Budding scientists tackle real-world challenges at UOG INCLUDES STEM Symposium

Held at the University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration, the symposium featured posters from a total of six high school students. Their topics ranged from invasive species, waste recycling to biodiversity --- each project highlighting the real-world applications of STEM education in island communities.

The students were part of the STEM High School Summer Internship Program, an initiative supported by the NSF INCLUDES SEAS Islands Alliance. Over the course of the summer, they worked alongside mentors to develop and conduct their own scientific projects.

Speaking to the interns, UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant) Director Austin Shelton, Ph.D., emphasized the value of their experience. “What’s really great about your high school internship is that you’re getting place-based education with very top-tier science, and that is something that you can bring with yourself anywhere in the world,” Shelton said. “What you have earned this summer is a National Science Foundation-funded summer internship—that’s something that you’ll be able to put on your college applications.”

Cheryl Sangueza, Ph.D., co-principal investigator for NSF INCLUDES SEAS Islands Alliance Guam and lead for the capacity building team at the UOG CIS & Sea Grant, said that this is the culminating event for the high school interns of the program.

Here are the high school interns who placed in the symposium:

1st Place: Marley Aldan (Junior, Tiyan High School)

Project: “It’s Getting Sticky: Comparing Seed Adhesion to Natural vs. Synthetic Materials”
Mentor: Else Demeulenaere, Ph.D.

Aldan explored a common but overlooked cause in the spread of invasive species— different types of clothing. Her project focused on how seeds from the invasive plant Bidens alba stick to various fabric types. Testing materials like polyester, spandex, cotton, and linen, Aldan found that natural fabrics tend to collect more seeds than synthetics.

“By doing this I am hoping to see which clothing materials people shouldn’t wear outside so they can lessen the spread of Bidens alba because it is an invasive species on Guam that takes over its environment,” Aldan said.

Aldan’s research suggests that even small choices, like what we wear, can impact Guam’s biodiversity. She recommends future studies explore seed retention rates to better understand how seeds drop and travel from one area to another. Her research also suggests that containing invasive species like Bidens alba increases the chances for native species to thrive and helps protect biodiversity.

2nd Place: Caleb Ngiratereged (Senior, Simon Sanchez High School)

Project: “Effect of Waste Tire Rubber in Cement-Based Mortar”
Mentor: Ernesto Guades, Ph.D.

Faced with a growing tire waste problem on Guam—where an estimated 120,000 scrap tires are produced each year— the project examined whether shredded tire rubber could be safely incorporated into cement-based mortar.

By testing 15 concrete specimens with varying amounts of tire rubber (0%, 2.5%, and 5%), Ngiratereged discovered that while the compressive strength slightly decreased with more rubber content, this method still shows promise for non-load-bearing applications.

“Around Guam there is a lot of wasted tires, just dumped on the side of the road. I proposed that we use tire rubber in cement-based mortar to increase the strength of it, as well as for sustainability,” Ngiratereged said.

3rd Place: Ashley Castaneda (Senior, John F. Kennedy High School)

Project: “Taxonomic Reassessment of Two Mastogloia Species: M. baldjikiana and M. indonesiana”
Mentor: Christopher Lobban, Ph.D.

Castaneda investigated the microscopic world of diatoms—photosynthetic, plant-like microorganisms important to aquatic ecosystems. Her research focused on the taxonomy of two closely related diatom species: Mastogloia baldjikiana and Mastogloia indonesiana.

Using light and scanning electron microscopy, Castaneda compared diatom samples with historical records, finding no trace of M. baldjikiana.

Instead, she found that evidence pointed to the samples being M. indonesiana, suggesting a possible misidentification in previous scientific studies.

On winning third place, Castaneda said, “This is my first science fair and my first award from a science fair. I am grateful to have been given this opportunity.”

The internship program has opened research opportunities for students on the island who are interested in various science fields, including botany, ecology, marine biology, sustainability, and other areas of environmental science.