010

University of Guam student Liesel Carlos received the Rotary Friendship RC of Tokyo Kunitachi 40th Anniversary Scholarship Award for AY2009-2010. On hand for the scholarship presentation were, from left, Rotary Club of Tumon Bay (RCTB) Vocational Service Director John Dierking, RCTB member Anita Borja-Enriquez, Liesel Carlos, and RCTB President Hank Rice.

Dr. Elizabeth M. Hawthorne New School of Education Dean – Begins Aug. 17

 MULTICULTURAL APPROACHES IN LANGUAGE ARTS EDUCATION

 Friday-Saturday, November 6 - 7, 2009

About 95% of students at the University of Guam are considered minorities, according to federal reporting codes, and the average classroom at UOG contains students from at least half a dozen different cultural groups. Because of this, professors have great deal of experience in teaching to highly diverse classrooms. These facts led UOG professors Thomas Marler and Seyda Turk-Smith to coauthor a journal article covering some of the unique features of teaching to a group of learners comprised by a range of cultural value systems.

The article appears in the current issue of Acta Horticulturae, a respected international journal. Their focus was not to tout the way UOG approaches teaching, but to characterize several factors that are useful for understanding expectations within the context of each learner's value system. "We felt that was the best way to convey constructive guidance to educators in other universities as they learn to adjust to a greater range of cultures," said Turk-Smith.

Factors included in the journal article include:

-The level of desire each member of the class reveals in complying with group performance versus individual performance is highly contrasting among cultures.

-The degree of formality versus informality between students and the teacher is an issue that affects the learning outcomes for each student.

-Individual meetings between each student and the teacher early in the semester are crucial for breaking down any barriers that may inhibit the learning process.

Diversity is a major issue confronting colleges and universities across the nation and trends show that college classrooms will continue to become more diverse with each passing decade. University professors willing to understand what is different about multicultural groups will maximize the special advantages each culture represented in the classroom might bring to the learning process.

"It's always gratifying when synergy among our faculty leads to new accomplishments," said UOG President Robert Underwood. "This kind of collaboration, and resulting publication in a long-standing respected international journal, positions the University of Guam as a leader in teaching to diverse learners." The paper can be downloaded from http://www.wptrc.org/research_dtl.asp?rschrID=11

The Western Pacific Tropical Research Center at the University of Guam has been awarded a continuation grant from the U.S. Forest Service to sustain their ongoing efforts to study the threats to Guam’s important cultural and biological resource, the fadang tree. This tree is of interest to a range of scientific disciplines, but more importantly it has been growing in the Mariana Islands for thousands of years and was one of the most common garden plants in Guam homes about 200 years ago.

“We believe this species has been a major historical driver of ecosystem services in Guam’s various habitats,” said Dr. Thomas Marler. Marler is the recipient of the $18,000 grant. “But the invasion of Guam by one alien insect in 2003 and a second one in 2005 has caused epidemic levels of fadang plant mortality,” said Marler.

When it became clear that Guam’s fadang population may not survive the threats caused by these alien invasions, the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center secured funds from various agencies for conservation efforts. Many government and private organizations were willing to help out during the first two years following the invasion. But according to Marler, the U.S. Forest Service has shown a sustained commitment to the ongoing needs as the plant population declines further each year. This is his third grant from the agency. 

The funds are earmarked for continuing the surveys that Marler has been conducting since 2003. “These surveys are crucial for understanding the cascading responses of other plants and insects as the fadang plants continue to disappear from the forest,” said Marler. The information will aid in identifying how other threats to the fadang population begin to capitalize on the decline in plant health. It may also shed light on how other native plants and animals depend on fadang plants for their own survival.

University of Guam Western Pacific Tropical Research Center scientist Dr. G. V. P. Reddy has received a $50,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to assist farmers in their struggle against invasive spider and broad mites. Eggplant farmers in the region have been experiencing difficulties with spider and broad mites damaging their crops, with some farmers completely abandoning the cultivation of eggplant due to losses. Many farmers that continue to grow eggplant rely on toxic insecticides such as Dicofol and Carbaryl to control mite infestations.

Dr. Reddy, a chemical ecologist and entomologist, will seek to eliminate the use of toxic insecticides by developing ecologically sound and cost effective integrated pest management practices (IPM) for Guam farmers. His ecological approach will involve the introduction of a predatory mite that will feed on the eggplant-loving mites, as well as applying biopesticides that are environmentally friendly.

Studies to assess the threshold levels for optimum timing to implement IPM treatment and the comparative effect of IPM practices versus insecticidal treatments will be carried out at the UOG Agricultural Experiment Stations in Yigo and Inarajan. Local growers’ eggplant fields will be used as control plots in the experiments. The results of these studies will be shared with the farming community including a training program to be held at the College of Natural and Applied Sciences to inform growers of the risks associated with conventional insecticides and to illustrate the benefits of ecologically sound IPM practices.  Growers will be educated in the use of IPM practices as a way to assure better eggplant produce resulting in higher income for farmers. Consumers, farmers, and the environment will benefit from Dr. Reddy’s work. Predatory mite (Neoseiulus californicus)

Dr. Reddy is co-author of the book Biological Control of Tropical Weeds using Arthropods, which was recently published by Cambridge University Press. For more information, visit http://www.wptrc.org/ or contact Dr. Reddy at 735-2142.

June 30, 2009
UOG-UH Summer Archaeology Field School at Ritidian
Ten students representing seven universities located in Guam, the U.S. mainland, Canada, and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas participated in the University of Guam - University of Hawaii Summer Archaeology Field School held June 1 – 26 at Ritidian.

June 30, 2009
UOG 2009 Special Education Summer Institute
The University of Guam School of Education offered its third annual Special Education Summer Institute beginning in June 2009. The institute was developed in partnership with the Guam Public School System to train and certify teachers in special education. Pictured are from left, kneeling, are: Carlos Gumataotao, David Gofigan, and Gil Acosta; second row from left: Emiliana Limtiaco, Maia Limtiaco, Ereka Areco, Bertha Duenas, Terry Castro, Lynn Perez, Jonah Ayungac, Parvaneh Sabeti, Angela Gonzales, Liz Umagat, Ivy-Rose Baleto, Nikki Cruz, , Lolita Siguenza, Barbara Taijeron, Mae Mendiola, Justine Santos, Lalanea Taitano, and Dr. Richard W. Fee, Associate Professor of Special Education; third row from left: Tess Orbong, Joniree Calvo, Rowena Mendiola, Helene Cruz, Miriam West, Gloriana Guerrero, Erin Guzman, Mark Taisipic, Audie Umpingco, Lois Gumataotao, Mariana Santos, Maricel Barbasa, Gina Krauprasert.

An orientation session will be held on Monday, June 22, beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, 2^nd Floor conference room.

School of Business and Public Administration Green Business Plan Competition Winners Recognized

The University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration recognized winners of the Green Business Competition on June 9. 

The competition was launched last March, during UOG’s Charter Day, to encourage young entrepreneurs to develop environmentally friendly business plans.  “The competition was open to all UOG students,” said Dr. Annette Santos, an assistant professor in the School of Business and Public Administration. “Their business plans had to focus on eco-friendly alternatives and yet be financially viable.”

Mark Sablan, General Manager of South Pacific Petroleum, presented cash prizes of $1,500, $1,000 and $500 to the top three winners of the competition. Below are brief descriptions of the three winning business plans:

Green Piece, LLC

Magofli´e´ Marianas, LLC will be a web-based video production company physically operating out of Guam.  Its home studio location will be in Dededo, Guam and its internet domain name will be www.magofliemarianas.com.  The company features video production, post-editing, web maintenance and other related tasks.  The website will commercially offer video production and post-editing, video downloads, subscription based web streaming and advertisements all related to environmental consciousness.   In addition, the latter will serve as a 24 hour online location for public access to such features as information, FAQs, blogging and guides for how one can make a difference in protecting and conserving Guam’s environment and limited natural resources.

Na' Uchan Tours

Na’ Uchan Tours, is an eco-tourism travel guide service which includes hiking trips, tours of the Hagatna walking museum, adventure sport activities, and wilderness adventure trips as part of their tour packages. Home cooked traditional meals will provide tourists with a warm, welcoming atmosphere, all the while promoting the Hafa Adai spirit and I Am Guam attitude.

A Distance Education Training/Workshop will be held July 14, 2009 beginning at 9:45 a.m. at the University of Guam. The workshop features Kavita Rao, an assistant professor in the College of Education at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and includes the following:

Overview of Pacific Island Distance Education options

°   Technologies that work for Pacific island scenarios

°   Best practices in Distance Education for rural settings

°   Addressing cross-cultural and local contexts in Micronesia

Lessons Learned after 25 Years of Micronesian Experience

°   Considerations for Bachelors and Masters programs online

°   Instructional strategies for “virtual classes”

°  Addressing students' needs and preferences Via DE

Ten newly minted high school graduates will enter the University of Guam this fall to pursue degrees in education, thanks to full scholarships from the Yamashita Educator Corps. “This is the second consecutive year in which we have awarded scholarships specifically designed for incoming freshmen,” said John Sanchez, School of Education professor and administrator of the YEC program housed at the University of Guam.

“The YEC High School Scholarships help us recruit high achieving students into the education field, and encourages these students to make UOG their natural choice for higher education,” said President Robert A. Underwood.

The scholarships are worth $40,000 over a four year period. The YEC scholarship recipients are required pay back in service and teach in the Guam Public School System one year for every year in which they receive a scholarship.

The scholarship recipients have an average GPA of 3.55 and come from private and public high schools. Three of the recipients are male and seven are female. The recipients plan to pursue specializations in teaching math, science, and special education, among other areas. The recipients are:

Mark Villaverde, John F. Kennedy High School

Genevieve Arce, John F. Kennedy High School

Carolyn Haruo, John F. Kennedy High School

Maria Minas, Academy of Our Lady of Guam

Tricia Caraig, Academy of Our Lady of Guam

Chloe Dydasco, Academy of Our Lady of Guam

Eleanor Heacock, Academy of Our Lady of Guam

Raymond Talavera, Father Duenas Memorial School

Rachel Flores, George Washington High School

James Pascua, Simon Sanchez High School

Naomi Uy, Simon Sanchez High School

A reception and orientation session for the recipients will be held June 17, 2009 at 4:00pm in the School of Education Lounge, 2nd floor.

May 31, 2009

His Excellency Emanuel Mori, President of the FSM, gave the keynote address during the University of Guam Commencement on May 31, 2009.

Click here to read his speech.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 29, 2009

UOG Juniors Can Apply for Congressional Internship with Congresswoman Bordallo

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo has created an opportunity for one University of Guam student to intern at both her District and Washington D.C. offices.

 

University of Guam juniors who have a 3.0 grade point average and are Guam residents are eligible to apply.

 

Additionally, applicants must submit:

• A description of a project he or she hopes to complete within the 30-day internship program. The project should be connected to an issue that draws attention to a problem or issue in Guam-Federal relations. The project description should be no longer than 1,000 words.
• Three letters of recommendation. Only three letters will be accepted for review.
• A resume that highlights public service and activities that provide evidence of leadership.
• Official transcripts from the University of Guam

 

The deadline for submission of all materials is June 9 at 5:00 p.m. The award will be announced shortly thereafter. For more information call Louise Toves at 735-2995 or lmtoves@uguam.uog.edu.

 

May 28, 2009

Spring 2009 Commencement

On May 31, 198 graduates will participate in the University of Guam’s Spring 2009 commencement ceremonies scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Field House. Of the 198 individuals who completed their degree requirements, 147 will receive undergraduate degrees and 51 will receive master’s degrees.

 

Graduates include 9 biology majors, 6 social work majors, 8 accounting majors, 20 nursing majors, and 42 education majors. Eight graduate students will receive their Professional Master of Business Administration degrees, and 23 students will receive their Master of Education degrees, 11 of whom have specializations in special education.

 

The valedictorian is Kristine Figueroa Delos Reyes who will be receiving a degree in accounting. The Yigo resident completed her college experience with a 4.0 grade point average. Here parents are Celestial and the late Leonidas Delos Reyes.

 

The commencement keynote speaker is His Excellency Emanuel Mori, President of the Federated States of Micronesia and University of Guam alumnus.

 

Last December, 211 graduates completed their degree requirements bringing the total number of UOG graduates for the 2008-2009 academic year to 409.

 

 

May 20, 2009
High School Students Participate in NIDDK Pacific Island/Alaska Native Summer Internship Program at UOG

Five public high school students have the opportunity to work as paid interns with mentor professors this summer at the University of Guam thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

The ten-week NIDDK Pacific Island/Alaska Native Summer Internship Program funds the research these students will be doing under the guidance of University of Guam professors who are working on projects in health related areas. The students will earn three college credits for their participation in the program, and their tuition will be covered by NIDDK. The students will work from early June until August 7, 2009 and then travel to National Institutes of Health in Maryland to present posters of their work during a conference on August 1. Travel and accommodations will be covered by NIDDK.

The students who were selected to participate in the program are:

Mark Chargualaf - George Washington H.S.
Katrinalynne Nance - John F. Kennedy H.S.
Solomon Hwang - John F. Kennedy H.S.
Moriah-Dee Quintanilla - Simon Sanchez H.S.
Julius Jose Raposa - Simon Sanchez H.S.

UOG President Robert A. Underwood will meet the students, their parents, school principals, and mentors on May 20 at 11:30 a.m. in the President’s Conference Room, 2^nd Floor, Jesus and Eugenia Leon Guerrero School of Business and Public Administration Building.

The purpose of the NIDDK Summer Program is to familiarize high school students with health issues, and hopefully inspire them to pursue their degrees in areas that will help reduce the health disparities in their communities.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research on many of the most serious diseases affecting public health. The Institute supports much of the clinical research on the diseases of internal medicine and related subspecialty fields, as well as many basic science disciplines. For more information on NIDDK visit http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/

May 20, 2009
UOG’s SHRM Student Chapter Receives Superior Merit Award

 

The University of Guam’s Student Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management earned the Superior Merit Award for 2008-2009.

 

To earn the award, the students provided evidence of activities that qualify in a number of categories including service, learning and membership. The national SHRM organization evaluates the application materials and then awards recognition. UOG's SHRM Student Chapter has earned 9 Superior Merit Award recognitions and 1 Merit Award in 12 years of existence. Student Chapter members and advisors are pictured from left, seated: Dr. Annette Santos, Advisor; Charlene Amado, President; Ryan Treltas, Vice President. Second row, from left: Rona Sunga, Member; Clayton Aguilar, Treasurer; James Pasion, Member; Eloisa Silverio, Member; Melanie Santos, Secretary; Nathan Taimanglo, Public Relations Officer; Jhoana Mercado, Member. Third row, from left: Dr. Richard Colfax, Advisor, and Ryan Rupley, Member.

Adi Suarez's thesis for the Master of Art in Micronesian Studies was unanimously approved by her committee on May 8, 2009. The title of her thesis is, “Meeting Chamorro Women’s Primary Health Care Needs: Examining the Cultural Imapct of Mamahlao on Gynecological Screening.” The members of her committee are Dr. Donald Rubinstein (Chair), Dr. Ann Ames, and Dr. Todd Ames. Suarez is pictured seated; standing from left are Ann Ames, Rubinstein, and Todd Ames.

The Pacific Educational Conference (PEC) 2009 will be held at the University of Guam July 15–17. Co-hosted by the Guam Public School System, the University of Guam, Guam Community College, and Pacific Resources for Education and Learning, PEC is one of the largest educational conferences in the western Pacific and a major source of professional development opportunities for educators. There are many workshop strands to choose from, and organizers expect upwards of 1,000 educators to attend the conference.

The theme for PEC 2009 is: Preparing the Pacific Child for Life. School systems throughout the Pacific islands are working to build state capacity to assist districts and schools in meeting the needs of all students by: (a) identifying and implementing proven practices and programs; (b) strengthening teacher quality; and (c) building and sustaining systemic support for school improvement, resulting in closing achievement gaps and improving achievement outcomes.

The PEC conference is designed for all educators – early childhood through higher education. Register at PREL’s PEC webpage, www.prel.org/pec/pec-2009-registration.aspx

To receive the early bird rates, teachers must register by May 31. Participants may earn 1 CEU.

Individuals interested in presenting at the conference are asked to submit their proposals online on the PREL website.

Thurber Successfully Defends Thesis
Diane Thurber successfully defended her thesis on May 7, 2009, at 11:00 a.m., DEAL Conference Room. Her thesis is entitled- “Noh Way – A Modern Interpretation of an Ancient Form.”  Ms. Thurber will be the first graduate of the Master of Art in English program. Pictured from left are members of Thurber's thesis committee: Dr. Christopher Schreiner, Professor of English, Dr. Helen Thompson, Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies (Thesis Committee Chair), and Dr. Jason Vest, Assistant Professor of English. Thurber is pictured second from left.

UOG Pre-Engineering Student

Han Sol Seo is the first University of Guam pre-engineering student to take advantange of the UOG/Univeristy of Iowa College of Engineering Agreement which was signed in June of 2008.

 

The agreement between the two institutions allows for the articulation of up to 60 credits for students who transfer from UOG’s pre-engineering program to the University of Iowa’s College of Engineering. Seo will transfer 60 credits from the University of Guam to the University of Iowa this fall.

 

Seo was admitted to U of I's College of Engineering as an electrical engineering major. He was also accepted into the University of Iowa's Honors Program.

 

"Congratulations to Han Sol," said UOG President Robert A. Underwood. "I hope he is the first of many students who decide to pursue engineering degrees, and who start their journey here at the University of Guam."

 

“This agreement provides an affordable pathway for Guam’s students who wish to pursue engineering degrees by allowing them to live at home and pay the University of Guam’s tuition rates for the first two years of college,” said UOG Senior Vice President Dr. Helen Whippy.

 

The University of Iowa’s College of Engineering charges approximately $20,000 per year for out of state tuition compared to the University of Guam’s annual tuition of about $5,000 per year. 

 

Students may enter the University of Guam’s pre-engineering program, and then transfer to the University of Iowa’s College of Engineering after successfully completing required coursework with grades of As and Bs. The University of Iowa’s College of Engineering is looking for an overall GPA that indicates likely success in engineering. To transfer into the College of Engineering, students must have demonstrated success in math, science, and engineering courses. At a minimum, transfer students must complete Calculus I as well as introductory courses in Physics and Chemistry. U of Iowa’s Engineering Academic Disciplines include:

·        Biomedical

·        Chemical and Biochemical

·        Civil and Environmental

·        Electrical and Computer

·        Industrial

·        Mechanical

 

The agreement also promotes cooperation in such areas as faculty and student exchanges, training and study programs, collaborative teaching projects, and collaborative scholarship.

 

For more information on UOG's pre-engineering program contact Dr. Shahram Khosrowpanah, Professor, UOG’s Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific at 735-2694 or khosrow@uguam.uog.edu 

 

The University of Guam’s Collegiate Chapter of the American Marketing Association will host its annual marketing conference on May 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Guam.

This year’s theme, “Austerity Marketing: Doing More with Less” features keynote speakers and student presenters from the School of Business and Public Administration. Presentations will highlight research and insight regarding product, pricing, placement, promotion, people, process and physical pvidence – and how to do it all with less.

The conference is free to School of Business and Public Administration students, all others pay $25.00. For more information contact the Office of the Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration at 735-2520.

The Postmodern Humanism of Philip K. Dick

Jason Vest’s book, The Postmodern Humanism of Philip K. Dick, was published by Scarecrow Pr Inc, earlier this year. Vest is an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Guam. From the short story "Roog" to the novels VALIS and The Divine Invasion, few twentieth-century novelists have had a greater impact than Philip K. Dick. Dick might be most famous as a prolific, subversive, and mordantly funny science-fiction writer, but he has also produced visionary fiction in the tradition of Franz Kafka, Jorge Luis Borges, and Italo Calvino. The Postmodern Humanism of Philip K. Dick explores the fiction of this American novelist and examines his work in relation to these other literary fantasists. This book argues that Dick adapts the conventions of science fiction and postmodernsim to reflect humanist concerns about the difficulties of maintaining identity, agency, and autonomy in the latter half of the twentieth century. By comparing his writing to that of Kafka, Borges, and Calvino, The Postmodern Humanism of Philip K. Dick demonstrates that Dick's fiction, even while participating in an international tradition of visionary literature, becomes a fascinating barometer of postmodern American life. The book is available at Amazon.com, and bn.com. Pictured from left are UOG President Robert A. Underwood, Vest, and Mary Spencer, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Murphy received a grant to purchase the SNAG golf equipment and her students are out promoting the game and physical activity at Benavente Middle School. The UOG students were teaching the game to students at the middle school earlier this week, and their last day of instruction at BMS will be on May 4, from 2:45-3:30.

“This PE course offered us a fun way to interact with students and help them understand the benefits of physical education and health. As physical education majors, we get to go out to different schools and promote a healthier lifestyle by teaching various activities related to PE and Health,” said UOG student and PE major Charrisse Bolabola.

For more information contact Kelle Murphy at 735-2447 or kmurphy@uguam.uog.edu.