BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions X-ORIGINAL-URL:/mitchellcenter X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260209T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260209T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260113T164058Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T164234Z UID:10000795-1770649200-1770652800@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk – Priorities for Prescribed Fire Research and Management in Maine – A Panel Discussion DESCRIPTION:A recording of this panel discussion is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nModerators: Rose Abramoff and Lydia Horne\, School of Forest Resources\, 91 \nPanelists: \n\nAliesha Black\, Maine Forest Service\nTim Bickford\, Maine Prescribed Fire Council\nKeith Kanoti\, 91\nJon Bailey\, The Nature Conservancy\n\nJoin us for a panel discussion about priorities for understanding and using prescribed fire (i.e.\, planned and intentional use of fire) in Maine. We will hear from local fire practitioners and land managers about their land management objectives\, considerations when applying prescribed fire in different contexts\, and perceived barriers to safely using prescribed fire. \nModerators Rose Abramoff and Lydia Horne are involved in a Mitchell Center pilot project to understand perceptions around prescribed fire use in Maine across different sectors. Rose is a forest ecologist and Lydia is a social scientist – both work within the School of Forest Resources. Panelists include fire bosses and land managers in the state of Maine: Aliesha Black is a forest ranger with the Maine Forest Service. Tim Bickford is the Maine Army National Guard conservation manager and wildland fire program manager. Keith Kanoti is the university forest manager at the 91. Jon Bailey is the Maine fire manager/regional land manager at The Nature Conservancy. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-priorities-for-prescribed-fire-research-and-management-in-maine-a-panel-discussion/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260112T185125Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T134306Z UID:10000793-1771858800-1771862400@umaine.edu SUMMARY:CANCELLED Talk – Vector-borne disease management decision-making in an uncertain information environment DESCRIPTION:This talk has been cancelled due to inclement weather. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\n\nSpeaker: Allison (Allie) Gardner\, Associate Professor\, 91\nDuring the early 21st century\, the number of outbreaks of infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans has grown explosively worldwide. These emerging zoonotic diseases are integrated into landscapes managed by people and amplified in complex cycles in which pathogen transmission is intertwined with ecosystem ecology and human behavior. Many management decisions at the human-wildlife-environmental health nexus are made under conditions of both risk (i.e.\, potential for negative outcomes) and uncertainty (due to imperfect\, evolving scientific knowledge). This talk will explore the case study of tick-borne disease management in North America\, which is high-risk due to the health threat posed by disease and high-uncertainty due to lack of data and/or expert consensus about the most effective control tactics. \nAllison (Allie) Gardner is an Associate Professor at the 91 studying the ecology and management of tick-borne and mosquito-borne disease. Allie has worked in disease systems including Lyme disease\, West Nile virus\, and Zika virus and has extensive experience collaborating with interdisciplinary research teams\, community scientists\, and federal and state agency partners. She has served as an Entomological Society of America Science Policy Fellow\, Chair of the “Biology\, Ecology\, and Management of Emerging Disease Vectors” USDA Multistate Hatch project\, and a founding member of the New England Regional Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-vector-borne-disease-management-decision-making-in-an-uncertain-information-environment/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260302T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260302T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260123T155213Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T213956Z UID:10000800-1772463600-1772467200@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk - Amplifying the story of food: Sea Run’s connection to education\, conservation\, clams\, and more! DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeaker: Anthony Sutton\, Passamaquoddy from Sipayik; Assistant Professor\, Native American Studies and Food Systems\, 91 \nThe Maine Indian Tribal State Commission (MITSC) recently released an audio version of Sea Run\, which documents all non-Indigenous impacts to river-based fisheries from European contact to today. Though the report focuses on fisheries\, this presentation intends to connect this story to many topics central to Wabanaki Foodways\, whether it’s land-based conservation or clams\, they all come from the story of what happened to our food. \nAnthony Sutton\, PhD\, is Passamaquoddy from Sipayik. He is an Assistant Professor of Native American Studies and Food Systems at the 91 and Faculty Fellow at the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions. Tony’s work focuses on historical and contemporary aspects of Wabanaki foodways\, both unpacking the histories that have shaped lands\, waters\, and species central to Wabanaki foodways\, to the present by centering Wabanaki visions for the restoration of foodways and fisheries. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-amplifying-the-story-of-food-sea-runs-connection-to-education-conservation-clams-and-more/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260309T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260309T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260127T152302Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260311T123106Z UID:10000803-1773068400-1773072000@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk - Collaborating for Impact: Can transdisciplinary teams help move the needle? DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeaker: Karen Hutchins Bieluch\, Transdisciplinary Research Strategist\, Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions\, 91 \nBringing together people from different disciplines\, organizations\, and life experiences to learn\, conduct research\, and develop solutions is both rewarding and challenging. We often begin this work with subject matter expertise and a deep commitment to our projects and partners. Yet most of us have little formal training in how to collaborate effectively\, engage across boundaries\, or lead diverse teams. Thus\, often\, we are learning these skills as we are doing the work. \nIn this talk\, Dr. Karen Bieluch will highlight key features of transdisciplinary practice and discuss approaches and challenges to transdisciplinarity through her work with research teams. She will also invite participants to explore a new resource guide to identify practical tips and techniques to strengthen their own work. Designing Inspiring Workshops & Courses in Transdisciplinarity – A Guide provides research- and practice-based guidance on building collaborations to address complex problems. \nDr. Karen Hutchins Bieluch is the transdisciplinary research strategist at 91’s Mitchell Center\, the Practice-Based Learning Specialist in the Dept. of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College\, and a program evaluation consultant. She specializes in community–university partnerships\, group communication and collaboration\, and program evaluation\, and was selected by leaders at Stanford University as one of 12 North American researchers to participate in an innovative “Train-the-Trainer” program for transdisciplinary researchers. Karen earned her interdisciplinary Ph.D. at 91 and was a graduate research assistant with the Mitchell Center’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative\, where she developed a commitment to connecting the wealth of resources of community partners and universities to address sustainability challenges. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-collaborating-for-impact-can-transdisciplinary-research-skills-make-a-difference/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260311T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260311T130000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260304T124912Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T125038Z UID:10000804-1773230400-1773234000@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Unlocking the Full Potential of School Food Systems (A FINE Webinar) DESCRIPTION:A Farm to Institution New England (FINE) Webinar\nSpeakers:  \n\nSusanne Lee\, Mitchell Center\, 91\nWilliam Brenneman\, Masters Student\, 91\n\nTo register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/En3dEMvBSUi_TG7BfU_gMg#/registration \nIn a largely rural state\, Maine schools are a key community food resource providing nutrition to the most vulnerable in our communities – our children. But when Maine school cafeterias generate over 7 million pounds of food waste annually (NRCM 2019) and the largest waste is the nutritious fruits and veggies\, we have a problem. Fortunately\, some Maine school districts are working to stop the waste and unlock the full potential of school food systems to sustainably and nutritiously feed our children. The 91’s Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions has been working with Maine school nutrition directors and their school communities on food waste prevention programs. Join Faculty Fellow Susanne Lee and MA Student William Brenneman to hear about their research and their success\, and walk away with ideas on how you can reduce food waste in your school. \n  URL:/mitchellcenter/event/unlocking-the-full-potential-of-school-food-systems/ LOCATION:Virtual\, ME\, United States CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Farm to Institution New England":MAILTO:riley@farmtoinstitution.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260323T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260323T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260120T212525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T122704Z UID:10000798-1774278000-1774281600@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk - Maine’s PFAS Response: A Comprehensive Policy Review DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeakers: \n\nEddie Nachamie\, 91 Honors College\, Ecology and Environmental Sciences\nRachel Schattman\, Associate Professor of Sustainable Agriculture\, 91 School of Food and Agriculture\n\nPFAS contamination has become a prevalent issue for communities\, policymakers\, residents\, farmers\, and industries throughout Maine and beyond. The state’s policy response thus far is among the most advanced\, comprehensive\, and diverse in the nation. Environmental contamination does not respect state lines\, however. Through a comprehensive policy analysis\, we provide a suite of recommendations for federal and state governments to follow to protect environmental and human health. \nEddie Nachamie is a senior in the 91 Honors College studying Ecology and Environmental Sciences with a minor in Environmental Ethics. He has served with AmeriCorps NCCC as an Assistant Team Leader\, a research assistant for Food Rescue MAINE\, a program assistant for the Future Sustainability Leaders Program\, a forest technician for the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit and University Forests\, and is a resident at the Terrell House Permaculture Living & Learning Center. He is passionate about sustainability\, ecology\, and climate change mitigation. \nRachel Schattman is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at the 91 School of Food and Agriculture\, a Fellow with the George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions\, and an associate faculty member with the 91 Climate Change Institute. Her work spans the impacts of climate change on farmers\, PFAS contamination in the food system\, and water policy and governance. She leads the Agroecology Lab at 91 Orono. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-maines-pfas-response-a-comprehensive-policy-review/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260326 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260327 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20250624T135053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T135053Z UID:10000781-1774483200-1774569599@umaine.edu SUMMARY:2026 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference DESCRIPTION:The request for sessions for the 2026 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference will be issued in early fall. Stay tuned for details! URL:/mitchellcenter/event/2026-maine-sustainability-water-conference/ LOCATION:Augusta Civic Center\, Augusta\, ME\, United States ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260330T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260330T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260123T162848Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T132829Z UID:10000801-1774882800-1774886400@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk - Why bowling balls end up in our recycling bins (and what state lawmakers are doing about it) DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeaker: Erin Victor\, Postdoctoral Researcher\, Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions\, 91 \nBowling balls\, garden hoses\, and other strange items are showing up at recycling facilities. This “wishcycling”—recycling items in the bin and hoping they are recyclable — stems from confusing rules and increasingly complex packaging. It also drives up municipal costs. However\, big changes in Maine’s recycling system are coming. In 2021\, Maine passed the nation’s first Extended Producer Responsibility law for packaging\, shifting some of the costs and responsibility for recycling from cities and towns to the companies that make the packaging. The hope is that this will encourage companies to design less wasteful packaging. Yet\, even as these policies gain traction in the United States\, the environmental\, economic\, and social impacts of different policy design decisions remain unclear. In this talk\, Dr. Victor will share primary insights from a two-year project at the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions that examines these trade-offs. She will highlight what the interdisciplinary team has learned so far\, where major knowledge gaps remain\, and why understanding these trade-offs matter for ensuring that recycling programs are economically effective\, environmentally sustainable\, and just. \nDr. Erin Victor is a postdoctoral researcher at the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the 91. She earned her PhD in Anthropology and Environmental Policy at 91\, where she studied the politics of disposable packaging in the U.S. and Canada. Before returning to academia\, she worked in local and state government on solid waste and sustainability initiatives\, experience that shapes her commitment to collaborative research to foster more effective and just environmental policy solutions. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-why-bowling-balls-end-up-in-our-recycling-bins-and-what-state-lawmakers-are-doing-about-it/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260406T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260406T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260123T170320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T155300Z UID:10000802-1775487600-1775491200@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk - Bright ideas for a Stormy Future: Strengthening Southern Maine’s resilience to power outages DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeakers: Karina Graeter and James Rather\, Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission \nPower outages from inclement weather are a significant hazard in Maine\, where outages are among the most frequent in the country\, and are likely to become more frequent in Maine’s changing climate. While upgrading the electrical grid infrastructure is the responsibility of the electric utilities\, there are many actions that Maine’s regions\, state and local government(s)\, and community-based organizations can take to build upon and coordinate with utilities’ efforts to increase resilience. Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC)\, York and southern Oxford County’s Council of Governments\, recently completed a plan that includes an array of interventions designed to increase resilience to power outages in southern Maine. Join this session to learn about how power outages are affecting southern Maine communities and the actions the region will take to improve energy resilience in the face of a stormier future. \nKarina Graeter serves as the Sustainability Division Director for Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC)\, leading efforts to assist communities in local and regional response to climate change. Prior to joining SMPDC\, Karina served as the Sustainability Coordinator for the 91. \nJames Rather serves as SMPDC’s Director of Strategic Initiatives\, overseeing many projects in economic development and long-range planning. James comes to SMPDC from the planning departments at the City of Portland\, City of New York\, and several firms within the private and nonprofit sectors. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-bright-ideas-for-a-stormy-future-strengthening-southern-maines-resilience-to-power-outages/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260413T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260413T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260113T145346Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T170559Z UID:10000796-1776092400-1776096000@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk – OUR SHORE program for Nature-Based Strategies for Shoreline Erosion DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeakers:\n\nNathan Robbins\, Maine Department of Environmental Protection\nParker Gassett\, Maine Climate Science Information Exchange Office (MCSIE)\nJohn Maclaine\, Maine Department of Environmental Protection\nJordan Kimball\, Maine Department of Environmental Protection\n\nThe “O.U.R. S.H.O.R.E” Program is being developed to provide guidance and training for using nature-based design practices to protect against shoreline erosion in Maine. A network of state agencies\, shoreline practitioners\, service providers\, and researchers have been developing this program over the past several years to respond to this pervasive need for more resilient shorelines in response to severe weather events. Our goal is to provide homeowners\, contractors\, resource managers\, and community leaders with how-to information on diagnosing sources of erosion\, identifying stabilization design practices for a site\, and to provide a place to learn about different project examples from throughout the state to successfully use nature-based designs. You can also learn more at OUR SHORE\, Maine DEP. \nNathan Robbins is the Climate Change Specialist at Maine Department of Environmental Protection. His work supports capacity building and accelerating the use of best practices for resilience and mitigation. \nParker Gassett is the assistant director for the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange Office (MCSIE). This office at the 91 accelerates climate solutions by strengthening connections between research and decision-making. \nJohn Maclaine leads the Nonpoint Source Training Center at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. His work upholds the Training Center Programs and resources which provide tools and practices to prevent this nonpoint source pollution. \nJordan Kimball assists the Nonpoint Source Training Center at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. His work upholds the Training Center Programs and resources which provide tools and practices to prevent this nonpoint source pollution. \n  URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-our-shore-program-for-nature-based-strategies-for-shoreline-erosion/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260420T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260420T160000 DTSTAMP:20260611T164224 CREATED:20260123T154523Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260421T191927Z UID:10000799-1776697200-1776700800@umaine.edu SUMMARY:Talk - No More Wasted Food by 2030? Maine’s K-12 Schools Are Proving It's Possible DESCRIPTION:A recording of this talk is available. \nThe talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall\, 91\, Orono. \n\nVirtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information\n\nSpeaker: William Brenneman\, 91 Graduate Student\, Anthropology and Environmental Policy \nThe State of Maine has recently recognized wasted food reduction as a crucial climate change mitigation strategy. The passage of LD 1065 will require Maine’s large food waste generators—like schools\, hospitals\, and grocery stores—to minimize wasted food through recycling and redistribution by 2030. In advance of this legislation\, our 91 team has been working with several Maine school districts to both reduce wasted food and improve student nutrition. Through coverage of our successful infrastructural and educational interventions to reduce wasted food in Maine schools\, as well as our new “No More Wasted Food” DIY Toolkit distributed by the Maine Dept. of Education – Child Nutrition to help reduce wasted food in Maine schools\, and our latest research into the beliefs and attitudes of Maine students as it relates to their wasted food behavior\, this talk makes the case that Maine schools are well prepared to meet the legislature’s challenge. \nWilliam Brenneman is a MA student at the 91 studying anthropology and environmental policy. William joined the Mitchell Center in the fall of 2024 as a graduate research assistant where he and Faculty Fellow Susanne Lee led the 2025 Maine School Cafeteria Wasted Food Study and the Maine School Cafeteria “No More Wasted Food” DIY Toolkit. Elsewhere\, William has conducted research into food and nutrition education initiatives and models for circularity in food packaging. URL:/mitchellcenter/event/talk-no-more-wasted-food-by-2030-maines-k-12-schools-are-proving-its-possible/ LOCATION:ME CATEGORIES:Mitchell Center Events ORGANIZER;CN="Mitchell Center":MAILTO:umgmc@maine.edu END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR