The Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee (WBAC) is a group of 7 industry representatives appointed by the Commission to set research, development, and Extension priorities and recommend funding allocations for the 91±¬ĮĻ wild blueberry research and Extension projects. All WBAC award funding is derived from the wild blueberry tax.

After hearing research and Extension faculty present their proposals in February, and a thorough discussion of their merits, the WBAC, made the following 7 awards totaling $190,324 to support wild blueberry research and Extension work at the 91±¬ĮĻ.

Investing in the Economic Health of the Wild Blueberry Industry ($16,725) – Dr. Malacarne

This project will take stock of the financial health of the wild blueberry industry and create resources to help growers make informed decisions related to price and production risk management and on farm capital investment. 

Prototyping and Commercialization of the Alan Rau Harvester ($60,000) – Kirkmann, Wentworth, and Dr. Calderwood

This funding allows this core group of researchers and engineers to conduct an additional field season of prototype design, manufacture, and testing of a novel wild blueberry harvester.

Actionable Nutrient Tests: Does Foliar Nitrogen Predict the Need for Fertilizer ($28,664) – Drs. King and Calderwood

This project aims to ā€œImprove understanding of soil and tissue test-based recommendations to inform improved wild blueberry nutrient application timing, rates, and methods.”

Planning for and Addressing International Market Barriers ($10,000) – Dr. Fanning

This project will develop decline curves for management tools that target SWD, BMF, and fungal pathogens to aid the industry in accessing offshore markets. Dr. Fanning is working to leverage this small award to secure significant additional external dollars.

How Worth it is Irrigation? Using soil-water, plant physiology, and enterprise tools to guide mid-season water management decisions ($15,673) – Drs. Schattman, Calderwood, Malacarne, and Barra Netto-Ferreira

This project aims to ā€œdeliver recommendations for cost-effective irrigation technologies and techniques for drought, extreme heat and/or frost risk managementā€, ā€œdefine both optimal and minimum crop water needs (i.e., frequency, volume, timing)ā€, and ā€œpromote farm economic tools and provide cost-benefit insights on management options.ā€

Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) of a Freshpack Wild Blueberry Processing Line ($33,604) – Kirkmann and Dr. Calderwood

This project aims to develop a complete reference package for a typical wild blueberry freshpack processing line including minimum viable line size, equipment list and specifications, utility requirements, space and building needs, safety considerations, and scalable layout options using SLP.

2026 Wild Blueberry Disease Project Support ($25,658) – Dr. Annis

This funding will help deliver recommendations on the impacts of fertilizer rate and timing on mummy berry and leaf spots, improve understanding of the spread of red leaf disease and management, maintain disease forecasting stations and alerts.

At the 91±¬ĮĻ, 41 faculty members have received tenure and/or promotion or just-cause protection status and promotion effective July 1, 2026, or September 1, 2026. The annual announcement recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching, scholarship and research, and community engagement.

Tenure for 17 of the faculty members was approved by the 91±¬ĮĻ System Board of Trustees on March 16.

ā€œThese promotions highlight the excellence of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s faculty. Whether in the classroom, in the lab, or the field, their accomplishments are impressive and are a testament to their commitment to student success, discovery, and service to the state. We take great pride in the achievements of these faculty,ā€ says Gabriel Paquette, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at 91±¬ĮĻ.

ā€œEach promotion and tenure decision reflects both individual excellence and the strength of our academic community,ā€ said 91±¬ĮĻ President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. ā€œAs a learner-centered R1 university, we advance research that matters while keeping students at the heart of all we do. These faculty exemplify that mission.ā€

91±¬ĮĻ

Promoted to Professor

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Alicia Cruz-Uribe, Petrology and Mineralogy
  • Adam Daigneault, Forest Policy and Economics
  • Shawn Fraver, Forest Ecology
  • Daniel Hayes, Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing
  • Anil Kizhakkepurakkal, Forest Operations
  • Melissa Maginnis, Microbiology
  • Caroline Noblet, Economics
  • Aaron Putnam, Earth Sciences
  • Kelley Strout, Nursing
  • Timothy Waring, Social-Ecological Systems of Modeling
• College of Education and Human Development
  • Catharine Biddle, Educational Leadership
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Ryan Dippre, English
  • William Gramlich, Chemistry
  • Gregory Zaro, Anthropology and Climate Change
• Maine College of Engineering and Computing
  • Caitlin Howell, Bioengineering
  • Thomas Schwartz, Chemical Engineering

Promoted to Extension Professor

• Cooperative Extension
  • Colt Knight, Extension Livestock Educator

Promoted to Professor with Tenure

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Lisa Kerr, Fisheries Science

Granted Tenure at Current Rank of Professor

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Jonathan Barron, English

Promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Noah Charney, Conservation Biology
  • Katherine Weatherford Darling, Health Science
  • Philip Fanning, Agricultural Entomology
  • Jonathan Malacarne, Agricultural Economics
  • Jane Puhlman, Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Jessica Riccardi, Communication Sciences and Disorders
• College of Education and Human Development
  • Melissa Cuba, Special Education
  • Kathleen Gillon, Higher Education
  • Daniel Puhlman, Family Studies
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Gilbert Moss, Mathematics
  • Neel Patel, Mathematics
  • Franziska Peterson, Mathematics Education
  • Nimesha Ranasinghe, Spatial Informatics
  • Johanna Richlin, Anthropology
  • Jane Wang, Mathematics

Promoted to Associate Extension Professor with Continuing Contract

• Cooperative Extension
  • Sean Birkel, Climate Services
  • Michael Habte-tsion, Fish Nutrition
  • Glenda Pereira Parente, Animal Science/Dairy Specialist

Promoted to Associate Professor

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Christina Murphy, USGS Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Promoted to Senior Lecturer with Just-Cause 

• College of Education and Human Development
  • Maria Frankland, Educational Leadership
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Matthew Bates, Mathematics

91±¬ĮĻ at Machias

Promoted to Senior Lecturer with Just-Cause 

• 91±¬ĮĻ at Machias
  • Daniel Ellis, English

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

As the May 1 college decision deadline approaches, students are showing increased interest in academic programs with clear career pathways.

At the 91±¬ĮĻ, that trend is evident across disciplines tied to growing sectors of the U.S. economy, including engineering, health care and biomedical sciences, business, natural resources and environmental sciences, agriculture and food systems, communication sciences and disorders, and biotechnology.

University data highlight several indicators of that demand:

• Mechanical engineering enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade, with a 95% student satisfaction rate.
• The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program reports that 95% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school, with 82% working in natural resource fields.
• The Maine Business School, which will enroll 330 first-year students, filled nearly half of those seats before April and reports a 94% positive outcome rate.
• In animal and veterinary sciences, about 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school.
• Health-related fields tied to several majors are projected to see continued jobgrowth over the next decade.

Mechanical engineering

91±¬ĮĻā€™s mechanical engineering program, now the universityā€™s largest major, has expanded in response to national demand for engineers in industries including manufacturing, technology and transportation.

Enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade. Graduates are recruited by employers such as Bath Iron Works, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Texas Instruments, GE and NASAā€™s Goddard Space Flight Center.

The curriculum progresses from foundational coursework in math and physics to advanced engineering applications, with an emphasis on analysis, design and problem-solving. Experiential learning is integrated throughout, with students participating in internships, co-ops and a yearlong senior capstone design sequence focused on design, prototyping and testing.

Students may pursue concentrations such as aerospace engineering, along with minors or certificates in robotics, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing. The program reports a 95% positive student sentiment rate.

REad the full story online

Wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology

The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program has more than doubled in enrollment over the past two decades, reflecting sustained interest in conservation and natural resource careers.

The curriculum emphasizes field-based learning. More than half of courses include outdoor labs, and students complete a required immersive field experience in Downeast Maine that is frequently cited as a defining part of their education. More than 80% of undergraduates report that fieldwork influenced their decision to enroll.

Students gain experience through field surveys, internships and research. About 70% complete field experiences, and more than half participate in faculty-led research. Faculty and students have also produced more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and secured nearly $16 million in research funding during the past five years.

Among graduates, 95% are employed or enrolled in graduate school, and 82% work in natural resource fields.

REad the full story online

Speech, pre-medical and biomedical sciences

91±¬ĮĻ is reporting increased interest in programs that prepare students for careers in health care, research and biotechnology, reflecting broader national workforce trends.

Fields such as speech-language pathology and audiology are projected to experience above-average job growth over the next decade, according to federal labor data. Demand is influenced by factors including an aging population and expanded access to care.

Programs in communication sciences and disorders, biology, biochemistry and microbiology provide preparation for graduate study and professional careers, including speech-language pathology as well as medical, dental and veterinary school.

Students frequently participate in faculty-led research, gaining experience that supports applications to graduate programs or entry into the workforce. Faculty say the programs emphasize both academic preparation and applied learning.

REad the full story online

Business

The Maine Business School is nearing capacity for its incoming class, reflecting strong student demand for business education.

The program will enroll 330 first-year students, and nearly half of those seats were filled before April. Administrators say the pace of enrollment indicates sustained interest throughout the admissions cycle.

Students are drawn to the flexibility of the degree, particularly the general business major, which allows exploration across disciplines before selecting a concentration. Finance and marketing remain among the most popular areas of study.

The school reported a 94% positive outcome rate for the Class of 2024, defined as graduates employed, enrolled in graduate school or participating in service programs within six months. Officials say the program is designed to prepare students for a range of careers across industries.

REad the full story online

Animal and veterinary sciences

Enrollment in 91±¬ĮĻā€™s animal and veterinary sciences program has increased since before the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting demand for careers in animal health, veterinary medicine and agriculture.

The program prepares students for careers in veterinary medicine, research and agriculture-related fields. About 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school, while others enter the workforce directly.

Students gain hands-on experience at the universityā€™s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center, where they work with animals in applied settings and develop practical skills.

All students also participate in research with faculty on topics including animal health, environmental systems and disease. Faculty say the program is structured to support both exploration and career preparation as workforce demand continues to grow.

REad the full story online

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu 

A group of chemicals known as PFAS have become a growing concern for human health, agriculture and the environment. Because they resist breaking down, these ā€œforever chemicalsā€ can accumulate in soil, water and food systems and expose people to a range of adverse health conditions.

From nonstick cookware and disposable tableware to everyday items like toothbrushes, these oil- and water-repellent chemicals became widespread in the late 20th century. Today, communities across the country are grappling with the residue theyā€™ve left behind.

Maine has emerged as a national leader in responding to PFAS contamination, advancing policies aimed at protecting farms, ecosystems and public health. Researchers at the 91±¬ĮĻ are working to understand how PFAS moves through soil, crops and livestock; develop technologies to break it down; and design sustainable materials that could replace it in everyday products.

On this episode of ā€œThe Maine Questionā€ podcast, host Ron Lisnet speaks with 91±¬ĮĻ researchers Jean MacRae, Christina Murphy, Caroline Noblet and Rachel Schattman about how their work, spanning engineering, economics, agriculture and conservation biology, is helping communities confront PFAS and chart a cleaner path forward.

Listen to the podcast on , , , , or ā€œThe Maine Questionā€ website. 

What topics would you like to learn more about? What questions do you have for 91±¬ĮĻ experts? Email them to mainequestion@maine.edu.

Categories:

PFAS / Research / School of Food and Agriculture

More than 70% of Maineā€™s fishing value comes from American lobster. The fishery has delivered prosperity for decades, but it also leaves coastal communities exposed if lobster populations falter, ocean conditions shift or markets change.

That pattern is not unique to Maine. For more than 20 years, 91±¬ĮĻ professor of marine sciences Heather Leslie has collaborated with an international group of researchers  studying how coastal communities respond to environmental, economic and political pressures in northwest Mexico. 

Leslieā€™s research program, based at 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Darling Marine Center, examines how marine ecosystems and the people who are part of them are responding and adapting to environmental and socioeconomic changes.

Supported by the National Science Foundation and other funders, Leslie and her colleagues have shared data, resources and fieldwork across regions, producing a series of co-authored studies examining how the ecological and social characteristics of fisheries and fishing communities shape their vulnerability and adaptability to change, particularly in northwest Mexico.

Together, the research points to a commonality across coastlines, even those as distant as Maine and northwest Mexico: when fishing communities lose variety, in species or in business structure, their resilience declines.

Leslie recently spoke with 91±¬ĮĻ News about what the teamā€™s research reveals about risk, resilience and the future of coastal livelihoods. Her comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Is having fewer species a hardship for fishing communities?

To focus on the analogy with New England, it used to be that 25 or 30 years ago fishermen in coastal Maine were not just fishing for lobster. They were fishing for finfish and shrimp in the winter time and lobster in the summer. Now more than 70% of fished value on the coast of Maine comes from one single species: the American lobster.

While thatā€™s been a really lucrative and biologically productive fishery over the last couple of decades, weā€™re also seeing that it can really constrain peopleā€™s opportunities to rely so heavily on one species.  

There are a lot of similarities between the communities you study in Mexico and the ones here in Maine, but what are the differences?

One thing thatā€™s different between the two regions is the biological variety. As we move toward the tropics, we tend to see a greater variety of animals and other organisms. Think coral reefs. The poles donā€™t necessarily have that wide array of species, and we see that when we look at what people fish in Maine versus Mexico. In Maine, particularly now, we have a fairly small set of species that are harvested commercially and recreationally, whereas in Mexico in some places, folks are catching tens of different species each year.

However, we have observed that for better or worse, Mexico, in many places, is starting to look like Maine. And what I mean by that is the number of targeted species is declining, and where and how people can fish is becoming more constrained.

The groupā€™s recent research references the organization of fisheries and how that plays a role in their success. Can you explain the different ways fishermen organize?

In some instances ā€” and this is true in Maine, as well as northwest Mexico ā€” fishing businesses and people are organized as cooperatives and share decisions, expenses and revenues. Another typical way that people organize themselves to fish is through privately held businesses, where one person is leading and financing the operation and hiring other people to fish. 

There also are smaller cooperatives that arenā€™t as well resourced as the larger ones. And then there are folks who fish and sell their fish on their own; this owner-operator model is the one that most people think of when they think of the coast of Maine and lobsters.

How people organize themselves to fish can play a big role in how theyā€™re able to respond to disturbances in the fishery. We were able to document through close work with communities in different parts of Baja California Sur that individuals who are part of fishing cooperatives have different sources of resilience to change than individuals who are working for private businesses or on their own.

Is one type of organization better than another?

There are financial and logistical advantages to being part of a cooperative, and thatā€™s why they are so prevalent in regions weā€™ve studied. But thereā€™s also liabilities that cooperatives face that people working in these other organizational structures are not exposed to. One of those liabilities is that large cooperatives tend to have a smaller set of species that theyā€™re focused on, in part because they receive concessions, or exclusive access to specific fishing places, for high value species like lobster.

When conditions change and those species become less accessible to fishermen, cooperatives may be more economically exposed and have fewer options to switch to than other types of fishing organizations.

This , a 91±¬ĮĻ alum and University of Rhode Island professor, makes a strong case that itā€™s not that one of these forms is better than the other, itā€™s that there are changes that people encounter in the business of fishing, whether itā€™s economic or environmental or political, where one or the other of these organizational forms tends to be advantageous.

What would you say is different about this collaborative group now compared to a few years ago?

Weā€™ve been working for a long time to understand both the human and environmental dimensions of small-scale fisheries in northwest Mexico and to generate knowledge that can be used to support management and conservation in that region and in coastal places all around the world. Iā€™m really proud of . Itā€™s a great example of how weā€™ve been able to work together as a team, including people from lots of different disciplines. It also spans a really important time period, the global pandemic, and also a time of big political and economic change in Mexico.

Whatā€™s new is our ability to capture these big changes, socio-economically and politically, as well as environmentally, and to work together in a way that really reflects the richness and diversity of expertise that members of our team have.

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

Whether itā€™s conducting cutting-edge research, commenting on current events or receiving that diploma, 91±¬ĮĻ faculty, students and leaders made headlines locally, nationally and internationally in 2025.

From research labs and classrooms to commencement stages and championship arenas, 91±¬ĮĻ was featured in more than 18,000 stories published from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. In addition, our faculty, students and leaders were quoted or referenced 25,000 times in outlets based in every U.S. state and over 40 countries. 

Below is a sampling of 91±¬ĮĻ media placements in 2025.

Portland Press Herald ā€” ā€˜Think of 91±¬ĮĻ as the R&D department of Maine itselfā€™

In an op-ed published in the , 91±¬ĮĻ President Joan Ferrini-Mundy encouraged Mainers to think of the university as the stateā€™s research and development department. 

ā€œWhile all research universities provide value to their home states, 91±¬ĮĻ is invaluable to Maine,ā€ wrote Ferrini-Mundy, who also serves as vice chancellor for research and innovation for the 91±¬ĮĻ System. ā€œWith an economy almost entirely reliant on small businesses that typically lack in-house expertise and facilities necessary to develop and improve products and processes, our university is Maineā€™s Research & Development (R&D) Department.ā€

Bangor Daily News ā€” Showcasing campus capital projects, 2026 look-ahead 

In December, the touted the many capital projects which will move the university and the state forward in the coming years. The BDN interviewed Ferrini-Mundy, Interim Vice President for Research Giovanna Guidoboni, and many others.

The BDN highlighted upcoming facilities like the GEM Factory of the Future and Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce and Innovation Center.

ā€œI think we can see how our faculty, staff and students have helped to make all of these things attractive and possible. We have the talent here on this campus to warrant these kinds of facilities, and so itā€™s appropriate that they happen,ā€ Ferrini-Mundy said.

People Magazine ā€” Two senior citizensā€™ road to graduation

At age 88, Joan Alexander likely became the oldest undergraduate degree recipient in 91±¬ĮĻā€™s 160-year history, concluding a journey she began in the 1960s. Local and national news organizations, including magazine, told Alexanderā€™s story, and how she was acknowledged during one of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s undergraduate ceremonies in May

also featured Jules Hathaway of Veazie, Maine, who graduated with a masterā€™s degree in student development in higher education from 91±¬ĮĻ at age 73.

Bangor Daily News ā€” Multi-story graduation celebration

When hundreds of students were awarded diplomas amid cheers from family and friends at the Cross Insurance Center, the BDN celebrated alongside them with not one, but four stories on 91±¬ĮĻā€™s 2025 commencement ceremonies. The package included a , , and . 

ā€œI myself realized that we are all blessed by an immeasurable amount of families,ā€ said valedictorian Meg Caron during her speech, as quoted by the BDN. ā€œFrom the sports teams Iā€™ve been a part of, the labs Iā€™ve researched in, the teachers and classmates Iā€™ve grown close to, and the roommates Iā€™ve had in Maine, Michigan, France, Costa Rica and Canada, Iā€™ve formed familial relationships with a thousand souls, and theyā€™ve each gifted me a part of themselves.ā€

The New York Times ā€” ā€˜How healthy are potatoes?ā€™ 

When exploring the nutritional benefits of potatoes before Thanksgiving, the tapped an expert from the home of the popular Caribou Russet. 

Mary Ellen Camire, professor of food science and human nutrition at 91±¬ĮĻ, spoke to the Times about how potatoes contain a modest amount of vitamin B6, which is needed for cardiovascular, immune and mental health. Purple and red potatoes have pigments called anthocyanins that promote cardiovascular health, slow starch digestion and help stave off cognitive problems, she said.

The Boston Globe ā€” Hockey East champions 

The 91±¬ĮĻ menā€™s hockey team secured its sixth Hockey East Tournament title with a 5-2 win over UConn at Bostonā€™s TD Garden. and were among the dozens of media outlets that reported on the Black Bearsā€™ first conference championship since 2004.

And they did it before a sellout crowd of over 17,000, most of them making the trip south from Maine.

ā€œIā€™m extremely proud of them, and happy for the guys in the room, happy for the school, and really the whole state of Maine, because it felt like the whole state was there,ā€ coach Ben Barr said after the game.

Scientific American ā€” The dire wolf debate 

As memes and social media chatter spread worldwide about Colossal Biosciencesā€™ genetic modification of gray wolf pups to resemble the dire wolf, publications like got the rundown from the experts. 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Jacquelyn Gill, professor of terrestrial paleoecology, spoke to the inability of such extinct species to exist the same as they once did. 

ā€œ[The pups] donā€™t have any traits that would allow us to understand the dire wolf any better than we did yesterday,ā€ Gill said, adding that understanding ice age organisms isnā€™t just a matter of knowing what they looked like or what they ate ā€” but also about knowing what they did in those ancient ecosystems. ā€œSome of those things are coded genetically; some of those are cultural.ā€

The New York Times ā€” Struggles of rural children

The struggles of children in rural America and why they are dealing with increasing barriers to support services was explored in a op-ed published in November. 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Catharine Biddle, associate professor of education, discussed the challenges rural districts face when trying to provide food, health care and counseling services to students who canā€™t access them elsewhere.

The op-ed notes that ā€œIn , where she spoke to over 100 educators in rural Maine about how they dealt with children with adverse childhood experiences, a teacher mentioned that the school nurse is on site just once a month, and that teachers feel as if they are acting as ad hoc social workers on a daily basis.ā€

WABI-TV (CBS) ā€” Seeking a universal flu treatment 

91±¬ĮĻ students are using physics to fight the flu, and joined them in the lab to showcase their work. 

A group of undergraduate and graduate students, led by physics professor Sam Hess, has been doing single molecule microscopy combined with molecular simulations to learn about how influenza viruses mutate and hijack the cells of their host. Their discoveries could lead to the creation of a universal flu treatment with potential applications for other viruses, offering more effective treatment options to defend against cold and flu season. 

ā€œThe idea is, can we come up with something more universal. So that way weā€™re not playing this guessing game every year,ā€ said David Winski, a graduate student at 91±¬ĮĻ working on his PhD in Biophysics.

CNN ā€” ā€˜How do we identify hazing?ā€™ 

Following a staged kidnapping at a high school in Syracuse, New York, interviewed 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Elizabeth Allan, professor of higher education leadership, about the culture of hazing, its relevancy in schools and prevention methods. 

ā€œItā€™s not really focused on ā€˜thou shall not haze,ā€™ itā€™s more, how do we think about the groups weā€™re in and the relationships we have with our teammates or with our fraternity brothers or with our band mates?ā€ she said.

Allan is a national expert on hazing, founder of and director of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Hazing Prevention Lab. 

HISTORY ā€” Life during the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the British Army captured and held many major cities like New York and Boston for months, if not years. In an interview with , Liam Riordan, a 91±¬ĮĻ professor and chair of the history department, presented a picture of what the war was like beyond battlegrounds and street protests, as Americans lived under British occupation. 

ā€œNo matter your political allegiance, most people are just hunkering down and trying to survive the war without sacrificing their families,ā€ he said.

FOX Bangor/ABC 7 News ā€” Training with cutting-edge robotics for manufacturing 

joined the grand opening of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s B.O.T. Loft, a new robotics and automation training facility inside the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC). The facility is committed to ā€œbuilding, optimizing and trainingā€ the manufacturing workforce in Maine and beyond. This in-demand workforce needs to know how to operate new and efficient industrial technology for everything from wood products to composite materials.

ā€œA lot of manufacturers are hesitant to put in technology and automation unless they have a workforce thatā€™s really trained in it,ā€ said John Belding, director of the AMC. ā€œOur goal is to help upscale that workforce and help train their existing workforce so that they are comfortable using robotics and automation in the workplace.ā€

Good Morning America ā€” Printing affordable homes 

During Earth Week, featured BioHome3D, the first 100% bio-based 3D-printed home in the world. Made from local wood fiber and other recyclable materials, BioHome3D was developed by the 91±¬ĮĻ Advanced Structures and Composites Center to address labor shortages, supply chains issues and affordable housing shortage. 

ā€œIn Maine, we produce about a million tons of wood waste every year in our sawmills. So we thought, ā€˜How do we take that waste, and make it into something valuable?ā€™ā€ said ASCC executive director Habib Dagher during the interview. 

Nautilus ā€” ā€˜Has culture surpassed genes?ā€™ 

reported that human evolution may no longer be driven primarily by genetics, according to a new theory by 91±¬ĮĻ researchers. 

Timothy Waring and Zachary Wood argue that cultural systems are now shaping the way humans survive, adapt and reproduce. ā€œCultural evolution eats genetic evolution for breakfast,ā€ Wood said. ā€œItā€™s not even close.ā€

Maine Public ā€” Exploring cosmic phenomena with Neil DeGrasse Tyson 

Before a total lunar eclipse illuminated the night sky with an eerie red glow in Mid-March, Maine Public hosted famous astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson for a segment of its ā€œā€ radio show on the latest astronomy news. Joining them on the call was 91±¬ĮĻā€™s own Shawn Laatsch, director of the Versant Power Astronomy Center on campus. 

NPR ā€” Origins of the word ā€˜broadcastingā€™

What is the connection between broadcasting and agriculture? 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Michael Socolow, professor of communication and journalism, got to the bottom of it with for a report that explored the origins of the word ā€œbroadcasting.ā€ 

What began as a word describing a method of spreading plant seed expanded its meaning in the early 20th century as radios became the most common way for people to receive news, starting with the election of President Warren G. Harding in 1920. 

ā€œBy the end of the 1930s, when you used the word ā€˜broadcasting,ā€™ Americans all knew it meant radio broadcasting,ā€ Socolow said.

Gizmodo ā€” Tiny technology advancing nuclear generation 

praised the tiny, but powerful sensor created by 91±¬ĮĻ researchers to enhance monitoring capabilities and safety for next-gen nuclear reactors. These microelectronic sensors are capable of withstanding extreme environments ā€” temperatures up to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit and intense radiation. 

Mauricio Pereira da Cunha, the Roger Clapp Castle and Virginia Averill Castle Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was the principal investigator on the project. The breakthrough positions 91±¬ĮĻ at the forefront of high-temperature, radiation-resistant materials innovation. 

CBS News ā€” New tick species for Maine 

In August, 91±¬ĮĻ Cooperative Extension and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) confirmed the presence of a new species of tick for the state: the invasive Asian longhorned tick. The news of its detection for the first time in Maine garnered headlines nationwide, including on .

ā€œThis discovery underscores the critical importance of continued tick surveillance in Maine,ā€ said Griffin Dill, director of the 91±¬ĮĻ Cooperative Extension: Tick Lab. ā€œWhile this appears to be an isolated case, we are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with state and federal partners.ā€

News Center Maine ā€” Providing meals for those in need 

joined hundreds of students and other volunteers as they packaged 52,920 meals to donate to people experiencing food insecurity for the Maine Day Meal Packout on April 30 at the Memorial Gym.  

The event was organized by Honors College faculty, staff and students, who raised over $19,400 to purchase the meals, which were given to over two dozen food banks and pantries in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo and Washington counties. 

ā€œItā€™s really wonderful to now be on this side and now see the full circle of how we get these meals to communities in need,ā€ said Jasper Makowski, 91±¬ĮĻ student and outreach coordinator for the Maine Day Meal Packout. 

U.S. News & World Report ā€” Growing the blue economy workforce 

A story from highlighted 91±¬ĮĻ degrees that help prepare students for careers in the blue economy. Those include the bachelorā€™s degree in marine science with options to specialize in aquaculture, marine biology or physical science, MaineMBA that offers a blue economy concentration.

U.S. News interviewed Jason Harkins, executive dean of the Maine Business School, and Diane Rowland, dean of the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences, and director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

Mainebiz ā€” Reynolds gym revitalization 

In April, students, regional and state leaders and other guests celebrated the reopening of the newly renovated Reynolds Gymnasium on the 91±¬ĮĻ at Machias campus. 

highlighted facility updates, which include new, NCAA-compliant hardwood floor, new bleachers, upgraded scoreboards, a new sound system and other enhancements to support student and community events. 

ā€œThis project represents more than just a new floor and bleachers ā€” it represents a revitalized space for our students, faculty, staff and the wider Downeast community,ā€ said Megan Walsh, 91±¬ĮĻ Machiasā€™ dean and campus director. 

Associated Press ā€” Energy and environmental cost of AI 

With the use of artificial intelligence growing rapidly nationwide and the emergence of many data centers designed to support it, the examined the impacts of the technology on our energy and the environment. 

Jon Ippolito, professor of new media at 91±¬ĮĻ, spoke to AP on the potential impact of AI and showcased his that explores the environmental footprint of using it for different digital tasks. Ippolito said tech companies are constantly working to make chips and data centers more efficient, but that does not mean AIā€™s environmental impact will shrink. This story was shared in about 200 news outlets across the globe.

WMTW (ABC) ā€” Little insect and its big threat for Maine woods

Spruce budworms are among the most destructive native forest pests in North America. Outbreaks kill trees, rendering the timber useless, increasing the risk of wildfire and causing a series of ecological effects.

In February, Angela Mech, director of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Spruce Budworm Lab, spoke with about their destructive impact on Maine woods and efforts to curtail their damage. 

ā€œItā€™s normally here all the time, but in very low densities, we canā€™t normally find it. But about every 40 years, it explodes,ā€ Mech said. 

Newsweek &²Ō²ś²õ±č;ā€” Tackling prescription drug costs with science

Researchers discovered a sustainable method to produce the key ingredient in a broad range of pharmaceuticals, which could help address high prescription drug costs in the U.S. 

Thomas Schwartz, project lead and associate director of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, and Philip Kersten, research collaborator from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, spoke with about their work. They explored a new, cost-reducing pathway to produce one of these crucial building blocks, (S)-3-hydroxy-Ī³-butyrolactone (HBL), from glucose at high concentrations and yields. 

ā€œInitial economic analysis suggests our process can be used to produce HBL much less expensively than the current process, which opens the door to producing new consumer products as well as more affordable pharmaceuticals,ā€ Schwartz and Kersten explained.

WGME (CBS) ā€” Improving cancer detection with AI

A research team led by two 91±¬ĮĻ Ph.D students developed an artificial intelligence system that could make it easier and faster for doctors to identify signs of breast cancer in tissue samples, possibly preventing delays and saving lives.

Jeremy Juybari and Josh Hamilton spoke with (Channel 13 in Portland) about this new tool, which introduces a deep learning architecture designed to interpret microscopic images of tissue with greater precision than conventional AI models.

ā€œWe have one part of the model that looks at a detailed resolution of an image, you can see down to the cell level,ā€ Juybari said. ā€œItā€™s not just the detailed tissue region that matters, itā€™s the surrounding tissue structure that also contains a lot of information thatā€™s important for the model to figure out if this detailed region has cancer or not.ā€

The Independent ā€” Safely enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers

Many people enjoy eating Thanksgiving leftovers, but without proper storage, they can lead to foodborne illness. In an article warning readers against leaving leftovers out too long, shared tips from Extensionā€™s Gulsun Akdemir Evrendilek on how to safely enjoy Thanksgiving for a second time. In particular, the publication noted Evrendilekā€™s tips on reheating food and reboiling gravy. 

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

Pumpkin season starts at the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Highmoor Farm early in June. David Handley, a small fruit and vegetable specialist at 91±¬ĮĻ Cooperative Extension, and Mark Hutton, associate professor of vegetable crop, watch as the pumpkins grow, taking calls along the way from farmers in Maine who may be experiencing their own issues with the crop.

Handley said drought was the biggest challenge for pumpkin growers this year. The season started off cold and wet, then experienced drought throughout the summer.

ā€œPumpkins are not a crop that is typically going to be happy in Maine, because it has more southern origins,ā€ Handley said. ā€œTheyā€™re from central South America. So up here, we are really pushing it to try to get a crop in the short growing season that we have.ā€

Farmers aim to find the balance between planting a seed in warm-enough soil and giving the pumpkins time to fully mature. Many, like Estes Blueberry Farm in Buxton ā€” which also harvests and wholesales three acres of pumpkins, have invested in irrigation to mitigate inconsistent rainfall.

Highmoor Farm, located between Augusta and Lewiston in Monmouth, is one of several locations that comprise the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES), which leads research and initiatives to help farmers across the state.

As seed companies constantly push their latest variety releases, Highmoor specialists conduct trials every year to help farmers know which pumpkin varieties will and wonā€™t perform well in Maine. ā€œWe take the lumps, so the farmers donā€™t have to,ā€ Handley said. 

The farm also compiles data to educate growers about details such as which varieties have the deepest orange hues, the strongest stems, the shallowest ridges, the largest average weight and the most plentiful growing season.

Matt Pellerin, owner of Treworgy Family Orchards in Levant, said he calls Handley several times per week at certain points of the year. Treworgy has a corn maze, apple orchard, pumpkin patch, fall raspberries, hay rides and a cafe that sells cider, hot chocolate and doughnuts during the fall. Pellerin, a second generation farmer, said he asks Handley about signs of disease, spray treatment and water supply during the growing season.

ā€œFor a farmer, having somebody that you can call and ask questions that has broad experience and knowledge is really helpful,ā€ Pellerin said. ā€œYouā€™re kind of out here doing this on your own.ā€

Handley, who has been working at 91±¬ĮĻ Extension for 42 years, is an invaluable resource to farmers across the state. Pellerin said every year is different, so answers to his questions arenā€™t just a matter of knowing everything there is to know about one crop in a single year. Weather conditions differ, plant responses differ and problems, like pests, differ from year to year. 

ā€œIā€™m always growing the same types of crops, but I experience different problems each year,ā€ Pellerin said. ā€œIā€™m a verbal processor, so having somebody to talk to helps me to think and make decisions.ā€

In addition to pumpkins, Highmoor Farm has 17 acres of orchards, where they test new apple varieties alongside ones commonly found growing in Maine. Renae Moran, an Extension tree fruit specialist, advises growers on problems that arise throughout the season. 

Moran, also a professor of pomology at 91±¬ĮĻ, said she gets the most calls during the spring bloom phase and the two weeks that follow. Controlling how many apples grow on a tree can determine the success of a seasonā€™s orchard. Too many and the apples will be too small ā€” potentially down to the size of a golf ball. Too few and the tree wonā€™t produce enough to turn a profit. 

This year came with another unique challenge in the bloom phase. Moran said the persistence of cold weather into the spring kept bees from pollinating apple flowers.

ā€œGrowing apples for marketing requires a high degree of horticultural knowledge,ā€ Moran said. ā€œMy job is to fill in the gaps and to anticipate problems that are unique to each season.ā€

Later in the growing season, when the apples are almost ready to pick, Moran travels around the state to different orchards and helps farmers determine when to pick the tree fruit. She uses a tool to test how much chlorophyll has broken down in the apple peel by measuring how much light the peel is absorbing. Whether the apples will be placed in cold storage or used immediately after harvest determines when they need to be picked.

Highmoor Farm also deploys scouts as part of the program at Extension to look for signs of pest and disease in orchards during the summer. The scout program covers a variety of crops across the state, including potatoes, apples, sweet corn and strawberries. 

Tom Stevenson of Stevenson Strawberry Farm, which grows other crops including sweet corn and pumpkins, was a scout himself in high school and is now a part of the network of farms in Maine who use the program. Not only does the scout program help the farms it directly connects with, it informs other farms in the state of what disease and pests the scouts are finding. 

In addition to on-the-ground support, the university tests soil for farmers through the MAFES Analytical Laboratory and Maine Soil Testing Service. Don Estes, who owns the blueberry farm in Buxton, said he sends soil tests in at the beginning of the growing season and receives a list back detailing what it needs. 

Farmers with operations of all scales are encouraged to contact their for more information on the resources available to them. 

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

Eleven of Maineā€™s 16 counties have poverty levels that exceed the national average. The International Energy Agency and World Health Organization have linked energy and poverty, claiming that equitable access to affordable energy is a crucial step toward economic development in rural areas. Maine spends approximately $4 billion per year on imported energy, and approximately 55% of Maineā€™s energy demands are met with imported fossil fuels, which make the state particularly susceptible to price fluctuations. Rural workers and residents in poverty-stricken counties are typically affected most by these price fluctuations. In addition, roughly one thousand Mainers do not even have access to the electricity grid. Approximately 70% of Maine residents rely on fuel oil for home heating, one of the most expensive heating fuels available. Meanwhile, Maine has 17 million acres of forestland and more than 400,000 acres of farmland, which could be used to provide sustainable biomass-derived energy for residents and business owners. Maine has the highest wind energy potential in New England at nearly 34 terawatt-hours per year. There are also significant solar, tidal, and geothermal resources in the State. These renewable energy sources could be harnessed to provide homegrown energy, increase jobs and improve quality of life for all Mainers. In fact, a recent report by the Maine Public Utilities Commission estimates that increasing the penetration of renewable energy in Maines energy portfolio could add nearly 12,000 jobs and increase the Gross State Product by about 2%. This research is using a combination of surveys, cost and feasibility analysis, and environmental assessment to compare the level of public and political acceptance, cost, technical potential, and environmental impacts, respectively, of increasing energy use from a variety of renewable energy options. It is hoped that the comparative results from this project will assist policymakers in drafting renewable energy legislation based on Maine-specific data and analysis.

Investigator: Klein, S. Ģż

Unit: School of Economics

Termination Date: 30-Sep-17

Maine faces a wide range of economic development challenges, such as supporting entrepreneurship and small business development, workforce development issues, strengthening the retail sectors of communities around the state, and identifying sectors for cluster enhancement. These issues are important to state and local policymakers, economic development officials and practitioners, and Maine businesses and workers. This research will analyze the retail sector of numerous communities in Maine. Local officials will benefit from knowing more about the strengths and weaknesses of their retail economies, and existing businesses (and potential entrepreneurs) will be able to make more informed decisions related to the opportunities for growth. We will examine the skills- and knowledge-based economies of Maine and other U.S. regions. For example, an analysis of the skills available across the rural-urban hierarchy will provide policymakers with a better idea of the types of workforce development initiatives that are needed in rural areas. We will also study the growth of microenterprises in Maine and other U.S. regions, as well as the conditions that support entrepreneurship. Economic development practitioners and current (and prospective) entrepreneurs will benefit from knowing more about the keys to success for small business growth. Additionally, we will study the formation and impacts of occupational and industry clusters in Maine and other U.S. regions. Policymakers and development officials will be able to identify sectors that are good candidates for cluster enhancement.

Investigators: Gabe, T.; McConnon, J.
Termination Date: 30-Sep-17
Unit: School of Economics

Natural resource agencies and institutions at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as private landowners, attempt to balance economic growth and environmental quality. Emphasis on environmental quality is evident in provisions of the most recent Farm Bills; in agricultural land preservation programs at the local, state and federal levels; and in legislative mandates to federal agencies to justify their decisions regarding how natural resources are to be managed, including protecting environmental quality, providing wildlife habitat, and providing access for recreation. The proposed research is responsive to these institutional demands and mandates. Joint with outputs from other states, this Maine-based research strives to improve federal, state, local and private institutional decision-making with respect to managing land and water resources and to advance methods and support for the provision of ecosystem goods and services. This research can help these institutions save costs and time by tapping into state-of-the-art valuation and behavioral analyses.

Investigator: Bell, K.

Unit: School of Economics

Termination Date: 30-Sep-17