Understanding the source of stress and disease can be difficult, especially if the subject of stress is a fish, or even thousands of fish. 

Detecting and diagnosing stress and disease is a major challenge for aquaculture farms, where keeping fish happy helps them thrive. In fish, stress can be hard to detect before it becomes problematic, and testing for the source of stress usually requires physical examination or biopsy, which are invasive and often lethal.

An international team of researchers led by the 91±¬ĮĻ is trying to change this by developing noninvasive, rapid tests that can detect stress and disease without touching the fish, just the water in which they swim. 

Scientists from 91±¬ĮĻ, Dublin City University (DCU) and Queenā€™s University Belfast, plan to develop a new testing method that uses environmental RNA (eRNA) so aquaculture farmers can monitor fish health more quickly, efficiently and humanely.

ā€œThe goal is to get a window into the physiology of the organisms, their health in particular. By looking at what RNA is being shed from their tissues into the environment, eRNA can give us insights into what the fish are doing as biological machines,ā€ said Michael Kinnison, 91±¬ĮĻ professor of evolutionary applications and director of the Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment.

Key to this research is a difference between environmental DNA (eDNA) and RNA. DNA within an organismā€™s cells does not change over an organismā€™s life or cell to cell ā€” it is the blueprint of life. In contrast, RNA is what turns a general DNA blueprint into the diverse building blocks and processes that give various cell types and tissues their function. Because of this, the RNAs that an animal produces varies depending on where it is in its lifecycle, what is happening in its environment and what processes are underway in its body, such as stress or disease. When animal cells are naturally shed into the environment, their DNA and RNA become eDNA and eRNA, but the eRNA does not last as long. While this means eRNA is harder to detect, it also has the potential to provide a near real-time window into an animalā€™s condition. 

A major challenge for researchers is linking particular eRNA signals to specific stressors, but pilot data and recent research by others suggest it is possible. For example, researchers in Japan successfully . 

ā€œThis hasnā€™t been done for salmon yet, and itā€™s just exciting because it means that if we could use these RNAs, we wouldnā€™t have to kill fish to biopsy them. We might be able to figure out and treat disease before it gets really bad,ā€ said Erin Grey, 91±¬ĮĻ assistant professor of aquatic genetics.

In addition to identifying what eRNA signals are tied to salmon stress and disease, the team will use CRISPR-Cas diagnostic technology to develop rapid tests for those eRNA signals. Similar to a COVID test, these tests could allow someone at an aquaculture farm to sample water and quickly identify issues. Early intervention in salmon farming has the potential to improve treatment of fish, allow for more targeted treatment and avoid economic damages that run into the hundreds of millions annually. 

The project is starting with small controlled systems like tanks, and as research progresses, the team hopes to expand to more open systems like net pens. Fish will be sampled in Maine and Scotland at 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory and the University of Aberdeenā€™s Scottish Fish Immunology Centre. The initial focus will be on heat stress and furunculosis, two common challenges experienced by salmon farms. Researchers are working with the salmon aquaculture industry and fish health diagnostics providers to further identify what other pathogens or stressors would be most impactful for further investigation. 

While eRNA technology is in a nascent stage of development, this project brings together the expertise needed to rapidly advance its potential and put it in the hands of food producers. 

ā€œEnvironmental RNA technology is still at an early stage of development, but its potential is significant. At Queenā€™s, we will apply advanced genomics and bioinformatics approaches to identify the molecular signatures of stress and disease in salmon,ā€ said Paulo Prodƶhl, professor of population and evolutionary genetics from the School of Biological Sciences at Queenā€™s University Belfast. ā€œBy working closely with colleagues at DCU and 91±¬ĮĻ, we aim to ensure that this technology moves from proof-of-concept to practical application for the aquaculture industry.ā€

This research is made possible by ,  a tri-jurisdictional collaboration between the United States, Ireland and Northern Ireland which was officially launched in 2006. Under this program  the international project team receives  funding from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative from the U.S. Department of Agricultureā€™s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) in Ireland, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland.

ā€œThis funding is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research,ā€ said DCU School of Biotechnology professor Anne Parle-McDermott. ā€œBy combining our molecular expertise with the knowledge and expertise at 91±¬ĮĻ and QUB, we are uniquely positioned to tackle one of aquacultureā€™s biggest challenges.ā€Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

Categories:

Blue Economy / News / Research

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.

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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.

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

Last summer, Sofia Diaz Flint spent her days working on a Maine oyster farm, hauling cages and tending shellfish that would not reach the market for another year.

Seeing firsthand how much farmers depend on their crop surviving the winter shaped the direction of her senior capstone project at the 91±¬ĮĻ.

ā€œI worked on an oyster farm and wanted to base my project on oysters,ā€ she said.

Now, Diaz Flint, a marine science major with a concentration in aquaculture, is developing a tool to help Maine oyster farmers monitor oyster health and better predict overwintering survival.

Diaz Flintā€™s project reflects 91±¬ĮĻā€™s commitment to learner-centered R1, hands-on, real-world research learning opportunities, where undergraduate students work directly with faculty and industry partners to tackle challenges facing Maine communities.

The work comes as oyster farming continues to grow across the state, even as farms remain vulnerable to diseases such as Sudden Unusual Mortality Syndrome, or SUMS, and to seasonal stress during the winter months.

Her project focuses on near-infrared spectroscopy, an analytical method that uses infrared light to measure the chemical composition of organic materials. Aquaculturists, including researchers and farmers, can use the technology to measure lipid reserves in oysters by scanning the tissues of shellfish, allowing them to assess nutritional health of the animal.

ā€œI turned to spectrometry, which involves passing infrared light through tissue samples and analyzing what reflects back to determine chemical concentration,ā€ she said. ā€œFrom there, I can build a model and use samples from farmed oysters to see whether they are susceptible to dying over the winter or how prepared they are for winter and other environmental stressors.ā€

Lipids are concentrated energy reserves stored within an oysterā€™s tissue. They can serve as fuel during winter and early spring if oysters are active but food supplies are short. They may also help oysters resist stress associated with SUMS, which refers to unpredictable die-offs triggered when an oysterā€™s energy is depleted.

Oysters typically require a two-year culture cycle to reach market size. They must accumulate enough lipids to survive the winter, when cold water temperatures reduce feeding activity.

Paul Rawson, a professor of marine science in the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s School of Marine Sciences and Diaz Flintā€™s project adviser, said the industry has long sought better ways to understand overwintering success.

ā€œIt has long been an interest in the oyster industry to understand what limits overwintering success,ā€ Rawson said. ā€œIn Maine, there has always been a need to understand ways to sustain oysters from their first season in the water through the winter to the second season, when they reach market size.ā€

Although near-infrared spectroscopy has existed for years, Diaz Flintā€™s project aims to refine the technology to address modern challenges in a changing coastal environment.

ā€œJust by providing a model, it allows scientists, researchers and farmers to base their research on it and learn from it,ā€ Diaz Flint said. ā€œUltimately, I want to contribute to more resilient and sustainable aquaculture in Maineā€™s changing coastal environment.ā€

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

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

Categories:

Blue Economy / Marine Sciences / News / Research

A new teaching and research vessel at the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Darling Marine Center is expanding student access to the largest ecosystem on Earth: the open ocean.

The new 45-foot vessel is the biggest in the centerā€™s fleet. Previously used as a commercial tuna fishing platform, the boat will support student training, faculty research and workforce development within the School of Marine Sciences and Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station. 

With docking stations at both the Darling Marine Center and in Portland, the vessel will give students and faculty improved access to offshore waters throughout New England, from the Gulf of Maine to Rhode Island. It has considerable range, with the ability to travel up to 100 miles offshore, cruise at 18 knots and carry 700 gallons of fuel.

ā€œA tenet of my teaching philosophy has always been learning by doing,ā€ said Walt Golet, 91±¬ĮĻ associate professor of marine science. ā€œThis vessel will serve as the perfect platform for our students to do just that. Theyā€™ll get to be a part of field-based teaching, workforce skill development and applied research with our faculty, just to name a few. This vessel expands access to the open ocean and the amazing marine life in the Gulf of Maine like never before.ā€

Depending on the fieldwork, classes of up to 20 students or more can participate at once. Equipped with specialized safety equipment, a fully enclosed wheelhouse, an onboard generator, a heating system and a small galley, the boat is designed for extended trips and comfort, even in challenging weather. It also has two large bait wells, living quarters with four bunks, a head, a roof top crane, a pot hauler and a tuna door that can be used to bring large fish onboard for tagging or serve as a dive entry point.

Golet has already been using the vessel for several undergraduate and graduate courses. The boatā€™s platform allows students to tag fish and collect data that help track their movements and collect data for fisheries management. Golet, who leads the Pelagic Fisheries Lab is utilizing the vessel to conduct his research on Atlantic bluefin tuna, billfish, sharks and other large migratory species and bring students onboard to participate.

Working alongside faculty, students also assist with deploying gear and learn safety protocols for handling animals, as well as basic vessel and navigation skills ā€” a reflection of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s commitment to learner-centered R1, hands-on, real-world research learning opportunities. 

ā€œConnecting students and stakeholders to coastal and marine resources is what the Darling Marine Center is all about, and this vessel expands the capacity to do that by making hands-on offshore research and learning experiences possible,ā€ said Sean Smith, the centerā€™s director. 

In addition to shark and tuna tagging projects, the vessel will support marine mammal and seabird surveys, fisheries research and other offshore studies. It will also enhance courses included in 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Semester by the Sea program, which brings students from 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Orono campus to the coast for an immersive marine science education.

The vessel was gifted by an anonymous donor who has a passion for cooperative research and education and sought to create more opportunities for 91±¬ĮĻ students to experience the ocean firsthand. Its acquisition was a joint effort between the donor and 91±¬ĮĻā€™s College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences as part of the collegeā€™s plan to enhance the fleet at the Darling Marine Center and support faculty based in Portland. 

It compliments one of the centerā€™s existing research vessels, the Ira C, in creating a versatile fleet capable of supporting research across a wide range of environments and fields of study ā€” from the Damariscotta River estuary to offshore banks and basins throughout the Gulf of Maine.

Faculty are exploring additional ways they can take advantage of the vesselā€™s size and range, including collaborative projects across the School of Marine Sciences and outreach opportunities that connect students, alumni and supporters with 91±¬ĮĻā€™s ocean research.

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

Categories:

Marine Sciences / Outreach / Research

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

In Maineā€™s warmer waters, oysters grow briny and firm, feeding on algae and plankton. Their cycle from hatchery to bay is only as successful as their location. Known as filter feeders, oystersā€™ size and flavor is fully reliant on the nutrients available in the water surrounding them. 

Water depth, temperature and circulation set the stage for ocean ecosystems and can shift dramatically within a few miles; Maineā€™s coastline measures about 3,400. 

This fickle business has grabbed the attention of 91±¬ĮĻ researchers and aquaculture specialists working to strengthen Maineā€™s blue economy.  

NASA and U.S. Geological Survey satellites have been recording temperature and other data from Maineā€™s waters for years. Using that, 91±¬ĮĻ researchers are developing an online tool that will allow growers to click on a coastal location and receive an estimate for oystersā€™ time-to-market. Prospective farmers are already using an that shows average sea surface temperatures in locations throughout the Gulf of Maine since 2013.

ā€œOyster growth relies on two things: food availability and temperature,ā€ said lead researcher Tom Kiffney, a postdoctoral researcher at 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Aquaculture Research Institute. ā€œOur model combines data on both to make a prediction about how long it would take oysters to grow. It takes some risk away when selecting a future farm site.ā€

Kiffney and Damian Brady, professor of marine sciences at 91±¬ĮĻ, combined resources from the NASA-USGS Landsat satellite and the European Sentinel-2 satellite to form the foundation of their upcoming online tool and , published in the journal Aquaculture. Their model is able to predict how quickly eastern oysters reach market size by feeding it information on sea surface temperature and organic matter.

They analyzed 10 years of Landsat data from 2013-23 to establish average temperature patterns along the coast, while Sentinel-2 imagery added estimates of chlorophyll and nutrient presence. Brady said they validated the model against seven years of field data to prove its accuracy.

ā€œTo get an aquaculture lease is a long and arduous process,ā€ Brady said. ā€œOnce you get a lease, you cannot simply move it somewhere else, so getting as much information about your site up front is crucial.ā€

Diversifying Maineā€™s blue economy 

An industry that has increased in value 78% between 2011-21, oyster farming has become one alternative to catching lobsters. While oysters will likely never reach the lobster industryā€™s peak of $750 million, Brady said it has the potential to grow into the tens of millions of dollars. 

He added that diversity in Maineā€™s blue economy makes it more resilient to change and allows people who work on the waterfront to have alternative options for revenue if one aspect of the coastal economy experiences disease or habitat changes, such as those faced by lobster populations in recent years. 

Lobster and oyster culturing also occur in different environmental conditions, further diversifying Maineā€™s coastal economy. Lobsters thrive in colder waters, whereas oysters ā€” while able to grow in a range of conditions ā€” grow faster in warmer waters.

Oysters also arenā€™t resource limited like lobsters, whose populations fluctuate year to year depending on the ecosystem. Oysters are able to be cultivated as long as there is space in the water that is available and permissible.

In addition to creating a web tool that will be widely accessible to oyster farmers, the researchers help teach workshops through Maineā€™s Aquaculture in Shared Waters program on how to interpret and apply temperature and water clarity data to sites.

Read the full story on . 

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

Discover campus and coastal life at the 91±¬ĮĻ through ā€œLife in the Pines,ā€ where real students share their experiences studying, exploring nature and embracing community on both the Orono and Machias campuses.

ā€œLife in the Pines,ā€ an unscripted video series sharing stories of students at the 91±¬ĮĻ and 91±¬ĮĻ at Machias, has launched its second season.

Each episode follows a student along their academic journey, whether it takes them to the coast, wild blueberry fields, medical research labs, K-12 classrooms, basketball courts or, literally, through the pines. Prioritizing authenticity, this series seeks to show what life is really like for students at both campuses. Visit to watch the full series.

Students to be featured this season include: 

• Alan Chausse, a forestry major who also plays in a band and rock climbs.
• Quincy Clifford, a business management major who has studied abroad in Costa Rica and played basketball with other students from around the globe.
• Jasper Makowski, a microbiology major, Honors College student, medical research lab student researcher and Circle K New England district governor.
• McKenna Chappell, a parks, recreation and tourism major who spends mornings creating art and afternoons teaching children about Maineā€™s outdoors.
• Nico Durkee, a studio art major in the marching band who plays with molten metal in the sculpture studio.Ā 
• Lauren Smack, a sociology major, singer and dancer whoā€™s made Orono her new home.Ā 
• Isabelle Puccio, a biomedical engineering major who conducts breast cancer research and searches for ways to combine music and science.
• Samantha Ney, an elementary education major who lives life on Marsh Island to the fullest, from walking the trails to cheering on the Black Bears.Ā 
• Jeffrey Nowack, who never thought he would be a drum major until he recently discovered his passion ā€” and possible career paths ā€” for music education.
• Joey Ferguson, an integrative biology major who conducts wild blueberry research and responds to marine mammal strandings in Downeast Maine.Ā 

Donā€™t miss this insiderā€™s look at 91±¬ĮĻ through the lens of a dynamic group of students living life in the pines.

Transcript:

I have friends that are going to school right now in Colorado and Nebraska and theyā€™re beautiful, but Maine is forged by nature and forged by the people that are here. I feel like itā€™s a flex.

Two researchers from the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Aquaculture Research Institute sailed aboard a Norwegian tall ship as part of One Ocean Expedition and worked with a regenerative aquaculture innovation hub out of La Paz, Mexico. 

91±¬ĮĻā€™s representatives ā€” Damian Brady, professor of oceanography in the School of Marine Sciences and Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) affiliate, and Meggan Dwyer, associate director of ARI ā€” were the only aquaculture delegates from the Northeastern U.S. on board the tall ship.

They explored collaboration with Innovaciones Alumbra ā€” a consortium of organizations based in Baja California Sur, greater Mexico and the American Southwest ā€” and its newly launched Center for Applied Aquaculture Innovation in La Paz. CAAI is a hub for regenerative, community centered, warm water aquaculture.

91±¬ĮĻā€™s strengths in cold water aquaculture, workforce development and coastal resilience in the Gulf of Maine ā€” including the upcoming Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce and Innovation Center (SAWIC), the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, the shellfish hatchery at the and the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research ā€” complement CAAIā€™s mission. By collaborating together, the two hubs can share infrastructure, curriculum and real-time data.

ā€œWe see tremendous potential in connecting Maineā€™s cold water systems with the warm water innovations happening in La Paz,ā€ Brady said. ā€œBy pairing these two innovation centers and leveraging common platforms such as Innovasea technologies, we can design joint research projects, student exchanges and decision-support tools that help aquaculture producers in both regions adapt to a changing ocean.ā€

Damian Brady on the deck of the tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl in the Gulf of California during the One Ocean Expedition. Courtesy of Victor Garcia.

A key opportunity as part of this collaboration is in linking similar monitoring and decision-support systems across regions, including recirculating aquaculture technologies from the company Innovasea, based in Belfast. Comparable platforms and shared data streams would allow virtual joint courses, side-by-side analyses of farm conditions and coordinated research projects, even when partners are thousands of miles apart.

During the research cruise, 91±¬ĮĻ researchers and partners from Innovaciones Alumbra also discussed regenerative aquaculture policy; the use of satellite imagery and mapping tools to help farmers select and manage sites; shared challenges facing coastal communities in Maine and Mexico; and opportunities for student exchanges, joint courses and collaborative research.

ā€œMaineā€™s coastal communities are deeply connected to the future of our oceans,ā€ said Deborah Bouchard, director of ARI. ā€œThrough this collaboration, 91±¬ĮĻ is helping shape global conversations about regenerative aquaculture while creating new international learning and research opportunities for our students, faculty and partners across the state.ā€

Building a transnational network

The emerging partnership builds on several 91±¬ĮĻ ARI initiatives that position 91±¬ĮĻ as a primary gateway for students, communities and industry partners to engage in a transnational, regenerative aquaculture network. 

SAWIC will be a new facility located in Orono to train Maineā€™s aquaculture workforce and support blue economy innovation. The Darling Marine Center shellfish hatchery is undergoing renovation, and the AquEOUS program now offers research experiences for undergraduates integrating marine and land-based aquaculture with cultural and ecological knowledge.

To support activities and expand AquEOUS into an international exchange, 91±¬ĮĻ has received funding to pilot an initial bidirectional program between 91±¬ĮĻ and La Pazā€“based partners. 

This pilot will focus on creating opportunities for Mexican students to come to Maine for 10 weeks and for 91±¬ĮĻ students to visit Mexico, encouraging projects that explicitly link warm and cold water aquaculture systems. These activities will lay the groundwork for a sustained AquEOUS exchange that weaves together scientific training, Indigenous and local knowledge and cross-cultural learning in support of resilient aquaculture futures in both regions.

Contact: Meggan Dwyer; meggan.dwyer@maine.edu and Corinne Noufi; corinne.noufi@maine.edu

Joan Ferrini-Mundy highlighted the universityā€™s leadership at todayā€™s Maine Blue Economy Innovation Summit. ā€˜You donā€™t get to focus on an economy without thinking about the people who make and drive that economy,ā€™ she said.

On Maineā€™s rugged coast, where shipbuilding, fishing and working waterfronts have defined generations, leaders say the future is once again tied to the sea ā€” this time through aquaculture, marine technology and research.

91±¬ĮĻ President Joan Ferrini-Mundy told attendees at the 2025 Maine Blue Economy Innovation Summit that the stateā€™s success depends not only on innovation, but also on the people prepared to drive it.

ā€œYou donā€™t get to focus on an economy without thinking about the people who make and drive that economy ā€” and that will be our trained, skilled workforce,ā€ Ferrini-Mundy said in her plenary address at the Holiday Inn Portland-By the Bay.

She recalled 91±¬ĮĻā€™s history as a land grant university rooted in agriculture and forestry. That mission broadened more than 50 years ago when the university began federally funded research into cold-water marine environments ā€” work that helped launch decades of leadership in the blue economy.

ā€œOver the last five decades, of course, weā€™ve been a global leader in this state, in the blue economy,ā€ she said. ā€œItā€™s all about partnerships. Itā€™s about communities coming together to bring this economy to a forefront that is critical for our state.ā€

Ferrini-Mundy highlighted the role of 91±¬ĮĻ MARINE, the universityā€™s hub for aquaculture and marine technology research, which connects faculty, students and industry partners across the state. 

She noted 91±¬ĮĻā€™s network of coastal research facilities ā€” including the Aquaculture Research Institute in Orono; the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research in Franklin; the Darling Marine Center in Walpole; and the Down East Institute in Beals, which serves as the Marine Science Field station for the 91±¬ĮĻ at Machias.

ā€œOur researchers are working on sustainable aquaculture methods, new feed alternatives and innovations that strengthen Maineā€™s seafood sector,ā€ she said.

She added that 91±¬ĮĻ scientists also collaborate with boatbuilders and coastal communities on projects ranging from vessel design to extreme weather. 

ā€œWe see ourselves as Maineā€™s research and development department, advancing basic science, applied research and innovation that keep our communities strong and our economy competitive,ā€ Ferrini-Mundy said.

The Oct. 3 summit drew business leaders, researchers, policymakers and students from across the state. The agenda included plenary remarks, panel discussions, breakout sessions and an innovation showcase. Program tracks focused on aquaculture and fisheries, coastal engineering and boatbuilding, and community resilience.

Michael Duguay, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, delivered the keynote address.

The sea has always shaped Maineā€™s economy, he said ā€” from shipyards to lobster boats. Whatā€™s changing is how the state is harnessing that connection through aquaculture, advanced marine technology and ocean-based research.

ā€œOur blue economy touches every coastal town in Maine,ā€ Duguay said. ā€œIt supports tens of thousands of jobs, strengthens our working waterfronts and positions us to lead in industries of the future.ā€

Maineā€™s maritime industries have always been about adapting to change.

ā€œShipbuilding, fishing and maritime trade werenā€™t just industries ā€” they were ways of life,ā€ Duguay said. ā€œBut what defines us is the ability to evolve.ā€

That evolution is accelerating, with aquaculture leading the way.

ā€œMaine is the largest producer of farmed seaweed in the United States, and the value of our aquaculture industry has doubled in the last decade,ā€ Duguay said. ā€œThis isnā€™t just about oysters and mussels. Itā€™s about kelp as a food source and as an input for everything from animal feed to cosmetics. Itā€™s about salmon and trout farming to meet rising demand for protein.ā€

He also pointed to growth areas such as seafood processing, biotechnology and advanced materials.

ā€œOur tradition of boatbuilding, combined with new composite technologies, positions Maine at the forefront of sustainable marine transportation,ā€ he said. ā€œAnd marine biotech ā€” from pharmaceuticals to new materials ā€” is another frontier where our researchers are already laying the groundwork.ā€

State support has been crucial in preparing the industry for its next phase, Duguay said. More than $10 million in grants were directed to businesses and nonprofits after last winterā€™s storms.

ā€œThose grants prevented closures, retained local employment and helped rebuild stronger infrastructure,ā€ he said.

That momentum extends to workforce development.

ā€œBy partnering with universities, community colleges and trade programs, weā€™re training Mainers for careers in aquaculture, boatbuilding and marine technology.ā€

91±¬ĮĻ was central throughout the summit. Debbie Bouchard, director of the Aquaculture Research Institute, moderated a panel, while researchers Damian Brady and Sarah Barker shared the stage. Breakout sessions also featured 91±¬ĮĻ experts from the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and Maine Sea Grant.

Visit to learn more about its efforts to grow the stateā€™s blue economy.  

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