2026 WERI FSM Advisory Council Meeting
Guam USA · Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) · Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
Monday - December 14, 2026
Doors open 9:40 AM
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Napu Room, Pacific Islands Club (PIC), Saipan
The annual meeting is a forum for discussion of water resources management and development, and exchange of thoughts about solutions to issues relevant to freshwater resources in FSM. The meeting will start with greetings and introduction of participants, the WERI director’s talk about WERI and USGS 104b program, and be followed by presentations on current and completed projects. Round table discussions will be focused on research, education, training needs and outreach activities, and feedback. A questionnaire form will be distributed to collect topics on updated research and training needs in water resources management and development in FSM.
WERI hosts the annual Advisory Council Meetings for the Western Pacific: Guam, FSM, and CNMI. WERI reaches out to water and environmental stakeholders in government agencies, military, and private sectors, as well as anyone who is interested in WERI’s scientific research information. WERI presents its mission and vision, current status, project update, and recently accomplished research work. We provide professional perspectives and scientific information to questions concerning water resources, water quality, climatology, groundwater modeling, and information access/transfer. We also solicit research interests and concerns.
Agenda
- 09:40 AM | Doors Open
- 10:00 AM | Welcoming Remarks & Introduction – Dr. Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, Director, WERI
- 10:10 AM | Overview of WERI & Review of USGS 104B Program – Dr. Hiroshan Hettiarachchi
- 10:40 AM | Enhancing Our Understanding of Spatial and Temporal Variations in Coastal Water Quality in the Mariana Islands
- Ms. Adriana Chang, Research Associate I
- Ms. Anabelle Ludwig, Research Assistant II
- Dr. Chris Yeo, Associate Professor, WERI
- 11:00 AM | Deep Observation Wells – Ms. Mary Clare Snaer, Research Assistant III, WERI
- 11:15 AM | Break
- 11:30 AM | Surface Hydrology for Saipan – Dr. Nathan Habana, Associate Professor, WERI
- 11:45 AM | MAppFx Products and Geo Gallery – Ms. Dannika Kate Valerio, Research Assistant III, WERI
- 12:00 PM | Land Cover Classification from Satellite Imagery in Guam: Issues and Methods
- Ms. Nicole Sulla Mathews, Research Assistant III, WERI
- Dr. Yuming Wen, Professor, WERI
- 12:15 PM | New Faculty Introductory Seminar: Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment – Dr. Rajneesh Singh, Assistant Professor, WERI
- 12:30 PM | Roundtable Discussions
- Update of CNMI water resources issues
- Discussion of critical water research, education and training needs for CNMI
- 01:00 PM | Lunch Buffet, Questionnaire Forms