Justin Cruz
Justin Cruz kicked off his Navigating Home term with an official signing ceremony held at the Office of the Governor of Guam. Along with the Lt. Governor of Guam, SVP of the University of Guam, the principle investigator of the project and his mentors, Cruz explained the importance of bringing knowledge back to the island.
Guam
Long-term Fellow
March 2025 – 2026
Mentored by: Emily Wendte, Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace & Innovation Hub
Born and raised CHamoru, Justin Cruz returned to Guam as a Navigating Fellow with a sense of purpose: to help find solutions to some of the island’s pressing problems. Aside from the ongoing issue of brain drain, which weakens the island’s workforce capacity, Cruz pointed to increasing waste generation, with plastics and other post-consumer products often ending up in the landfill due to limited recycling infrastructure.
With training in robotics and CNC machining, he put his skills to good use at the Guam Green Growth (G3) Makerspace & Innovation Hub—transforming discarded plastics into innovative products like flat-pack stools and school desks, creating a waste management pipeline that diverts materials away from the landfill.
Cruz noted that his time off-island helped him recognize the importance of returning. “You could say that with my certificate and everything I learned, it was too easy to go to the States and get another job that could possibly provide a better life for me and my family. But if we don’t fix it ourselves, it will never be fixed. It is the way I see it.”
By bringing his skills home, Cruz is tackling brain drain, advancing circular economy solutions, and proving that Guam’s future can be built by those who choose to stay and give back.