Graduate Student Research Symposium a success at sustainability conference in Guam
April 15, 2025
Front row from left to right: Trina Nikki Henry, Josephine Tupu, Ihilani Kamau, Melanie Mendiola, RoCelia Paulino, Ajalyn Omelau, and Jessica Fernandez. Back row from left to right: Konapiliahi Dancil, Farron Taijeron, Leigh Engel, Yusuke Hatanaka, Sebastian Church, and Raffi Isah.
The Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC) hosted its Graduate Student Research Symposium on April 8 at the Hyatt Regency Guam as a pre-conference event for the University of Guam (UOG) Conference on Island Sustainability. The hybrid symposium was well attended by representatives from universities, nonprofits, government, and the private sector.
Students from UOG, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo presented their research projects across a range of topics relative to climate adaptation and sustainability, including coral reef management, native bird populations, wetlands monitoring, and remote sensing technologies to aid natural resource management. The symposium highlighted the extent of PI-CASC’s educational opportunities, focusing on three of its graduate student programs: The PI-CASC Graduate Scholars Program based primarily at UH Mānoa, the Manager Climate Corps at UH Hilo, and the Climate Adaptation for Resource Management program at UOG.
“Each student did an amazing job addressing various environmental challenges unique to the Pacific Islands in their presentations. The different forms these graduate programs take on are fine-tuned to help meet the needs of their respective communities. I look forward to seeing how their projects transform into meaningful solutions for island communities,” said Ryan Longman, University Consortium Director of PI-CASC.
Eleven students took to the stage to share progress on their PI-CASC-funded projects. The symposium illustrated a ridge-to-reef concept, with presentation topics ranging from terrestrial to marine themes. Full abstracts of the students’ presentations can be found in the symposium program.
The Conference on Island Sustainability, which ran from April 7 to 12, focused on solutions for the future and stressed multi-sector collaboration and innovation. Over 90 speakers from around the world participated, including Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, University of Guam President Anita Borja Enriquez, and President of the Marshall Islands, Hilda Heine, who presented the keynote address. In her presentation, Heine spoke of the challenges the Republic of the Marshall Islands faces due to sea level rise and coastal erosion, as well as their innovative solutions in climate adaptation, including investments in sustainable aggregate sourcing.
Representatives from PI-CASC were also among the conference speakers, giving presentations during the “Thriving Natural Resources” breakout sessions. PI-CASC Graduate Scholar Josephine Tupu, a presenter at the symposium, gave a second presentation on how bioacoustics can be used to better understand native Hawaiian forest bird abundance.
PI-CASC-funded researcher and Pacific Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (Pacific RISCC) Management Network Specialist Dr. Elliott Parsons presented how climate change and invasive species interact to impact management plans, actions, and outcomes. It highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, promoting collaboration between agencies and sectors, and identifying gaps that can be filled through collective action.
For more information and highlights from the Conference on Island Sustainability, visit the conference website or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
