Three high school students won the top prizes at a science symposium that marked the culmination of the 2024 STEM High School Summer Internship program of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant and the National Science Foundation SEAS Islands Alliance.

The symposium took place on Friday, June 28, at the UOG School of Business and Public Administration.

“We hope that your experience here at the University of Guam in the last few weeks has sparked a continuing interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics,” said UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant Director Austin Shelton.

According to Shelton, participating in the NSF-supported summer internship gives the high school students a valuable head start in STEM careers, as the NSF is a leading force in scientific research funding.

Below are the projects which bagged the top prizes at the symposium.

The 1st place prize was awarded to Cecelia Rose Borja from Simon Sanchez High School for “The Production of Siderophores with Associated Bacteria in Pavona decussata.” Her mentor is Bastian Bentlage, Ph.D.

The 2nd place prize was awarded to Sophia Leon Guerrero from Academy of Our Lady of Guam for “Crystal Clear: How Water Quality Affects Coral-Zooxanthellae Symbiosis.” Her mentor is Ciemon Caballes, Ph.D.

The 3rd place prize was awarded to Ghislaine Desacula from George Washington High School for “Repurposing Plastic Bottles in Concrete Mixtures: Study on the Strength and Displacement Performance” and Manny Marcus from GWHS for “Watershed.” Descula’s mentor is Ernestor Guades. Ph.D. and Marcus’ mentor is Else Demeulenaere, Ph.D.

“Coral reefs are significant for ecosystems as they provide habitats for numerous organisms,”Borja said.

She added that anthropogenic stressors, caused by human activities, impact coral reef health.

Borja’s winning poster presentation proposed probiotic treatment with siderophore-producing bacteria to increase coral health and reef resilience.

Eight students from local high schools participated in the month-long internship program at the start of June. Throughout the program, the high school students participate in science-based research with their undergraduate, graduate, and faculty mentors.

At the end of their internship, the students presented their research in a poster format at the science symposium. The presentations focused on engineering, botany, marine biology, and other fields of science.