EPSCoR funding will allow UOG researchers to better understand Guam’s rich and diverse marinehabitats so that this major economic and social driver can continue to sustain the people of the region.
Guam – The National Science Foundation has awarded a $6 million grant to the University of Guam for coastal ecosystems research, which would take the university’s marine laboratory up another level in terms of cutting edge research and capabilities.
Thanks to NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research program, UOG’s Marine Laboratory Director Dr. Terry Donaldson says their team will be able to evaluate how marine ecosystems and fragile coral reefs respond and adapt to environmental and climate stressors. He says Guam will function as a “living laboratory” to investigate the sustainability of marine coastal environments under changing sea levels, sea-surface temperatures, and water quality conditions in the Western Pacific.
Donaldson tells us what he’s hoping he and his students will take away from this experience. He says, “We’re keen at getting to the nitty gritty about scientific discovery in this area and utilizing the new methods that aren’t common usage in a lot of places to address the questions we raised. Certainly providing research opportunities and in general, putting Guam on the map in terms of a really exceptional place to do work on coral reef biology.”
Donaldson says the project will also enhance the University’s cyberinfrastructure and Internet connectivity to meet the comprehensive data exchange requirements of the project. The $6 million dollar grant will be used to fund five years of research and represents one of the single largest grants awarded in UOG’s history.
