The annual awards competition began in 2009 to celebrate student achievement and research scholarship at the graduate level. This year, over a dozen students were nominated across four categories highlighting innovation, impact, and academic excellence within the various master’s degree programs.

Innovative Research Award

The Innovative Research Award recognizes a student or group of students who has demonstrated exceptional ingenuity in research design or pioneered new methods of handling data and inquiry.

Nominees:

• Annabelle Ludwig (Environmental Science) — For research contributions in water quality monitoring watershed modeling and coral reef water quality assessment in the Marianas
• RoCelia Paulino (Environmental Science) — “Deep Learning for Invasive Species Detection: CNN-Based Identification of Brown Tree Snakes in Camera Trap Data”

Winner:

• Angelika Argao (Data Science) — For her research, “Developing a Neonatal Risk Prediction Tool for Guam Using Population-Level Birth Data,” Argao utilized advanced statistical modeling, predictive analytics, longitudinal trend analysis, and interactive dashboard development to create a risk prediction framework tailored for Guam. 
  
  

Community Impact Award

The Community Impact Award recognizes graduate research that responds to significant community needs through practical, meaningful action.

Nominee:

• Andriana Quitugua (Public Administration) — “Strengthening the Continuum: A Service Gap Analysis of Adult Autism Services in Guam”

Winners (tie):

• Rennie Glen Taiwerpal (Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources) — Taiwerpal’s study, “Evaluating the Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cocopeat and its Potential as Growing Media,” focused on the possibilities of an organic material derived from coconut husks to not only strengthen agricultural innovation and support long-term regional sustainability, but also to diversify Guam’s economy and create entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Abigail Pobre, John Christian Sual, and Maria Seanna Minas (Data Science) — The team’s project, “Elements of Success: Integrated Multi-Level Analysis of Student Performance in Guam Public Schools,” examined student demographics, assessment results, and community socio-economic data to identify factors influencing K-12 student success and educational equity across Guam, providing insights to support future planning and decision-making within the public school system.
  
  

Outstanding Graduate Student Award

The Outstanding Graduate Student Award honors a student for their academic achievements and broad contributions to their discipline, peers, and the communities they serve.

Nominees:

• Emma Miller (Biology)
• Cherise Ricalde-Charfauros (Education—Reading)
• Kalyne Roberto (Public Administration)

Winner:

• Maria Seanna Minas (Data Science) — Minas is a member of the inaugural Master of Science in Data Science cohort who is recognized for her exceptional academic achievement, leadership, collegiality, and commitment to expanding data science education across Guam and the Pacific region. Her research on factors influencing student performance in the Guam public schools was accepted for presentation at the National Conference on Student Assessment, reflecting the impact and innovation of her work.
  
  

Presidential Thesis Award

The Presidential Thesis Award is presented to a student who has demonstrated exceptional excellence in the preparation of a master’s thesis, from the development of a rigorous and thoughtfully designed research study to the production of a compelling and professionally written scholarly work that makes a significant contribution to the discipline.

Nominees:

• Veronica Basilio (Clinical Psychology) — “Social Media Addiction, Depression and E-Cigarette/Cigarette Use Among Younger Adolescents in Guam: A Sequential Mixed Methods Study”
• Patricia Diego (Public Administration) — “Guam’s Petition: Direct U.S. Presidential Engagement for Guam Status Progress”

Winner:

• Michael Castro (English) — Castro’s creative thesis, “An Ashen Sea: An Exploration of Apocalyptic Unai Fiction,” is a fantasy novella that invents a category of speculative fiction grounded in CHamoru history and lore. Set in a dystopian future Guam, Castro uses imaginative world-building and storytelling to examine issues of community, cultural resilience, and the journey toward self-determination in the face of social and political oppression.