Robert Underwood is a former Member of the U.S. Congress (5 terms) and recently retired as the longest serving President of the University of Guam. He has served as a high school teacher, curriculum writer, administrator, Dean of the College of Education and Academic Vice President in his professional career. He is a distinguished scholar with many publications on education, regional political issues, indigenous concerns and cultural change. He was active in community and cultural issues early in his life. He is still a passionate organizer of demonstrations and community activities on behalf of political status change, maintenance of the Chamoru language, indigenous rights and a more sustainable island community.   

He served as the Congressional Delegate from Guam in the 103-107th Congresses (1993-2003) during which he sponsored major legislation for Guam, played an active role in Department of Defense authorization bills and was a forceful advocate for political development for insular areas. He also played a national leadership role in Asian Pacific American issues especially in educational opportunities and legislation. He served as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus and was the founding Board Chair of the Asian Pacific American Scholarship Fund.  

As President of the University, he initiated the School of Engineering, the Center for Island Sustainability and led the effort to secure major NSF EPSCoR for the institution.  

He continues to be active in academic and community issues by serving as Principal Investigator for a NSF Documenting Endangered Languages grant and Project Director for a National Humanities Endowment Project on Chamoru Vietnam War veterans. He is also the chair of the Pacific Center for Island Security, an island-based think tank examining the geostrategic competitive environment in the Pacific Ocean.