Manglona urges curiosity, community action at NMC research symposium

Keynote speaker Mona Manglona challenged students and researchers at the Northern Marianas College’s 6th Annual Research Symposium to see their work as part of a larger, interconnected effort to shape the region’s future.

Speaking at the March 13 event at Saipan World Resort, Manglona framed research not just as academic inquiry, but as a responsibility grounded in community realities—from climate change and militarization to access to housing, water, and education.

“There’s something really grounding about being in spaces like this… to slow down and think more deeply about the realities that we are living through, and the roles that we each carry within them,” Manglona said.

Using the metaphor of underground mycelium networks, Manglona likened research and community action to unseen systems that sustain life and respond to imbalance.

“Whether it’s in our jungles, in our human biologies, or in our communities, there is something deeply natural about responding to need… about forming networks that help sustain life,” she said.

Manglona emphasized that many of the issues facing the CNMI are not abstract debates but immediate concerns unfolding locally.

“These are not distant conversations. They are unfolding around us… in our own communities, in our own homes, in our own villages,” she said, citing topics such as deep-sea mining, tourism dependence, youth mental health, and artificial intelligence.

She urged participants to move beyond observation and toward engagement.

“Curiosity… helps communities move from uncertainty to awareness, from awareness to participation… and to meaningful community-led change,” Manglona said.

Manglona also highlighted her own research experiences in places such as the U.S.-Mexico border, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., noting that issues like poverty, health equity, and environmental sustainability are interconnected globally—including in the Pacific.

“Research is not at all about collecting information. It’s about learning how to pay attention… and helping to translate that understanding into action,” she said.

She closed by reminding students that their work contributes to a broader system of change.

“You are already part of the living ecosystem shaping what comes next,” Manglona said.

Earlier, NMC president Dr. Gavin Deleon Guerrero underscored the importance of research in defending truth, warning of what he described as growing challenges to scientific integrity and public trust.

“In our current day and age, there is an all-out assault on truth,” he said, pointing to funding cuts and skepticism toward issues such as climate change.

“Research is about… pursuing the truth… not hiding the truth… but finding and revealing the truth,” he added.

The symposium featured a wide range of student and faculty research presented through interactive posters, reflecting both local issues and global themes.

Among them was a study examining whether cricket species on Saipan and Tinian share habitats or compete, using acoustic monitoring and data modeling to better understand ecological interactions.

Another project explored the relationship between television viewing habits and mental health among Saipan residents, finding no significant correlation but offering baseline data for future studies.

Environmental research included an assessment of the transformation of Eloy S. Inos Peace Park from a former dumpsite into a green space, highlighting improved conditions but raising concerns about long-term monitoring and contamination risks.

Health and science-focused projects ranged from developing a safer alternative to betel nut chewing through arecoline gum, to testing optimal zinc oxide concentrations in sunscreen to balance UV protection with reef safety, and analyzing the antioxidant properties of moringa leaf tea.

Other studies reflected emerging social and technological issues. One found that adults struggled to distinguish between AI-generated and real images, correctly identifying them only about half the time, with older participants more susceptible to error. Another examined storytelling in video games, suggesting narratives may enhance player engagement, though results were inconclusive.

Energy and sustainability research looked at CNMI residents’ perceptions of renewable energy, showing interest despite limited adoption, while an agriculture study tested whether rhizobia inoculants could improve tomato growth, with only modest early results.

Social science research included an exploration of loneliness among adults, finding that strong family and friendship networks were more closely tied to well-being than romantic relationships alone.

Top student presenters will earn a chance to represent the college at the 2026 University of Guam Conference on Island Sustainability in April.