The University of Guam recently appointed Dr. Tom Schils as the Acting Director of the Marine Laboratory.

Schils joined the University in 2006 and has taught marine biology for the last ten years. He has written multiple papers and research proposals, and has performed international field work in his area of expertise: seaweeds. 

Schils received a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1996 from the University of Antwerp in Belgium, and two years later received a Master of Science in Botany from Belgium’s Ghent University where he was first introduced to seaweeds while doing fieldwork in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. Before earning his Doctorate in Marine Botany from Ghent University in 2003, Schils spent time at a post-graduate exchange at the Roscoff Marine Station in Brittany, France studying the photophysiology of seaweeds.

Schils said he’s looking forward to all the innovation at the Marine Lab, as they’ve had the ability to hire four new faculty this academic year and now utilize updated equipment for research.

“We have exciting times ahead of us,” Schils said. “With our new equipment and a much larger diversity of people working here, all of that comes together to help us collaborate and apply for larger grants and put our mark on the world map.”

Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez agreed that the Marine Lab is seeing significant growth and development, which will foster and advance the University's research capabilities.

"The UOG Marine Lab already has quite the reputation of excellence in the extent of its research," Enriquez said, "so with the addition of new faculty and equipment, we're looking forward to seeing that reputation grow even further throughout the region and internationally."