The Bridge-Builder Fellows Program is designed to empower professional staff at UEILC-affiliated energy institutes to lead projects that benefit both their home institutions and the broader collaborative. By tapping into the expertise of existing energy institute leaders, the program aims to strengthen the national network of energy institutes, ensuring they are well-positioned to address complex policy, research, and educational challenges.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to work with the UEILC Bridge Builder cohort to help strengthen the UEILC network, both through developing the UEILC membership and through collaboratively gathering energy-related curriculum resources to share across the network. I am excited to be part of both of these activities that have the potential to advance energy equity and justice through our institutions, by increasing inclusivity and access to resources for energy education and research,” said Brazier.

According to the ALA report, Bangor has zero days of unhealthy ozone and short-term particle pollution, and some of the lowest year-round concentrations of dangerous particle pollution in the country.

Dr. MacRae noted that a few factors sets Bangor apart from much of the rest of the country. Benefits include weather systems, a high concentration of forest land that filters the air, a good distance from polluting industries, and a population of only about 33,000, which limits pollution from cars.

Graduate Student Awards

Interdisciplinary Research: Zainab Jafri, for the project titled “Reimagining the Waste Disposal Landscape – Industrial Symbiosis in Maine.” Jafri was advised by Reed Miller.

Social Sciences and Humanities: Catherine Segada, Chyanne Yoder, William Breneman and Gianna DeJoy, for their project titled “ReuseME: Investigating Waste Reduction and Cost Benefits in Coastal Communities Through a Pilot Reusable Food Packaging Program.” They were advised by Cynthia Isenhour.

Additional Awards

Dean of the Graduate School Faculty Mentor Award: Christine Beitl

The article is focused on a partnership between 91±¬ÁĎ’s Mitchell Center and the Maine Climate Council to update the state’s “Maine Won’t Wait” plan, prioritizing voices often excluded from policy discussions. By collaborating with 21 community organizations and Wabanaki partners, the team engaged rural, low-income, and frontline communities through 73 local events and a statewide survey. The findings revealed that effective climate action must simultaneously address the cost of living—specifically affordable housing, transit, and heating—to ensure solutions meet residents’ basic needs. These insights now directly shape Maine’s current and future climate policy.

Citation: Brazier, J. Cressica, Sharon J. Klein, Jasmine Lamb, Caroline L. Noblet, Louise Chaplin, Sonia Leone, Catherine Mardosa, David Hart, Linda Silka, and Natalie Michelle. “Amplifying Rural Voices in Maine Climate Planning.” Maine Policy Review 34.2 (2025) : 159 -170, .

Darren Ranco, professor of anthropology, faculty fellow in the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, and chair of Native American Programs, will receive the Presidential Public Engagement Award in recognition of his work that applies academic expertise to enhance the public good.

Since returning to Maine in 2009, Ranco, a Penobscot Nation citizen who grew up in Orono, has worked with Wabanaki Tribal Nations on environmental and cultural issues. His work includes leadership on responses to the emerald ash borer, an invasive species that threatens ash trees used in traditional basket making. His efforts contributed to agreements among tribal nations, the state and federal agencies.

“Darren’s work reflects a deep commitment to partnership and to connecting the university’s expertise with community needs,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “He builds relationships that lead to meaningful, lasting impact.”

He has also supported tribal climate resilience and land return efforts, working with communities to develop priorities, establish baselines and create plans to address environmental change. 

Ranco has contributed to strengthening relationships between the university and tribal communities, including efforts to support collaboration and culturally informed research practices.

His public engagement includes educational initiatives supporting the development of Wabanaki studies curriculum, public talks, working with legislators to support environmentally and culturally sound legislation, and participation in projects that address community needs.

This workshop is supported by Northern Maine Development Commission (NDMC) and Maine Resource Recovery Association’s Food Recovery Council.

As a result of his efforts, Nachamie of North Andover, Massachusetts received the 2025 , identifying his potential as a leader in environmental stewardship. He was and is the first recipient from 91±¬ÁĎ in over 15 years.

“I am incredibly grateful to have been awarded the Udall Scholarship,” said Nachamie, who received support for his application from the Office of Major Scholarships and by professor Darren Ranco,  the faculty representative at 91±¬ÁĎ for the scholarship. “We’re at a pivotal moment in history where our actions on environmental issues matter more than ever.”

Nachamie, a 91±¬ÁĎ Honors College student majoring in ecology and environmental sciences, has been involved in research targeted at improving public health and the environment throughout his college career. 

Excerpted from an article in 91±¬ÁĎ News

Event details are still being released. To register or for updated information, please check out the .

Wild oysters have returned to Maine after nearing extinction almost 100 years ago. Professor Heather Leslie, a marine conservation scientist and Mitchell Center faculty fellow, spoke with to explain what might be happening to cause the growth in their presence.

A recent Civil Eats article tells the comeback story of oysters to the Damariscotta River estuary. Leslie and Sarah Risley have had a front row seat. Leslie is a Mitchell Center faculty fellow and 91±¬ÁĎ professor of marine sciences. Risley is a doctoral student in 91±¬ÁĎ’s Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program. 

For the last century, it’s been thought that the once abundant Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were functionally extinct from Maine’s tidal rivers. An April 2025 published by Leslie, Risley, and two others counters this idea, documenting a reemergence of wild oyster populations in the Damariscotta River estuary. 

The number of oyster farms in the estuary has ballooned in the past few decades — fueled by warming waters which favor the growth of oysters and exuberant foodies who love to toss back the briny bivalves. 

Over time, people started to observe wild Eastern oysters in close proximity to the oyster farms, including Risley. She spent two years conducting surveys of intertidal zones, counting and measuring oysters to understand the baseline population. 

“We are thinking about how the connection between the two populations might play into oyster restoration,” explained Risley in the article. “Where the project is moving now is thinking about how we take this information about emerging populations and put it to use creating sustaining populations.”