The following article was , an independent nonprofit news organization that shares faculty expert analysis with a global audience.

As the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, many people in the U.S. are deeply concerned about the country’s future.

by Elon University found that 69% of respondents “believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would feel more disappointment than pride about modern American democracy.” Confidence in public institutions is , and the most recent indicates that just a quarter of 18- to 29-year-olds “feel hopeful about the future of America.”

Many are also afraid. For the 10th consecutive year, Americans reported corrupt government officials to be their single greatest fear, according to the , ranking above financial collapse or a loved one becoming seriously ill.

“Americans have come to see threats as not just the possibility of attack by a foreign adversary. The potential for political violence at home is part of it, along with polarization, corruption and a sense of cultural dysfunction,” pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson wrote . “Americans increasingly view the survival of the country as being at stake.”

How are people in the U.S. to make sense of these trends? As Americans celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, how faithful is the U.S. today to its founding principles? I’m a political philosophy scholar who studies constitutional government. In my view, an especially helpful approach to answering such questions is to revisit the towering but neglected influence of the French philosopher Montesquieu on the founding of this country.

Montesquieu and the American founding

Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu, was an 18th-century philosopher and aristocrat whose book “” caused a sensation when published in 1748. His ideas shaped the American founders. At , .

On the separation of powers, Montesquieu was, in , “the oracle who is always consulted and cited.” Of all authors cited in political writings published by Americans between 1760 and 1805, . that “American republican ideologues could recite the central points of Montesquieu’s doctrine as if it had been a catechism,” according to historian Forrest McDonald.

Montesquieu was especially celebrated for his account of how and why political power needs to be separated into branches. But behind this now familiar idea was another that is less remembered: Montesquieu’s theory of liberty inspired the founders’ own understandings of this core concept of American politics.

A theory of liberty

In “The Spirit of the Laws,” political liberty as a “tranquility of mind arising from the opinion each person has of his safety.” To be free is to believe that one is secure. But to believe as much, “it is requisite the government be so constituted as one man need not be afraid of another.”

Liberty cannot be a matter of “doing what one wants,” . What if what one person wants threatens others? Then one person’s freedom to act limits everyone else’s. No one can feel secure unless everyone lives under laws that regulate what each may do. Montesquieu understood liberty in terms of this confidence or “tranquility” because it amounts to being free from the arbitrary will of others.

When Montesquieu stresses freedom from fear of other citizens, he doesn’t just mean private individuals. He especially means those acting in a public capacity, like “magistrates” or “rulers.” If public officials’ behavior doesn’t conform to predictable norms set by law, if agents of the government can summarily arrest people, seize their property or revoke their citizenship – say, by them without due process – it becomes impossible to feel secure.

Even if such actions aren’t directed against me or those like me, such lawlessness is still threatening because it’s unpredictable. I might support the government’s moves against other groups in the moment, but what’s to stop the government from suddenly turning on me when the political winds change?

To prevent public officials from simply doing what they want, Montesquieu famously called for the into branches headed by different citizens.

But, he explains, it is not enough that people live under free institutions. They must also believe those institutions to be in the service of their freedom. Liberty, then, is as much a matter of opinion as of fact.

The tyranny of opinion

Montesquieu shows in “The Spirit of the Laws” how the fundamental laws of a country can permit a free way of life even as the country’s cultural norms prevent it. A country might have a free constitution while its citizens believe they hold moral obligations inconsistent with it.

For example, today, Americans might believe that the demands of racial equity or of evangelical Christianity are so pressing that in ignoring the legislature or the judiciary to serve them.

“In these instances,” , “the Constitution will be free by right and not in fact.” The people – or some of them – will experience the law as a hindrance to what they believe they ought or ought not to do.

In such cases, there arises a tyranny “of opinion.” The laws that would otherwise free people from fear of one another and of the government instead inspire a fear all their own. The laws might prevent what some people believe is morally right, or command – in the name of protecting others’ rights or the common good – what others regard as unjust or unholy.

That misalignment between constitutional law and cultural norms makes people feel insecure. It makes the Constitution seem opposed to their will and sense of duty. It can then seem appealing for a leader to promise, in the name of freedom, to ignore the law.

A bracing reminder

In recent years, figures across the political spectrum have called for radical constitutional change – or for ignoring the Constitution outright. There are calls not only or , but also .

From Montesquieu’s perspective, polarization worsens this appetite for disregarding constitutional norms. Each party champions a cultural agenda from which . Whenever either party is in office, even when it respects constitutional law, its rule can feel to the other side much like the tyranny of opinion Montesquieu describes. The other side’s policies can seem to violate deeply held values, whether it’s from competing in girls sports or immigrants residing in the U.S. illegally.

According to Montesquieu, liberty depends on the kind of civic culture the U.S. seems at risk of losing. No institutions, however well designed, can preserve liberty if citizens believe their preferred cultural norms are so obligatory that political power is needed to enforce them, opposition be damned.

A culture more tolerant of moral disagreements and less quick to reach for political power to force others to accept what they find morally wrong would help ease the toward the government and one another. Until then, Americans will continue drifting away from the liberty that the U.S. was founded to secure.

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

91±¬ÁĎ researchers captured what may be the first recorded evidence of nesting birds aggressively driving away deer, revealing an unexpected defense strategy against a little-recognized nest predator. Their findings suggest woodcock can respond to deer in multiple ways, challenging the assumption that these large herbivores pose little threat to nesting birds.

Woodcock typically rely on their cryptic feathers, which act as camouflage, to avoid nest predators. They also deploy a “broken wing” display to lure predators away from their eggs or chicks. 

In six instances during April 2024, however, five nesting woodcock in West Virginia chirped, postured, charged and even flew into approaching deer, 91±¬ÁĎ researchers found. The deer either walked away or fled the area in response. 

“While we only recorded a handful of instances, documenting these behaviors got us thinking more deeply about how birds could respond to deer as nest predators,” said Kylie Brunette, lead researcher on the investigation and 91±¬ÁĎ Ph.D. student in wildlife ecology. “That small birds are willing to aggressively defend their nests against something as large as a deer, using different strategies based on the situation, opens a lot of interesting questions about how these unexpected interactions affect wildlife communities.” 

Researchers deployed the cameras that captured the footage in 2024 and 2025 as part of the Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative research project. Of the 73 instances in which deer approached a nest, only six — including two involving the same woodcock — resulted in hens actively defending their nests. In the remaining cases, the woodcock did not respond to deer.

“Woodcock incubate their eggs for three weeks which is long for smaller birds. The longer a hen sits, the more dedicated she becomes to defending that nest,” said Amber Roth, associate professor of forest wildlife management at 91±¬ÁĎ and collaborator on the investigation. “This study shows that there is more than one way a hen can successfully protect her nest from potential predators like deer. Some hens relied entirely on remaining motionless and their cryptic plumage to hide from the approaching deer while others decided to be more assertive in their response.”  

Throughout the study, deer were detected at 68% of nests, but only interacted with nests a fraction of the time. None ate eggs from the nests under surveillance, according to the researchers. 

“Deer populations are sometimes considered over-abundant in many parts of the eastern United States, raising concerns about impacts to other species,” said Erik Blomberg, professor of wildlife population ecology who also worked on the investigation. “This research illustrates that nesting woodcock are resilient, and can use a variety of behaviors to defend their nests in systems where deer are abundant.”

Researchers published their findings in the  

The Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative is an international study co-founded by Blomberg and Roth in 2017 to help conserve a species beloved by hunters, birders and nature lovers. 

Collaboration among dozens of government agencies, nonprofits and universities has generated a dataset with nearly 700 individual woodcock tracked by GPS as they migrated through 32 states and seven Canadian provinces. It has also given graduate students like Brunette real-word research experience and opportunities to publish their findings as they advance through their academic and professional careers. 

The research was conducted through a collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, and was supported by the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station. 

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

Perley, a microbiology and molecular and biomedical sciences major, is among 454 students selected nationwide for her exceptional potential as a biomedical researcher. She is the eighth 91±¬ÁĎ student to earn the award since 2019 and one of two recipients from Maine this year.

Administered by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, the scholarship provides awards of up to $7,500 annually to juniors and seniors planning research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.

Perley’s work focuses on infectious disease, virology and cancer. She studies the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans in the Wheeler Lab while exploring broader research interests involving cancer-causing and sexually transmitted viruses, as well as challenges in female reproductive health.

This summer, Perley is conducting research in the laboratory of Dr. Elizabeth Johnson at Cornell University as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Cech Fellow. Last year, she studied at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, as a Killam Fellow, an experience she said broadened both her academic and personal perspectives.

After graduating from 91±¬ÁĎ, Perley plans to pursue a doctoral degree and become a university professor, combining research with teaching the next generation of scientists.

“Autumn has a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge,” said Robert Wheeler, professor of molecular and biomedical sciences and Perley’s Maine Top Scholar mentor. “She matches this with focused benchwork, winning grants, earning Killam and Cech Fellowships, the Goldwater Scholarship and publishing her first paper. She is, simply put, unstoppable.”

Perley credited the 91±¬ÁĎ Office of Major Scholarships with helping her pursue nationally competitive awards, including the Fulbright Canada Killam Fellowship, the Cech Fellowship and the Goldwater Scholarship. She first connected with the office through a one-credit course during her first year that introduced students to scholarship opportunities and the application process.

“I found the people at OMS to be very welcoming, and their advice was invaluable,” Perley said. “Each time I’m interested in starting a new application, I reach out to them. Who would turn down free advice?”

Throughout the application process, Perley said she learned the importance of trusting her instincts as both a writer and researcher while remaining open to feedback from mentors and advisers.

“By far the most challenging part of applying for scholarships is keeping up my morale and self-confidence as I go,” she said. “But I remind myself that I am a good fit for what I’m applying for, and that the people in OMS and my mentors wouldn’t help me if they didn’t believe in me.”

Perley said her applications were strongest because she reflected honestly on her experiences, acknowledged her mistakes and connected her scientific interests to her personal life and long-term goals.

“I always thought that people who received scholarships were clearly more intelligent than I was,” Perley said. “Evidently, this isn’t true. The people who receive these experiences are just normal people who try to get them.”

She encourages future applicants to recognize their accomplishments and pursue opportunities, even when they doubt themselves.

Melody Neely, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, a former Goldwater Scholar and 91±¬ÁĎ’s representative for the scholarship, said Perley exemplifies the qualities the award recognizes.

“As a first-generation college student, Autumn has fearlessly pursued numerous research and academic opportunities while giving back to her community in so many ways,” Neely said. “This scholarship will continue to help her open doors to her future goals.”

The Goldwater Scholarship will provide financial support for Perley’s senior year at 91±¬ÁĎ as she prepares for graduate school and a career in biomedical research and higher education.

Interested in the Goldwater Scholarship? 91±¬ÁĎ students can contact Nives Dal Bo-Wheeler at nives.dalbowheeler@maine.edu or the 91±¬ÁĎ Office of Major Scholarships for guidance through the application process. The campus deadline is November 2026 and the national deadline is January 2027.

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

The fellowships were developed to increase undergraduate student involvement in faculty-supervised research and creative activity. Winners receive $3,000 to put toward their research projects over the summer months.

The 2026 CUGR Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Recipients are:

• Abigail Bergmark, microbiology, for a project titled “Cyclic-di-GMP Effects on Candida albicans in the Presence of Fluconazole.” Bergmark will be advised by Robert Wheeler.
• Amelia Bradford, anthropology, for a project titled “Who’s Who In Biddeford, ME: The Life of 20th Century Textile Mill Workers as Told Through the Company Newspaper.” Bradford will be advised by Susan Pinette. 
• Rachel Harrington, marine science, for a project titled “PFAS Contamination and Temperature Effects on American Lobster.” Harrington will be advised by Amalia Harrington.
• Alyssa Hinderer, marine science, for a project titled “Predicting PFAS Deposition In Maine Estuaries.” The award for Hinderer, who will be advised by Margaret Estapa, was funded by Maine Sea Grant. 
• Emily Leszczewski, marine science, for a project titled “Effects of 41% Glyphosate Exposure On Behavior, Molting, And Stress Response Of Postlarval American Lobsters (Homarus americanus).” Leszczewski will be advised by Amalia Harrington.
• Tyler Lilya, marine science, for a project titled “A Novel Multi-Trophic Bio-Filter Apparatus To Remove Point Source, Anthropogenic Eutrophication From Waste Treatment Outflows.” Lilya will be advised by Timothy Bowden.
• Willow McConochie, botany, for a project titled “Assessing the Emotional Responses of Hikers to Hand Drawn Versus Generative AI Imagery of a High Alpine Species.” McConochie will be advised by Jacquelyn Gill.
• Declan Mercer, engineering physics, for a project titled “Fueling The Magnetic Machine: Applications Of Superparamagnetic Functionalization.” Mercer will be advised by Ioan-Augustin Chioar.
• Mackenzie Michaud, wildlife ecology, for a project titled “Nesting Ecology of Maine Wood Turtles.” Michaud will be advised by Matthew Chatfield.
• Emma Morrison, biochemistry, for a project titled “Antibacterial Agent Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC) Ironically Inhibits Immune Cell Function: Mechanisms of Action on Signaling and Cytokines.” The award for Morrison, who will be advised by Julie Gosse, was funded by the 91±¬ÁĎ Institute of Medicine. 
• Lindsey Pellett, child development and family relationships, for a project titled “Parental ACE Scores and Family Dynamics: A Qualitative Study.” Pellett will be advised by Daniel Puhlman.
• Wyatt Perron, philosophy, for a project titled “Posing In Bondage: A Phenomenological Investigation of The Male Loneliness Epidemic.” Perron advised by Derek Michaud.
• Jayde Temby, child development and family relations, for a project titled “A Qualitative Analysis of Family Relations with Children with ASD.” Temby will be advised by Puhlman.

The 2026 MSGC Summer Undergraduate Award Recipients are:

• Berra Algul, engineering physics, for a project titled “Polar Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect Microscopy.” Algul advised by Nicholas Bingham.
• Keith Falkner, physics for a project titled “Inverse Magnetic Origami: Exploring Collective Magnetic Behavior By Unfolding Platonic Solids.” Falkner will be advised by Chioar.
• Eloise Fontaine, physics, for a project titled “Measuring Exchange Bias in Hysteresis Loops.” Fontaine will be advised by Bingham.
• Drake Grove, biomedical engineering, for a project titled “Improving CNF Processing Through Press-Assisted Dewatering.” Grove will be advised by Caitlin Howell.
• Mino Iobs, physics, for a project titled “Growth, Characterization, and Quantum Analysis of Weyl Semimetal Mn2Sn Thin Films.” Iobs will be advised by Bingham.
• Mackenzie Jones, physics, for a project titled “Creating Fe3O4 Films for Quantum Sensing & Astronomy Applications.” Jones will be advised by Bingham.
• Gavin Libby, engineering physics, for a project titled “Solar Thermal Reactor Prototype Sensor Update.” Libby will be advised by Justin Lapp.
• Benjamin Morgan, mechanical engineering, for a project titled “Education for K-8 in Manufacturing Engineering.” Morgan will be advised by Philip King.
• Alexander Thayer, physics, for a project titled “Investigating Electronic Band Structure of Cr-doped WSe2 via Vertical Magnetoelectrical Transport.” Thayer will be advised by Dinh Loc Duong.

In the past year, middle schoolers from the Belfast area have explored the Bixby Chocolate Factory in Rockland, toured the Ecology Learning Center in Unity and volunteered at the local soup kitchen.

These experiences have been offered for free through the NorthStar 4-H Youth Mentoring program, managed by 91±¬ÁĎ Cooperative Extension. In rural communities that often struggle to offer co-curricular and youth development opportunities, NorthStar provides field trips and after-school activities that help students discover their passions, build relationships and explore future possibilities.

“I enjoy being able to experience things I normally wouldn’t be able to,” said Sage, a NorthStar participant. “It’s also helped me to build a community.”

Following years of success in Oxford County, NorthStar 4-H expanded to Waldo County in 2024 thanks to a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Staff developed programming based at Tanglewood 4-H Learning Center to serve Regional School Unit (RSU) 71, which includes the towns of Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Searsmont and Swanville.

Since launching in Waldo County, students have reported increased confidence, a stronger sense of belonging and expanded worldviews. According to statewide data from the Rural Youth Institute, which includes NorthStar, 70% of participants have reported increased learning and school engagement, while 88% of eighth graders believe they will continue their education after high school.

“We’re providing opportunities that connect them to new experiences locally, across the state and even beyond, to broaden their perspectives,” said Jessica Decke, director of Extension’s 4-H Learning Center at Tanglewood.

How NorthStar works

Youth-adult mentorship has been central to 4-H for more than 100 years. In the NorthStar model, participants help shape programming based on their interests.

“A lot of kids have things they are really excited about, but don’t necessarily see the connections to where it can take them,” said Decke. “The program helps youth make those discoveries along the way. It’s a game changer for kids to have trusted adult mentors who see them for who they are, and foster those genuine interests and abilities.”

Students are identified with guidance from school counselors, principals and social workers. Participants join in sixth grade and remain part of a cohort supported by trained volunteer mentors through high school and beyond.

“The model is set up so we will follow them through high school graduation,” said Mel Torres, NorthStar 4-H program coordinator in Waldo County. “It’s a long-term, immersive program. A fundamental tenet of 4-H is youth-directed learning, where kids decide their own pathway.”

Students meet with mentors weekly and join a monthly afterschool club aimed at increasing community engagement and learning more about available resources. Group activities, facilitated by staff and mentors, give participants the opportunity to dive into topics that interest them.

“Many of our students don’t really gravitate toward sports or clubs. They haven’t really clicked with anything yet,” Torres said. “The NorthStar program gives them opportunities to find what inspires them.”

For example, seventh graders from Troy Howard Middle School raised money for a day trip to Portland, where they chose to visit Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park. Along the way, they volunteered at Furniture Friends in Westbrook, cleaning furniture for donation through Habitat for Humanity.

“I really enjoyed getting to go to the soup kitchen,” said Ophelia, part of the first-year Tanglewood cohort. “It was cool to see how they ran it and to help the people in the community that needed it.”

Origins in western Maine

Staff at Extension’s 4-H Learning Center in Bryant Pond launched the NorthStar program at Telstar Middle and High School in Bethel in 2017. The program is based on the 4-H Youth Development Model and received start-up funding from the Rural Youth Institute.

“Because that program was successful, the Rural Youth Institute was looking to expand a mentorship model to more communities across Maine,” said Decke.

Training from the institute emphasized the idea that relationships, not programs, change lives, a principle that continues to guide NorthStar.

“The partnership with the school district is really important,” said Ryder Scott, executive director of Extension’s 4-H Learning Centers. “Our staff have earned the trust of the local teachers and school district administrators and are treated as members of the guidance department. NorthStar is supported by the school districts it serves because they know the program is working and can help fill in the gaps that many rural schools experience due to budget and staffing challenges.”

The New Balance Foundation became a major supporter of the program in Oxford County. In addition to grants, sponsors such as Norway Savings Bank have adopted cohorts, contributing $20,000 annually to support groups of 12 to 14 students.

“We want to open the window of what life can hold and eventually provide experiences like the Washington, D.C. trips taken by seniors in the Oxford County NorthStar program,” Decke said.

Making a difference

The NorthStar program has the potential to make a significant impact on rural communities across the state. Over 60% of Maine’s population resides in rural areas.

“Extension has offices and staff in all 16 counties of Maine. So we started to ask ourselves what it could look like to have access to this type of programming for kids across the state,” said Scott. “Program growth has been deliberate as we build a staffing model and partnerships with local and statewide organizations.”

Expanding the program would require additional staff, volunteers and sustained funding from partners such as private foundations, banks and businesses.

“We’re in conversations constantly with them about this broader vision to implement NorthStar statewide and they’re very keen on that,” said Scott.

Extension leaders hope NorthStar’s continued growth will ensure more rural Maine youth have access to mentorship, meaningful experiences and pathways to future opportunities.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer mentor or supporting the NorthStar program may contact 91±¬ÁĎ Extension 4-H Learning Centers at either Bryant Pond, extension.bryantpond@maine.edu, or Tanglewood, extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu.

This work is supported by the Mentoring At Risk and Rural Youth Program, project award no. 2024-48790-43821, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Story by Clarisa Diaz

Contact: Melissa Arndt, melissa.arndt@maine.edu

The two-hour prescribed burn at 91±¬ÁĎ’s Dwight B. Demeritt University Forest was designed to reduce leaf litter and understory vegetation that can hinder red oak regeneration. Prescribed fire is also increasingly used across the country to reduce wildfire risk by removing accumulated fuels such as dead trees, branches and other forest debris.

Working as volunteer firefighters, Quinn and Wiltz, both pursuing master’s degrees in forest resources, cleared debris around the perimeter before igniting the fire, exposing soil that would stop flames from spreading past the designated burn area. With drip torches in hand, they joined Maine Forest Service firefighters in setting the prescribed fire. During the burn, they doused wayward flames to prevent them from spreading to the rest of the forest.   

Quinn and Wiltz earned their firefighter certifications through their undergraduate studies at 91±¬ÁĎ and the University of Vermont, respectively. Their participation was made possible when Rose Abramoff, assistant professor in 91±¬ÁĎ’s School of Forest Resources, connected them with the Maine Forest Service.

“What was nice about being a part of the holding crew is you get to pop in wherever you’re needed,” said Wiltz, who hopes to become a forester for a government agency. “A lot of state forestry employers are getting firefighters certified and sending them out west to fight fires. Getting this experience now is really wonderful to have moving forward.” 

Beyond providing hands-on firefighting experience, the burn also created a living laboratory for student researchers studying how fire affects Northeastern forests. The project supported research led by master’s student Cameron Chin, who is investigating how fire influences plant communities and soil health in temperate woodlands.

With less experience with wildfires than other parts of the U.S., the Northeast lacks research on how wild and prescribed fires affect its temperate forests, Abramoff said. She added that the region’s forests are generally less adapted to wildfire than woodlands in other parts of the country. 

“We expect the risk of wildfires to increase as the risk of droughts increase,” she said. “Tree pests encroaching on the Northeast — emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, browntail moth, spruce budworm — create dead wood that could burn.” 

Preparing for the future of Northeast forestry

Chin is spearheading research into how fire affects the various plant species and soil properties in the temperate forests that dominate the Northeast. 

Days after that burn in the Demeritt Forest, Chin returned to the site with Quinn, Wiltz and Ph.D. student Colby Bosley-Smith. The group collected soil samples, inventoried plant species and analyzed burn severity to better understand how fire influences forest recovery.

As more forestland managers explore prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk, improve forest resilience and promote ecologically valuable tree species, Chin is dedicating part of her research to understanding the benefits and tradeoffs of this practice in the region. 

More research is needed to determine what plants regenerate after a prescribed burn and whether they alter the chemistry of the soil, particularly its carbon levels, Chin said. 

Trees and other plant life rely on carbon to thrive in many ways. For example, Chin said carbon feeds microorganisms that liberate previously inaccessible nutrients from soil molecules that promote root growth. 

“Fire is one of those disturbances that can have an immediate effect on soil and soil nutrients,” Chin said. “Forestry as an industry has grown more interested in soil carbon.”

Researchers will revisit the plots to monitor forest regeneration over time. Chin is measuring soil carbon dioxide emissions on a weekly basis through the end of November. 

Through research, students apply concepts from statistics, chemistry and physics to real-world forest management challenges, Abramoff said. 

“We teach students how to observe what’s around them in quantifiable ways and make inferences based on that, and that’s useful in every industry,” she said.  

For Quinn, who graduated from 91±¬ÁĎ with a bachelor’s degree this spring, helping Chin with her research and serving as a volunteer firefighter during the burn allowed him to expand his professional network and opened an opportunity to conduct his own research on prescribed burns in southern Maine. After earning a master’s degree, Quinn hopes to work in conservation. 

“Having these experiences is really helpful for me in my job pursuits,” he said.  

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

The five-day camp caters to students exploring careers in engineering and computing by immersing them in microchips, transistors and of the latest building blocks for modern technology worldwide: semiconductors. By the end of the week, participants will integrate and build and test their own semiconductor system. 

In addition to experiments and games, students will also tour Texas Instruments’ South Portland facility, giving them industry exposure, opportunities to interact with experts and a glimpse into future career paths.

The camp is hosted by the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC) at 91±¬ÁĎ and funded by the National Science Foundation. Register and learn more about the camp at . 

To be eligible for the full-time Dean’s List, a student must have completed 12 or more calculable credits in the semester and have earned a 3.50 or higher semester GPA. Students who have part-time status during both the fall and spring semesters of a given academic year are eligible for the part-time Dean’s List in the spring. They must have completed 12 or more calculable credits over both terms and earned a combined GPA of 3.50 or higher.

Please note that some students have requested their information not be released; therefore, their names are not included.

Contact: Office of Student Records, umrecord@maine.edu

The 91±¬ÁĎ is among the partners supporting the event, which will feature panel discussions, networking opportunities, startup showcases, demonstrations and field trips highlighting innovation and collaboration across Maine’s marine and coastal sectors.

Director of the Versant Power Astronomy Center, 91±¬ÁĎ

The following article was , an independent nonprofit news organization that shares faculty expert analysis with a global audience.

As humans, we live out our lives on a planet that is constantly from the . For the most part, our world glides silently through space, shielded by Earth’s thin atmosphere.

Occasionally, however, the rest of the universe reminds us of its presence with stunning, visceral clarity.

Residents along the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border were startled by a on the afternoon of May 30, 2026. A large number of people up and down the Eastern Seaboard witnessed it.

imagery from , they identified the culprit as a small meteor measuring roughly 3 to 5 feet (1 to 2 meters) across. It was screaming through space at an astonishing 42,000 miles per hour (68,000 kilometers per hour) when it plunged into Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Friction between the meteor and the increasingly dense air quickly turned the kinetic energy of the rock shooting through the sky into blistering heat. At an altitude of roughly 40 miles (60 kilometers), the immense overcame the structural integrity of the meteor, causing it to fragment in a brilliant flash.

The breakup released a staggering burst of energy . When an object travels through the air at speeds faster than sound, which is 761 mph (1,225 kph), it creates a shock wave creating a thunderous clap, or sonic boom. While the majority of the rock vaporized, the remaining fragments rained down harmlessly into the waters of Cape Cod Bay.

In the past, such an event might have passed as an unverified sighting in the daytime sky. Today, however, our planet is wired with an accidental network of planetary defense sensors: , .

Because meteor entries like this one last , they were easily missed in the past. Now, our collective digital eyes capture these spontaneous cosmic intrusions almost instantly, bringing the universe directly into our daily news feeds. While dramatic, these events are more common than most people imagine.

As someone who has worked as a for over four decades, I often get emails, social media messages and phone calls about such objects and sightings. While hearing a sonic boom can be a bit unsettling or even shocking, it reminds us we live in an active universe and may want to occasionally look up instead of down at our devices.

A meteoric spring

The Cape Cod fireball was the latest sighting in an active season of meteoritic arrivals. Just months earlier, the solar system seemed to be sending a parade of rocky objects down to Earth.

, observers in Northern Europe witnessed large, slow-moving fireballs in their skies. Enthusiasts and scientists successfully recovered several fragments. Lab analysis of these specimens revealed their place in a fascinating lineage – scientists determined that they had , a massive, pristine asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.

On March 17, a 7-ton asteroid measuring roughly 6 feet across entered the atmosphere directly over Lake Erie. Traveling at 45,000 mph (72,400 kph), it generated a brilliant daytime flash and a powerful sonic boom, unloading an energy equivalent to 250 tons of TNT. about its trajectory, allowing meteorite hunters to recover pristine fragments in Valley City, just a short drive from Cleveland, Ohio.

Only four days later, on March 21, another cosmic fragment blazed across the skies of Texas. This object was about 3 feet wide, and it traveled at , releasing the energy of .

Outside of Houston, homeowner Sherri James was startled by a sudden crash, only to discover a 6-inch (15-cm) hole in her roof and a resting on her floor.

Thank goodness for Earth’s atmospheric shield

The benchmark for modern atmospheric impacts is the , which exploded over Russia on Feb. 15, 2013.

That object was significantly larger than any of the meteors researchers have observed in 2026, measuring 60 feet (18 m) across and weighing roughly 10,000 tons. When it shattered 18 miles (29 km) above the ground, it produced an airburst with an explosive force 30 times greater than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

The resulting shock wave shattered glass across hundreds of square miles, and registering as a seismic event between 2.7 and 3.7 on the Richter scale. The incident was a stark reminder that while Earth’s atmosphere is an incredibly effective shield, absorbing the lion’s share of cosmic impacts, a large enough kinetic punch can still reach the surface below.

Despite the dramatic stories around these meteor impacts, history shows that the cosmic lottery rarely targets humans directly. In all of recorded history, there is only one universally confirmed case of a person being directly struck by a space rock.

In 1954, an 8.5-pound (3.8 kg) meteorite crashed through the roof of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama, ricocheted off a heavy wooden radio and struck a sleeping woman named . Though it left a severe bruise on her hip, the radio absorbed the brunt of the impact. Had it not been for the radio, there is a chance she could have been seriously injured or killed by this object.

Living with the cosmos

So, are you in any imminent danger from meteors? The mathematics of the cosmos provide profound reassurance. The are vanishingly small. You stand a better chance of winning a multimillion-dollar lottery jackpot 10 times in a row than ever being hit by a meteorite.

The vast majority of the tons of that bombard Earth daily arrive as harmless dust grains, burning up as elegant meteors or shooting stars. But when the larger pieces do break through and land on our planet, they offer a rare, tangible connection to the beginning of the solar system.

If you ever happen to witness one of these magnificent fireballs ripping open the sky, consider . The organization keeps track of sightings and falls from around the globe. Recovered fragments provide a way for scientists to gain valuable information about the origin of our solar system, and of our home planet.

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

Just outside the doors of Stearns Junior-Senior High School in Millinocket, Maine, students and staff have access to world-class outdoor recreation opportunities: paddling, mountain biking, skiing and, of course, hiking in nearby Baxter State Park.

For Stearns English teacher Anna Loome, the region’s natural resources serve as a classroom where she provides outdoor instruction to middle and high school students. The classes cover the fundamentals of wilderness preparedness and safety, including navigation, trail building and maintenance and outdoor cooking, as well as the skills needed to take part in outdoor activities for all seasons. Loome has even led students on overnight trips to Haskell Hut in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

“We have a mix of students who have done a lot of things already, and students who have never done any of it. So we try to offer something for everyone,” Loome said. “My goal is to help kids get access to the skills they need to participate in a lot of the amazing recreational activities we have right in our backyard.” 

While some schools like Stearns have offered outdoor programming for decades, others struggle to provide such learning opportunities. That’s why a new study led by 91±¬ÁĎ researchers and published in identifies strategies to make it easier for schools to make outdoor education part of their school curricula and culture.

“There’s a lot of research that shows decreased behavioral issues, better self-regulation, increased motor-skill development, improved social skills. Some research suggests that it can help with chronic absenteeism,” said Lauren Jacobs, the study’s lead author and senior lecturer of outdoor leadership at 91±¬ÁĎ. “What our study allows is to identify some real-world solutions to common barriers or problems that could help other schools achieve the desired outcome of providing more opportunities to get kids outside.”

Maine, like other states, is working to make outdoor education a greater part of the public school experience for all children across the state.

The study builds on research Jacobs conducted for her doctoral dissertation at 91±¬ÁĎ. For that project, she examined nine PreK-12 rural schools in Maine during the 2021-22 school year to better understand what factors facilitated or hindered outdoor learning and activities.

Lessons from a successful model

The new study examined a rural Maine school that stood out for the breadth of its outdoor learning opportunities. Through interviews with teachers, administrators, parents and community partners, Jacobs identified several factors that helped make outdoor education successful, including strong community support, collaboration among staff, dedicated outdoor learning spaces and a school culture that valued learning outside the classroom.

Jacobs interviewed members of the school community and observed students during the school day. The COVID-19 pandemic was also cited as a facilitator because it encouraged teachers and students to spend more time outdoors, where the virus was less likely to spread.

Overall, Jacobs said the study revealed a strong culture of outdoor learning.

“This is a school where the outdoors is part of the physical education curriculum at all grade levels, and where there are specific outdoor education classes at upper-levels,” she said. “It’s incorporated into the general education classroom, teachers receive professional development, and community members, especially parents, support outdoor learning.” 

Although it was not one of the schools included in Jacobs’ research, Loome said she recognizes many of the same characteristics at Stearns. For instance, her school has dedicated outdoor learning spaces, and she has been able to take professional development classes with Jacobs to better align her curriculum with state and national learning standards. 

Stearns also has a variety of community partners. Juniors and seniors can do the at the Northern Penobscot Tech Region 3 center in Lincoln, which offers preparation for the Registered Maine Guide Exam. There’s a gear library in Millinocket where anyone from the community can borrow equipment to help them explore the outdoors. The nonprofit Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters has a that Loome said has been a valuable collaborator, connecting the school with gear and learning opportunities.

Overcoming barriers

The study also identified some factors that may impede outdoor opportunities for schools. Although time management was viewed as a facilitator, time was also seen as a barrier, especially when it came to issues like professional development for teachers, documenting student outcomes and upholding curriculum standards. Other obstacles included making sure students and staff were prepared with the proper gear, as well as weather conditions. 

“One of the things we found through the interviews was that the positive outlier school did things to address these challenges,” Jacobs said. “For example, to address issues of time and time management, they schedule PE (physical education) classes back-to-back with science classes so kids have the opportunity to be outside for both while spending less time transitioning. 

“Another thing they did was create safe spaces for teachers to bring students outside. The school has a dedicated outdoor classroom space that includes woods, timber frame structures, a garden, an orchard and a barn,” she said. “A lot of community groups are willing to collaborate with schools to make these types of spaces available.”

For other teachers who are interested in incorporating outdoor education into their schools, Loome offers this piece of advice: You’re not going to be the best at every activity and that’s OK. 

“I’m not the best mountain biker in the world. In fact, some of my students are probably better than me, but I think it’s a really good way to model how to learn something new and push yourself out of your comfort zone,” Loome said. 

Jacobs reached a similar conclusion in analyzing the positive outlier school.

“One of the surprising revelations from the interviews with teachers was when we asked them if they liked outdoor education because they were outdoorsy themselves. A lot of them laughed at the question, because they said they weren’t that into the outdoors, but they did it because they saw the benefits for students,” said Jacobs. “I think that’s a very powerful insight.” 

Jacobs recommends that schools interested in expanding outdoor programming focus on making time for activities during the school day, aligning outdoor learning with standards across the curriculum, creating outdoor opportunities that are relevant to their students and the communities they serve, and keeping the sustainability of any efforts in mind.

“There’s a lot of planning involved to make these programs successful, but the long-term rewards for kids and rural communities is worth the investment,” Jacobs said.

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu.

Two 91±¬ÁĎ leaders have been selected for the prestigious 2026 Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI), a national leadership development program of the (AASCU).

Giovanna Guidoboni, interim vice president for research for the 91±¬ÁĎ and the 91±¬ÁĎ at Machias and dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC), and Hannah Carter, deputy provost and dean of 91±¬ÁĎ Cooperative Extension, are among 31 higher education leaders nationwide chosen for the 2026 cohort.

MLI prepares senior administrators for executive leadership roles through mentorship, executive coaching and professional development. Since its founding in 1999, the program has supported more than 800 higher education leaders, including many who have gone on to serve as college and university presidents and chancellors.

As the inaugural dean of the MCEC, Guidoboni leads a flagship initiative of the 91±¬ÁĎ System’s UMS TRANSFORMS program to build a statewide hub for engineering and computing. She oversees efforts to modernize academic programs and facilities, expand hands-on learning opportunities and foster innovation. As interim vice president for research, she has also helped advance 91±¬ÁĎ’s research enterprise and engagement with federal funding agencies.

As dean of 91±¬ÁĎ Extension, Carter leads statewide education, applied research and public service programs that support communities across Maine. She oversees strategic planning, personnel development and stakeholder engagement while working closely with government, industry and community partners.

“We are proud to welcome this exceptional group of leaders in the MLI network as they continue their progression toward the presidency and senior leadership roles,” said Charles L. Welch, president and CEO of AASCU. “MLI has long played a vital role in cultivating a dynamic community of higher education leaders who are prepared to meet the challenges facing our institutions and students.”

The 2026 cohort is meeting in Washington, D.C., June 10-13 to begin the yearlong program.