Virtual Conference Schedule

01:00 pm - 01:10 pm

Welcome to the Tech Fest 2021 Virtual Conference!

Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
01:10 pm - 01:25 pm

Opening Remarks

Manny Hechanova Manny Hechanova Interim Chief Information Officer
01:25 pm - 01:30 pm

Introduction of Speakers

Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
01:30 pm - 02:00 pm

Coping with Education During the Pandemic

With the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the school system has undergone massive changes to better accommodate our students. From the introduction of online and hard copy models of instruction, to the transition of Face-to-Face while following COVID-19 protocols and providing more online access for our students, Lazarra discusses the benefits and difficulties GDOE has faced with the rise of pandemic, especially through the growing usage of technology in our schools. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

Paul Lazarra Paul Lazarra Psychology Teacher & Counselor at Tiyan High School
02:05 pm - 02:35 pm

Implications of the Pandemic: The Accelerated Implementation of EdTech in Guam’s Public Schools

In an instant, schools around the world were shut down because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Teachers and students were suddenly forced to depend on technology to bring the classroom environment into the home. In an instant, educators had to conduct meetings and classes via web conferences. Students had to log on to the Internet to work on their digital assignments. And, in an instant, educational technology finally fulfilled what experts have for decades hoped—technology integration. Robotics teacher, Juvy Cariño, relates her experiences with the accelerated implementation of educational technology in Guam’s public schools. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

Juvy Carino Juvy Carino Robotics Teacher at L. P. Untalan Middle School
02:35 pm - 02:40 pm

Giveaways & Break

Get a chance to win some UOG & OIT swag bags!

John Wiglesworth John Wiglesworth Moderator
02:45 pm - 03:15 pm

Transitioning into the Online Classroom

In the last moments of Tavion's middle school year, the pandemic arose in Guam and students had to switch gears from face-to-face learning to an online platform. He shares his challenges and journey of how it was like for students like him to transition into the online classroom and complete a school year at a new school as a high school student. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

Tavion Duenas Tavion Duenas High School Student at Guam High
03:20 pm - 03:50 pm

Guam On Demand

Around the globe, the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated significant growth in the on -demand economy. In Guam, it has been no different. With only a few online marketplaces offering delivery, a group of local businessmen saw an opportunity to launch a marketplace with a much larger vision. This discussion will provide insight into the vision behind UNO-Go and its competitive edge in a post-pandemic Guam. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

John Paul Calvo John Paul Calvo Chief Information Officer at MidPacific Distributors, Inc.
04:00 pm - 04:10 pm

Closing Remarks

Tune in on ALL our Tech Series and get the chance to win our Grand Prize: an Apple iPad Air! Winner will be announced on Friday!

Manny Hechanova Manny Hechanova Interim Chief Information Officer
Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
07:00 pm - 08:00 pm

Triton Esports: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament

We teamed up with UOG Triton Esports this year to hold 1v1 tournaments for League of Legends, Valorant, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! For a shot at winning some sweet Razer gear register now at https://esports.uog.edu/techfest

UOG Triton Esports UOG Triton Esports
10:00 am - 10:05 am

Welcome to the Tech Talk series Day 2!

Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
10:10 am - 10:25 am

Opening Remarks

Manny Hechanova Manny Hechanova Interim Chief Information Officer
10:35 am - 11:15 am

Empowered by Technology: Building tech that works for Guam

Throughout my early career, I’ve been drawn to several emerging technologies as a Chamorro woman and a daughter of Guam. In this talk, I’ll share work I’ve done on machine translation for Chamorro, research on racial and gender disparities in AI systems, and software solutions for advancing the use of renewable energy. By discussing these technologies, I hope to exemplify how an education and career in computer science can empower us to build technology that works for Guam and the Pacific region.

Nicole Limtiaco Nicole Limtiaco Senior Software Engineer at Myst AI
11:20 am - 12:00 pm

Connecting the Dots: Transitioning from Public to Private Sector

Randy Dahilig, a former Network Engineer of UoG, moves to New York City in hopes of expanding his knowledge and experience in the IT industry. During his endeavor, he faces adversity with the shift of culture, shift of lifestyle, and faces the challenges of the COVID-19 in New York, the epicenter of the COVID-19 in the United States of America. Here, he will share not only what he endured, but also how the experiences and lessons he learned in Guam helped him persevere amidst the pandemic. Join Randy, as he does not only demystify the exciting challenges and hurdles of pursuing a career in the Information Technology field, but also shares personable experiences that will empower IT enthusiasts. Moderator: Jose Santiago

Randy Dahilig Randy Dahilig Senior Network Engineer at Boyce Technologies, Inc.
12:00 pm - 12:05 pm

Break

Stick around till the end and get the chance to win UOG & OIT swag bags!

12:10 pm - 12:50 pm

Navigating Your Way Through Tech

The technology industry as it stands can sometimes seem overwhelmingly broad, offering a multitude of use cases and spanning a variety of disciplines from hardware, networking, and database management to app development, web design, and product management. Tristan will talk about his journey from the decision to enter the computer science field to trying his hand at areas like robotics, firmware, and data engineering before eventually settling into Product Analytics. Along the way, he’ll touch on how he navigated the seemingly endless stream of disciplines and the people and things that pushed him along. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

Tristan Palanca Tristan Palanca Product Analyst at Bleacher Report
12:55 pm - 01:35 pm

Software Engineering as a Career

Being a software engineer has its perks in the modern world given the value placed upon the skillset of designing and building software. But what does an engineer even do on a day-to-day basis? In this presentation, Gabe will share his experiences so far in his early career as an engineer, the problems they tackle on a day-to-day basis, and what inspired him to pursue this field as well as the steps he took to jumpstart his career. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

Gabe Aguilar Gabe Aguilar Software Engineer at Visa
01:40 pm - 01:50 pm

Giveaways & Closing Remarks

Tune in on ALL our Tech Series and get the chance to win our Grand Prize: an Apple iPad Air! Winner will be announced on Friday!

Manny Hechanova Manny Hechanova Interim Chief Information Officer
Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
10:00 am - 10:05 am

Welcome to the Tech Talk series Day 3!

Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
10:10 am - 10:25 am

Opening Remarks

Manny Hechanova Manny Hechanova Interim Chief Information Officer
10:25 am - 10:30 am

Introduction of Guest Speakers

Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC
10:35 am - 11:15 am

The Journey: Life After UOG

Having Guam education as her foundation, Katrina shares her journey on how she began her career after her chapter at the University of Guam. With her passion for sports, she began her career in New York with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment as part of the global marketing solutions team. Shifting gears from the sports world, Katrina joined the tech industry through Twitch in San Francisco. She was recently the Director of Sponsorship Strategy & Operations at Twitch, where she led the commercialization of sponsorship properties across gaming, esports and new verticals. Hopping back in the ball game in a larger court, Katrina is now the VP of Global Partnerships for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, where she oversees international sponsorships for the San Antonio Spurs and AT&T Center. Moderator: John Wiglesworth

Katrina Palanca Katrina Palanca VP of Global Partnerships, Spurs Sports & Entertainment
11:20 am - 12:00 pm

Breaking into User Experience

User Experience (UX) Research and Design is a fast-growing field in many industries and tech companies. UX combines the fields of technology, design, psychology, and engineering to create positive web and mobile experiences. Join Carlo Sugatan in an interactive presentation (bring your mobile phones!) as he describes what UX is, the steps to break into the field, and what you can expect working in UX.

Carlo Sugatan Carlo Sugatan Usability Analyst at Verint
12:00 pm - 12:05 pm

Break

12:10 pm - 12:50 pm

How traditional values can help pave an untraditional career path

By living Chamoru values like chenchule’ and Inafa’maolek (and many others) you can find your place in the tech industry— even when the odds feel like they’re stacked against you. Moderator: Jose Santiago

Jay Castro Jay Castro UX Content Strategist at DoorDash
12:55 pm - 01:15 pm

Grand Prize Giveaway & Closing Remarks

Stay tuned on all our Tech Series and get the chance to win an Apple iPad Air!

Manny Hechanova Manny Hechanova Interim Chief Information Officer
Kyle Mandapat Kyle Mandapat MC