University of Guam students presenting research at SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference

The University of Guam continues its tradition of sending a record number of delegates representing the island’s diverse communities to the 2024 Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) Conference.

Guam’s 2024 SACNAS NDiSTEM delegation has 48 attendees, including 34 students. The largest multidisciplinary and multicultural Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) event will take place from October 31 to November 2 in Phoenix, Arizona.

“The University of Guam is proud to be represented at the SACNAS NDiSTEM conference, where our students’ research poster presentations will be featured,” said UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez, DBA.  “SACNAS offers an ideal platform for UOG to showcase the unique perspectives and research contributions from our island home, while also supporting the growth of future STEM leaders in our region.”

SACNAS participants are supported by various grants and scholarships from the Guam NSF EPSCoR, NSF INCLUDES SEAS, Navigating Home, SLOAN, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), as well as travel scholarships from SACNAS, Chapter Officer Leadership October Retreat (COLOR), and the Research Corporation of the University of Guam (RCUOG).

Eighteen members of the student delegation will present their research posters at the conference.

One of them is Nadley Yow, a biology major on the pre-med track supported by the NSF INCLUDES program. She is presenting her research on the Hibiscus tiliaceus on the island of Yap at the conference. As a Yapese native, Nadley was excited to combine her cultural knowledge with scientific research.

“Being able to present my project on the island of Yap to thousands of people is not something that I have ever thought of as a young girl… So, joining this program and being provided that opportunity, I am thankful, and I hope I get to continue to do these things in the future,” Yow said.

Yoonji Seo, a UOG accounting major with a minor in Mathematics, is excited to present her research poster on the interaction between the microbiome in specific coral species on Guam. The research was conducted during her Summer Math Research Experience (SMRE) with the Guam NSF EPSCoR-GECCO program.

“I know that a lot of our peers in SACNAS are coming from other states, so I am so excited to explore other cultures, engage in communication, and share our thoughts in the STEM fields,” Seo said.

“As active SACNAS members and a past Chapter of the Year winner, UOG highlights scientific voices from Guam and the rest of Micronesia,” said Austin Shelton, PhD, director of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. “Through our participation in the annual SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference, our UOG students share their island-focused research on terrestrial and marine conservation and sustainability. This research contributes to solutions for pressing climate and biodiversity challenges in the national STEM enterprise.”

Shelton is also the Treasurer of the SACNAS National Board of Directors. He serves as a faculty co-advisor, alongside UOG Associate Professor Cheryl Sangueza, PhD, for the UOG SACNAS Student Chapter.

“Participating in this national conference, our students will access the hundreds of potential partners in their educational growth.  The top graduate schools, scholarship organizations, and industry employers will be on hand to assist our students with planning their next step,” added Shelton.

For 51 years, SACNAS has implemented a program aimed at broad representation in STEM, supporting college students and professionals in attaining advanced degrees, advancing their careers, and achieving leadership positions. Currently, SACNAS has 142 student and 8 professional chapters.