2022 Travel Award Recipients

20 UOG Students Receive RCUOG Travel Awards 

Twenty University of Guam students received Research Corporation of the University of Guam (RCUOG) travel awards for education related travel in 2022. The recipients will travel to Japan, the CNMI, Germany, and the US mainland to conduct or present their research projects, participate in internships, or enhance their academic experiences through cultural exchange.

	Sophomore Nico Valencia, who is pursuing a biology degree, will travel to Connecticut in May to participate in the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s 8-week Summer  Research Internship Program. Nico has been assigned to Dr. Renato Polimanti’s lab at Yale University where will learn about computational biology and psychiatric genetics.
	Biology major Seanna Bataclan will travel to Oregon in June to participate in June an 8-week summer internship at Oregon Health University where she will work under Dr. Katharine Zuckerman on mobile health equity for children with autism.
	Graduate student Abram Townsend will present his thesis research on the genetic diversity and population connectivity of blue corals in Guam at the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) in Bremen, Germany in July.
	Graduate student Colin Anthony will travel to Japan as a visiting research student at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan in September. While at Tohoku University, Colin will continue his research on coral ecology and physiology as well as assist Dr. Cheryl Lewis Ames with her research on marine invertebrate development and biodiversity, learn new laboratory and data analysis techniques, provide guest lectures, mentor students, and network with local academics.
	D’Amy Steward, also a graduate student at the Marine Laboratory, will travel to Saipan six times in 2022 to conduct field research for her thesis project focused on restoring coral reefs through improved restoration techniques. A NOAA Ruth Gates Coral Restoration and Innovation Grant supports her work. She will maintain and monitor experimental plots in Saipan and collect critical data on coral survival, environmental conditions, and health.

In March, 15 UOG Army ROTC cadets traveled to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas for an opportunity to develop leadership skills. Cadets led JROTC cadets at Tinian High School in field training exercises and physical fitness. Cadets who received travel awards include Noel Degracia, Khloe Ann Miranda, Gavin Pangelinan, Joseph Aquino, Lidio Fullo, Gohan Calunan, Jeffrey Seo, Gavin Whitt, Amarah San Nicolas, Gabriel Aguon, Bert Magallano, Jude Tenorio, Napu Cruz, Elaine Cases, Berwyn Ednaco 

“The team here at RCUOG is delighted to play a small role in supporting these students and their academic endeavors,” said Cathleen Moore-Linn, executive director of RCUOG. “It is exciting to learn about the positive contributions they are making toward scientific discovery, leadership development, and their individual achievements. This is an impressive group of students.” RCUOG offers travel awards to students using mileage accrued from purchases made with the RCUOG official credit card in accordance with Public Law 32-019. RCUOG has supported a total of fifty-five travel awards since 2017.

Caption: Front row from left (kneeling): Jude Tenorio, Lidio Fullo, Jeffery Seo, Amarah San Nicolas, Ednaco Berwyn, and Napu Cruz. Second row from left: Captain Jesse Lee Fontanilla, Bert Magallano, Khloe Miranda, Gohan Calunan, Gavin Whitt, Elaine Cases, Gabriel Aguon, Joseph Aquino, Gavin Pangelinan, and Noel Degracia.

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RCUOG awarded just one travel award in 2021. UOG senior, Eries Moreno, was selected to participate in the prestigious 8-week Columbia-Amazon Summer Undergraduate Research Program in New York City. UOG faculty member, Dr. Kathy Lofdahl, submitted a letter of support for Eries and highly recommended him for a travel award as travel was the only component of the program not covered. Eries was placed at the Structure Function Imaging Laboratory, an electrical engineering lab led by Professor Christine Hendon. The laboratory focused on scientific inquiries surrounding the improvement of imaging devices and techniques of the human system. Eries’s research involved the analysis of breast cancer tissue that was imaged through optical coherence tomography, a common retinal imaging modality. Under the guidance of his mentor, Dr. Diana Mojahed, Eries analyzed image volumes from 100 patients and categorized multiple tissue features with the aim of developing an atlas. Moving forward, Eries aims to use this experience to encourage his peers to apply for this program, and other research opportunities, and continue his studies in STEM in pursuit of his goal of becoming a physician-scientist.

 

 

 

 

 

Caption: Pictured from left are: Barbara Molarte, RCUOG accounting specialist, Christian Valencia, Lillian Troy, Heather Garrido, Andrew Mc Innis, Jeried Calaor and Cathleen Moore-Linn, RCUOG executive director. 

 

University of Guam students received Research Corporation of the University of Guam (RCUOG) travel awards for education related travel in 2019. The recipients will travel to Japan, Thailand, Kosrae, and Hawaii, the U.S. mainland to present their research projects, participate in internships, and enhance their academic experiences.

In June, senior and Pre-physical Therapy major Lillian Troy will participate in a physical therapy summer internship hosted by the Kameda Medical Center in Japan. Lillian will gain 100 hours of hands-on experience along-side licensed doctors of physical therapy in Kameda Medical Center’s state of the art facilities.

Frank Roberto, who is pursuing his master’s degree in biology, will present his thesis at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference in Honolulu in October. Roberto, as part of his duties as a research fellow for UOG’s NSF INCLUDES grant, will also prepare UOG undergraduates to present their research at the SACNAS conference.

Graduate student Jeried Calaor will present his thesis work on the role that Mariana fruit bats play as seed dispersers in Guam at the 18^th International Bat Research Conference in Thailand in July.

Sociology majors Alyssa Gordon and Heather Garrido will travel to Tokyo, Japan to present their research at the International Conference on Education, Psychology and Social Sciences in August. Their research focuses on how the collectivist cultures and values of Micronesia are impacted by individualism and materialism.

Additionally, three other students received travel awards in 2019 including English Major Arielle Lowe who attended the Conference on College Composition and Communication in Pennsylvania in March where she conducted a workshop on native-centered composition theory and pedagogy; Christian Valencia, who presented his paper on the economic and non-economic factors of international migration at  the International Conference on Business, Economics, and Information Technology in Singapore in March; and Vince Campo who presented his research on Dog Vaccination and Quarantine: A Mathematically Approach on Rabies” at the Joint Mathematics Meeting in Maryland in January.

 “We are able to offer travel awards to students using mileage accrued from purchases made with the RCUOG official credit card in accordance with Public Law 32-019,” said Cathleen Moore-Linn, executive director of RCUOG. “We are delighted to play a small part in supporting their academic endeavors.” RCUOG has supported a total of travel awards 30 awards since 2017.

 

Pictured from left are: Arielle Lowe, Alyssa Gordon & Frank Roberto. 

Caption: Pictured from left are: Gloria Travis, RCUOG chief business officer, Travel Award recipients Gilbert Mangosong, Rita-Rose Hualde, Elizabeth Rutun, Mylisa Gillan, Rovee Ann Rios, and Cathleen Moore-Linn, RCUOG executive director.  Not pictured: Melissa Gabriel and Ferdene Dela Cruz.

Seven University of Guam students received Research Corporation of the University of Guam (RCUOG) travel awards for education related travel occurring through December 31, 2018. The recipients will travel to Palau, the Philippines, Texas, and England to present their research projects, lead workshops, and enhance their academic experiences.

Melissa Gabriel, a graduate student pursuing her master’s degree in biology, will present her research at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference in San Antonio, Texas. Her thesis research focuses on the response of a specific type of coral to environmental stressors.

Elizabeth Rutun’s research paper was accepted for presentation at the 23^rd Pacific History Association Conference which will be held in early December at the Royal Academy of the Arts and the University of Cambridge in London, England. Ms. Rutun, who is pursuing her master’s degree in English, will present her research on traditional Yapese dance as narrative and marker of change and adaption as part of a panel presentation led by Dr. Evelyn Flores.

Mylisa Gillan will represent UOG at the Inter-Collegiate Finance Competition in Manila, Philippines this fall. Ms. Gillan is a senior pursing her Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Economics. Along with her teammates, she will compete against 20 other universities on series of finance related topics. The competition helps prepare students to take the Chartered Financial Analyst Level 1 and Chartered management Accounting examinations.

Four graduate students pursuing their master’s degrees in special education, Rita-Rose Hualde, Rovee Ann Rios, Gilbert Mangosong, and Ferdene Dela Cruz, received travel awards Palau to provide a workshop session for staff and parents of the Palau Head Start program on the topic of early childhood special education.

“We are able to offer travel awards using mileage accrued from purchases made with the RCUOG official credit card in accordance with Public Law 32-019,” said Cathleen Moore-Linn, interim executive director of RCUOG. “We used 325,000 miles to support this current group of students and are delighted to play a small part in supporting their academic endeavors.” RCUOG has awarded ten travel awards since the beginning of the year.

On September 30, five University of Guam students were selected to receive Research Corporation of the University of Guam (RCUOG) travel awards for education related travel occurring through December 31, 2017. The recipients will travel to various conferences in Asia and the U.S. mainland to present their research projects and enhance their academic experiences.

 

Mischa Calvo Cruz, a senior majoring in Sociology, and Samantha Uncangco, a junior majoring in Psychology and Sociology, were selected to represent UOG at the 4^th International Academic Conference in Social Sciences in Singapore. They will present their research on Guam’s ever-changing patterns of human ecology at the conference.

 

 

Marcel Kate Jardeleza, a senior majoring in Biology, had the opportunity last summer to participate in a National Science Foundation Research Experience at the University of Hawaii in Hilo. This October, Marcel will present her data at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

  

Noelle Bautista, a senior majoring in Health Sciences, will present her abstract on tobacco, e-cigarette use, and sleep patterns at the American Public Health Association (APHA) national conference in Atlanta, Georgia in November. This travel award will also allow her to expand her knowledge on health issues, network with professionals, and remain current with the latest trends and practices in the field.

 

Christian Delgado will represent UOG at the Asia Pacific Association of Fiduciary Studies 17^th Pacific Region Investment Conference in Manila, Philippines in November. As a Finance/Economics major and vice president of the Student Investment Club, Christian will learn more about the finance industry in an international setting.

“We are able to offer travel awards using mileage accrued from purchases made with the RCUOG official credit card in accordance with Public Law 32-019,”said Cathleen Moore-Linn, interim executive director of RCUOG. “We are pleased to support students in their academic endeavors which helps to build the professional capacity of our island.”

Pictured from top: Mischa Calvo Cruz, Samantha Uncangco, Marcel Kate Jardeleza, Noelle Bautista, and Christian Delgado.