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Anela Duenas, Rico Lizama, and Reese Espinosa

After catching the wave of community opinion on ocean energy: Getting ready for the next BIG one

By Rico Lizama

Energy isn’t just a technical topic on Guam: it’s personal, talked about over kitchen tables, power bills, and weekend gatherings. As the Perceptions of Ocean Energy (POE) project winds down, I’ve been looking back at where this journey started: face-to-face with the people who call this island home. With this community-first mindset, between August and December 2024, I set up outreach tables across Guam to showcase our research and hear directly from community members about the future of ocean energy.

Louella Losinio October 7, 2026

NATURAL RESOURCES

Our natural resources team is hard at work protecting
and conserving native and endemic plant species.

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OCEAN CONSERVATION

Our ocean research teams are working to protect our
precious marine resources and species including our native
Sea Turtles and fisheries

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Sustainable Start

At the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability & Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant), we define sustainability as the balance between meeting current needs and safeguarding the resources of future generations. Established in 2009, UOG CIS & Sea Grant is the region’s lead institution for supporting the transition toward a sustainable, self-reliant, and prosperous island community.

Ocean of Reach

Since our founding, UOG CIS & Sea Grant has evolved into the region’s focal point for sustainability research and community outreach. We collaborate closely with government agencies, NGOs, and community groups to address critical island needs across four key pillars: Environment, Economy, Society, and Education.

A Green Future

With an expanding portfolio of implementation projects and strong community partnerships, UOG CIS & Sea Grant is moving the region toward a sustainable tomorrow. Our work is defined by action. Through transformative programs like Guam Green Growth, the SEAS Islands Alliance, and Navigating Home, we are turning sustainability plans into on-the-ground reality.

UOG CIS & Sea Grant Spotlights

🎣 Think you’ve got a REEL record? We want to see it!

The 2027 UOG Tide Chart Calendar is putting the spotlight on REEL RECORDS — and your monster catch could be featured! 🌊🐟

Send us a high-resolution, landscape photo of you with your impressive rod & reel catch for a chance to appear in next year’s calendar.

📸 High-resolution, landscape photos only

📧 Submit to seagrant@uog.edu

⏰ Deadline: October 30, 2026 at 12 p.m.

Show us what you reeled in, Guam! 🇬🇺 Who knows — your catch could be making waves all year long in our 2027 Tide Chart Calendar!

More Stories

Michael Duenas, Guam Department of Agriculture Fisheries Supervisor, sits at a table and gestures with his hand while speaking to a group of attendees gathered in a room with blue, ocean-themed walls.

Hooked on fisheries: DAWR’s Michael Duenas shares thoughts on Navigating Home mentorship

From June to August 2026, Michael Duenas, fisheries supervisor at the Guam Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources (DAWR), mentored Navigating Home fellow Enqi Yang, guiding him through the practical applications of island-based fisheries science, public engagement, and marine conservation.

October 6, 2026 No Comments

A group of six University of Guam leaders, faculty researchers, and student interns standing side-by-side outdoors, posing for a photo following the announcement of the inaugural Guam NSF EPSCoR E-CORE seed funding awards.

UOG’s EPSCoR E-CORE awards seed funding to advance local research and workforce development

The University of Guam’s (UOG) Guam National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (Guam NSF EPSCoR) E-CORE (EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems) project has announced the recipients of its inaugural round of seed funding awards, providing nearly $200,000 in competitive research grants to UOG faculty.

October 1, 2026 No Comments

G3 Makerspace team with plastic slabs for desk tops

What is Sustainable September? How Guam turns global goals into island action

Every September, Guam highlights environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and green innovation during Sustainable September. This month-long movement connects island community action to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the world works toward the 2030 global benchmark.

At the core of this effort are the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant), Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative, and Guam NSF EPSCoR programs. Together, their initiatives turn ambitious global goals into practical local solutions that reflect and include the diverse, multicultural communities that call Guam home. Here are just some of their efforts:

September 23, 2026 No Comments

Thomas Manglona holds a camera up to take a photo while in the jungle.

UOG CIS & Sea Grant names Rota’s Thomas Mangloña II as inaugural Marianas Science Communications Fellow

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant has named journalist and media professional Thomas Mangloña II as the first UOG CIS & Sea Grant Marianas Science Communications Fellow, launching a new effort to strengthen the way science and environmental research are shared with communities across the region.

September 22, 2026 No Comments

a split-screen video capture of a Zoom meeting during the 2026 Virtual Island Summit, featuring Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero speaking on the left and Jabal Hassalini from GLISPA on the right.

At 2026 Virtual Island Summit, Governor spotlights impact of Guam Green Growth movement

The Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative leveraged approximately $1 million in annual local funding to attract over $30 million in external support, showing that local sustainability investments can deliver significant socioeconomic benefits. At the 2026 Virtual Island Summit, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero shared these results and highlighted Guam’s ongoing sustainability initiatives during a panel with policymakers and practitioners.

September 22, 2026 No Comments

A group of seven people, including Navigating Home Fellow Kira Reklai, stand smiling side-by-side indoors for a photo following a final fellowship presentation.

Science communication and personal stories over adobo and banana lumpia: Reflections on mentoring Navigating Home fellow Kira Reklai

True science communication also honors the human stories behind the programs, behind research. Serving as a mentor for the Navigating Home program this year gave me a renewed appreciation for this truth. While I have guided reporters and community educators in the past, mentoring Kira Reklai—a fellow with a background in early childhood education—for Navigating Home was a uniquely rewarding journey.

September 21, 2026 No Comments