Capital Projects – 91�� News

New track and field and soccer complex, renovated hockey facilities open at 91��

amanda.lozier — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 15:41:24 +0000

The 91�� unveiled the New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and the renovated Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Alfond Arena on Sept. 27.

“The New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and newly renovated Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Alfond Arena reflect transformational investments in our students, our university and the state,” said 91�� President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “With support from the Harold Alfond Foundation, New Balance, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and countless supporters, these modernized facilities will elevate the state’s only NCAA Division I athletic program while creating new opportunities for the people of Maine, especially youth.”

The Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Harold Alfond Sports Arena have undergone $48 million in enhancements, including 31,000 square feet of renovations and 21,000 square feet of additions. A $27.3 million project, the New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex features a combined 300,000 square feet of new athletics infrastructure to go along with a new access road and parking lot.

The Black Bears will host their first official game at the New Balance Soccer Complex on Oct. 2 when the women’s soccer team takes on Bryant University. The New Balance Track & Field Complex will complete its construction in late October and host its first events during the spring 2026 outdoor track & field season. The first 91�� varsity events inside the newly renovated Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Alfond Arena will take place on Oct. 10 when the women’s ice hockey team hosts St. Anselm College prior to the men’s team hosting the College of the Holy Cross.

The projects were made possible by the Harold Alfond Foundation’s transformational $320 million commitment to the 91�� System, known as UMS TRANSFORMS, including a $170 million investment in 91�� Athletics to fund the Athletics Facilities Master Plan.

New Balance and individual 91�� supporters have already joined together to raise an additional $32 million toward the $38 million required match. With the Harold Alfond Foundation lead gift, and additional support, 91�� Athletics has raised $202 million of its $208 million overall campaign goal towards the athletics facilities master plan.

“Officially opening the New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and revealing the renovated Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Alfond Arena is the next step in our vision of becoming one of the top five Division 1 programs in greater New England,” says Director of Athletics Jude Killy. “As Maine’s only Division 1 institution, we feel these new and improved facilities will continue our efforts towards becoming the premier destination for athletics in our region. On behalf of our department, I’d like to thank the Harold Alfond Foundation, New Balance and all others who have provided transformational support to make these facilities a reality for our student-athletes and the state of Maine.”

For a detailed description of the new center and renovations, read the full story on the

Contact: Tyson McHatten, tyson.mchatten@maine.edu��

91�� opens cutting-edge robotics and automation training facility��

amanda.lozier — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 20:06:27 +0000

New space will grow Maine’s economy, national security and global competitiveness by supporting statewide advanced manufacturing workforce development

Answering increasing demand from industry for highly skilled manufacturing workers in Maine and beyond, the 91�� has opened the B.O.T. Loft, a state-of-the-art robotics and automation training facility that will offer factory-authorized training, a suite of micro-credentials and K-12 programs designed to educate and inspire the next generation.

The B.O.T Loft name communicates a commitment to “Build, Optimize and Train” the in-demand workforce required to operate the smart industrial technology that is driving efficiency across the manufacturing sector. Located on the second floor of 91��’s Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC), the 3,600-square-foot B.O.T. Loft is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment from Doosan Robotics, Universal Robots, ABB Robotics and Fanuc. 91�� celebrated the grand opening of the facility on Aug. 19 with a ceremony featuring industry partners, government officials, public university and other higher education leaders, and a robot-assisted ribbon cutting.

The B.O.T. Loft is funded through the U.S. Department of Defense Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment/Industrial Capabilities and Modernization Program. In the FY23 federal budget, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, at the request of the 91�� System (UMS) and with the support of the Maine Congressional Delegation, secured $7 million in Community Project Funding for 91�� to lead the creation of two Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Training Innovation Centers that will provide talent pipelines for defense, aerospace and other manufacturing employers in the state. The B.O.T. Loft is the first of those facilities, with a second underway at Southern Maine Community College.

“I’m proud to have secured the federal funding that made the B.O.T. Loft a reality,” said Golden. “This facility is a direct investment in Maine’s workers and our manufacturing future. With top-tier training at Maine’s flagship university, we are creating a direct pipeline for the skilled technicians our defense industry and local businesses desperately need. This is how we strengthen our national security, grow our economy and make Maine an attractive destination for job creators in the years to come.”

The B.O.T. Loft is designed to directly address the growing need for skilled technicians in advanced manufacturing, a key sector of Maine’s economy. Through close collaborations with industry, the facility will offer hands-on curricula and credentialing programs to upskill and reskill workers, preparing them for high-demand, high-paying careers in robotics and automation.

“As manufacturers nationwide modernize, so too must our workforce. The B.O.T. Loft is a testament to the 91��’s commitment to equipping our state’s manufacturers and their employees with knowledge to capitalize on the latest technology,” said 91�� President and UMS Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “By collaborating directly with employers, we are creating targeted pathways to meaningful careers and ensuring Maine’s manufacturing sector has the highly skilled workforce it needs to thrive and compete globally using the most advanced technologies.”

The facility provides a flexible learning space where students and incumbent workers can gain experience with industry-standard advanced manufacturing equipment. The training programs are designed to be accessible, offering stackable credentials that allow participants to build skills over time and advance in their careers.

“Based on recent studies completed by the AMC and partners, having a cohort of trained operators and technicians is essential to help company managers develop the confidence to embrace automation and robotics,” said John Belding, director of the Advanced Manufacturing Center. “The B.O.T. Loft is the next stage in the AMC’s longstanding commitment to help companies trial and de-risk the adoption of these technologies, and to train workers with the skills needed to operate them.”

The B.O.T. Loft is poised to become a central hub for workforce development in manufacturing, strengthening the pipeline of skilled technicians and engineers and fostering the economic growth of the entire state.

“At Bath Iron Works, we are building the most technologically advanced ships on the planet, and that requires a workforce with equally advanced skills,” said Thomas Stevens, director of training at Bath Iron Works. “As we integrate more automation into our production, we face the challenge of finding people who can program, operate and maintain these highly efficient machines. The B.O.T. Loft directly addresses this skills gap by providing hands-on training in the specific robotics and automation competencies we need. This partnership with the 91�� is exactly what Maine’s industry needs to build a confident, capable, and career-ready workforce for tomorrow.”

For more information on the B.O.T. Loft facility, please visit umaine.edu/amc/botloft.

To stay informed about B.O.T. Loft training opportunities, please complete this form:

Contact: Ashley Forbes ashley.forbes@maine.edu

Gov. Mills, 91�� President cut ribbon to reopen newly modernized Aroostook Farm, home of world-class potato breeding program

amanda.lozier — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 19:12:04 +0000

The research farm recently underwent a $3 million renovation funded by the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan so that the land-grant university could accelerate its development of new potato varieties, like the successful Caribou Russet, and the growth of Maine’s agricultural economy and workforce

Gov. Janet Mills and leaders of the 91�� and Maine Potato Board celebrated the completion of a $3 million renovation of the flagship’s Aroostook Farm with a ceremonial ribbon cutting today in Presque Isle.

For more than a century, the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station’s (MAFES) 425-acre Aroostook Farm has been the heart of 91��’s agricultural research to benefit the state’s potato industry, including breeding innovations like the Caribou Russet — .

Thanks to the success of this high-yield spud, which 91�� researchers intentionally bred to be disease-resistant and tolerant of weather-related stress, Maine is one of only three states where potato production expanded between 2000 and 2022. The industry now has a $1.3 billion annual economic impact in the state, supporting more than 6,500 jobs, according to .

Developing a new potato variety like the Caribou Russet typically takes 10-12 years, requiring evaluation of multiple potential varieties in the pipeline at a time.

Changing climate and markets are necessitating speeding up that process, something that can be achieved by measuring and assessing yield and other characteristics of more potential varieties simultaneously. The advanced technology improvements to Aroostook Farm will now make that possible.

In a renovated potato storage building now converted into a lab, new DNA phenotyping and imaging equipment, optical sorters, sensors and even machines that detect sugar levels will give 91�� researchers the ability to breed the most desirable potatoes. In the farm’s fields, new drones will enable them to more efficiently monitor and manage nearly 6,000 test plots, allowing for a better understanding of how changing conditions, including weather and pests, affect each variety under development.

‘A game-changer for the state’s potato industry’

The modernization was funded using $3 million of $35 million provided to the 91�� System (UMS) through (MJRP) — proposed by Gov. Mills and approved by the 130th Maine Legislature to spur the state’s economic recovery and long-term growth by strategically investing federal pandemic relief funds.

“With tools like drones that will fly over the farm’s nearly 6,000 test plots, the Aroostook Farm will help agriculture students better determine which potato varieties are most resistant to weather, pests and disease, and develop successful new varieties, like the Caribou Russet, to keep Maine-grown potatoes in high demand,” said Gov. Mills. “When we created the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan to build an economy of the future, this is exactly the type of payoff we were envisioning. I congratulate the 91�� and our entire agriculture community on the transformation of the Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle into an advanced research institution.”

The Maine Potato Board and Farm Credit East, ACA also contributed to the capital project.

A portion of MJRP funds are supporting paid internships at Aroostook Farm for dozens of students from the land-grant 91��, the 91�� at Presque Isle and the 91�� at Farmington.

“Modern research facilities are necessary to deliver the skilled talent and cutting-edge innovation Maine needs to compete in the 21st-century global economy. This new state-of-the-art breeding facility will accelerate the development of future varieties and a workforce necessary to the resilience of Maine’s top agricultural commodity and dependent rural communities, while providing hands-on research learning experiences for our students that prepare them for rewarding careers,” said 91�� President and UMS Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “We are grateful to Gov. Mills and her Administration, the Legislature and our industry partners for the investments that made possible the modernization of Aroostook Farm and 91��’s continued contributions to the success and sustainability of Maine’s iconic potato industry.”

“The Maine Potato Board appreciates the 91�� making this project a priority, and their decades of leadership, research and responsiveness to our growers and producers,” said Maine Potato Board Executive Director Jeannie Tapley. “The investments made here will help develop the next Caribou Russet more quickly and the next generation of researchers necessary for our industry to adapt and continue producing the highest-quality potatoes in the world right here in Maine.”

“The modernization of Aroostook Farm made possible by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan will be a game-changer for the state’s potato industry,” said 91�� College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences Dean and MAFES Director Diane Rowland. “These new technologies will deliver new varieties to our farmers quicker and with greater certainty, ensuring processors have the high-quality Maine potatoes they need and consumers enjoy, and our natural resource economy and dependent rural communities can continue to thrive.”

UMS has invested its share of MJRP funds to enhance world-class research led by the 91��, the state’s only institution to have achieved the R1 Carnegie Classification, and expand the Maine workforce in high-demand fields such as engineering and computing, education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, sustainable agriculture and aquaculture, and tourism and hospitality.

The System’s MJRP-funded initiatives have already provided career development or job training to more than 5,300 Mainers, supported nearly 2,000 student internships and apprenticeships and helped 800 individuals earn a new license or credential.

The modernization of Aroostook Farm was one of four MJRP-funded capital projects undertaken by 91�� to strengthen and grow the state’s natural resource industries and is the first to be completed. Construction on the Orono campus is currently underway for the Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce and Innovation Center, Green Engineering and Materials Factory of the Future and Food Innovation Lab, all of which also benefited from Congressionally Directed Spending secured by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, the current chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King.

Contact: Samantha Warren, 207.632.0389; samantha.warren@maine.edu

91�� Athletics hosts groundbreaking for Morse Arena, New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex

amanda.lozier — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:02:27 +0000

The 91�� announced the next steps of its — including updates to the New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and Morse Arena — on Saturday, Nov. 23 at a ceremonial groundbreaking in the New Balance Field House.

The projects, and others that have been completed or are in the pipeline, are made possible by a $320 million commitment from the Harold Alfond Foundation to the 91�� System (UMS). That includes a $170 million investment in 91�� Athletics to fund its Athletics Facilities Master Plan as part of UMS TRANSFORMS.

The New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex, named for a $7 million commitment from New Balance Athletics, will begin construction this month with a targeted date for opening in October 2025. Morse Arena, named for a $10 million commitment from Phil & Susan Morse, is currently in the schematic design phase and remains on pace to begin construction in the summer or fall of 2025. The arena is anticipated to open for the 2027-28 basketball season.

Construction begins for the first-of-its kind, cutting-edge sustainable manufacturing research facility at 91��

amanda.lozier — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:34:35 +0000

The 91�� broke ground today on the Green Engineering and Materials (GEM) building, a 50,000-square-foot facility designed to house the cutting-edge Factory of the Future (FoF) incorporating digital manufacturing technologies and fully adaptive, immersive learning spaces for students at 91�� and across the 91�� System.��

Scheduled for completion in 2026, GEM represents a nearly $82 million investment in interdisciplinary research and innovative education. This facility has been designed to meet the research and education needs in advanced manufacturing, as well to train the engineering and computing workforce, which is essential to support and grow the state and nation’s economies. GEM will operate as a partnership between the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC), the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC) and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), with opportunities for other programs and industries on campus and remotely.

“This project started as an ambitious vision, and it is becoming a reality thanks to interdisciplinary collaboration and a vision that integrates research and learning,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of 91�� and its regional campus, the 91�� at Machias. “We are grateful for all who have made this investment in this public university research facility.

“As a national research institution with R1 Carnegie classification, 91�� has the talent and reputation for innovation and achievement,” she continued. “Once completed, GEM will create even greater opportunities for our students, faculty, staff and partners to address a multitude of economic and societal needs for Maine and beyond.”

GEM will also serve as a large-scale digital additive and hybrid manufacturing test bed for entrepreneurs and companies looking to integrate advanced manufacturing and sustainable technologies into their operations. With a focus on bio-based materials and sustainable technologies, GEM aims to leverage Maine’s competitive strengths and drive investment in sustainable manufacturing.

GEM will work with industry to manufacture affordable housing, marine vessel production, and renewable energy and civil infrastructure components, all while using bio-based materials.

GEM’s role is to conduct the advanced manufacturing research and workforce development training so that these new technologies can be transitioned to industry. Students at all levels, from visiting K-12 students to doctoral candidates, will experience the innovative FoF environment through interactive, distributed and connected learning spaces.

GEM will allow students to move from interactive classroom spaces with 91�� System-wide access; to immersive learning within the mini-GEM, a microcosm of the full laboratory; up to working within the two large manufacturing bays, researching how best to design and manufacture homes, boats and other products.

“The GEM FoF will usher in a new era of digital manufacturing, using renewable materials, at the nexus of engineering and computing. This immersive education and research facility takes the next step in large-scale flexible additive and hybrid manufacturing with the goal to produce large, integrated systems in a closed-loop digital manufacturing environment powered by high-performance computing and artificial intelligence,” said Habib Dagher, executive director of ASCC.

“GEM is a cornerstone of the strategic vision at the 91�� which, in collaboration with all campuses across the 91�� System, emphasizes experiential learning, research and teaching integration. It is an important example of how research centers and colleges will collaborate to transform education,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing. “Often, academic buildings host classrooms and research laboratories that enable small-scale prototyping. In this transformative building, students can take the leap from ideating a proof of concept to manufacturing a large-scale market-ready product. This leap seems enormous; yet, this is what is needed to grow our economy. Here, we make this possible.”

“By providing transformative learning experiences that blend theory with practice, we prepare our students to tackle real-world challenges, aligning with our goal of producing highly skilled graduates who are ready to lead in their fields”, said Emily Haddad, dean of CLAS. “GEM’s learning spaces are designed to promote interaction, both in person and at a distance, and they will facilitate students’ transition to experiential learning environments.”

“Maine has the leading role in hybrid and additive manufacturing to produce large-scale products driven by new technology in industries such as clean technologies, boat building, and transportation technologies, ” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. “A treasure of new products, new opportunities and a new future lay in store with GEM.”

“The Harold Alfond Foundation has always believed that education is key to a skilled workforce” said Greg Powell, chair of the Harold Alfond Foundation. “But it’s more than that. The skilled workforce that we have has to be a workforce for tomorrow and has to be energized and inspired by the things that we do. Life has to be more than a job, it has to be inspirational, and one of the key attributes of GEM is how inspirational it is and how it will inspire students of today with the possibilities of the future.”

GEM is supported by several funding sources, including the Harold Alfond Foundation through UMS TRANSFORMS, 91��, UMS, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Maine Jobs & Recovery Act, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the state of Maine and the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Catalyst Program.

Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu.

91�� to propel aquaculture innovation and workforce with new facility

amanda.lozier — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:49:55 +0000

Development, design and engineering of the 91��’s Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce Innovation Center (SAWIC) will proceed this fall.

SAWIC will advance aquaculture talent development and innovation for Maine and beyond. The 91�� System (UMS) Board of Trustees approved moving forward with the design process for the 14,200-square-foot facility during its regular meeting on Monday, July 15. SAWIC is expected to open in late 2025.��

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committees, and Angus King secured $7 million in Congressionally Directed Spending in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget to construct the center. An additional $3.35 million toward construction costs will come from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan put forth by Gov. Janet Mills and supported by the 130th Maine Legislature to invest the state’s share of federal pandemic relief, including in UMS workforce development.

SAWIC will support sustainable economic development, food security and climate and community resilience through innovation in the aquaculture sector. Students, faculty and industry professionals will have access to the center, which will provide training programs with a focus on hands-on experience and real-world problem solving.��

The center will also foster collaboration through a partnership with the Penobscot Nation and other Wabanaki Nations, ensuring its programs and training opportunities align with the needs and perspectives of these communities and address tribal food sovereignty and economic development.

“Our students will be working on actual systems that resemble those in high-production aquaculture facilities, but at a much smaller scale,” said Deborah Bouchard, director of the Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) and associate professor of aquatic animal health with 91�� Cooperative Extension.

SAWIC will address critical workforce needs by preparing the next generation of skilled professionals for the aquaculture industry. The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) noted in its letter of support for the project that the aquaculture sector employs over 700 people and generates over $100 million in farm gate sales in Maine. Based on pending licenses and permits, MAA estimates that over 1,300 additional employees will be needed by the sector in the next 15 years.

“Aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest-growing food production methods. Through its cutting-edge education and research, 91�� has played a critical role in supporting Maine’s aquaculture businesses, creating opportunities and competing globally. The new Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce Innovation Center will build on existing expertise and partnerships, providing a clear path for workforce entry and success in Maine’s dynamic aquaculture sector,” said MAA Executive Director Sebastian Belle.��

The potential for Maine to become a national leader in aquaculture is immense, said Bouchard. Since its establishment in 2009, the ARI, which will oversee SAWIC, has emerged as a leading authority on aquaculture research in Maine, spearheading efforts to foster a sustainable aquaculture future locally and globally. Under Bouchard’s leadership, the ARI has facilitated interdisciplinary research in academic and applied domains, such as social dimensions of aquaculture, aquatic animal health, aquatic species biology and reproduction and ecological dimensions of aquaculture.��

Bouchard noted that Maine’s marine expertise, waters and seafood brand have all contributed to its emerging leadership in the aquaculture industry. The center will fulfill a variety of research functions, including topics related to cold water aquaculture, fish health, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

“This facility will set the stage for recirculating agriculture systems research, and support our faculty and students who address the top industry priorities, like developing alternative proteins, reducing dependency on fish meal in aquaculture feeds, exploring new species and more,” Bouchard said.

Contact: Corinne Noufi, corinne.noufi@maine.edu

New commercial-scale food production lab coming to 91�� will expand markets through innovation

amanda.lozier — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:53:28 +0000

Maine’s food economy and related rural workforce are well-positioned to grow with new commercial-scale processing and production capacity that will come online soon, thanks to the 91��.

At its regular meeting in Orono on Monday, the 91�� System (UMS) Board of Trustees authorized 91�� to spend�� $4.46 million in state and federal funds to create the 91�� Food Innovation Lab by renovating 4,800 square feet of existing space in the Keyo Building on the Orono campus and potentially adding a 1,200-square-foot addition. Construction would start this fall and the facility is expected to open by the end of 2025 and will feature three commercial food processing rooms, a walk-in cooler and freezer, various processing equipment, blast-freezing equipment, kettles, a classroom, and more.��

“We are thrilled that the 91�� Food Innovation Lab is one step closer to becoming a reality! This facility will provide support to Maine’s food entrepreneurs through its proximity to research, education and expertise that is critical to grow Maine’s food businesses,” said 91�� Cooperative Extension Dean Hannah Carter. “The Keyo building’s location is ideal for this facility due to its location on campus and its square footage to accommodate production, education and office space.”��

Food and beverage manufacturing, which the new facility will support, is a small but rapidly growing and diversifying part of Maine’s economy.

notes Maine’s opportunity to meet growing consumer demand for sustainable food products, given its natural resources, manufacturing strengths and proximity to major markets on the eastern seaboard. But notes that “food processing and supply chain infrastructure needs” are currently a barrier to growth.��

From 2017 to 2022, the food and beverage manufacturing workforce, which makes up 1.2% of the state’s total employment, grew by 755 jobs, or 10%, from 7,536 to 8,291, according to that report. Food and beverage manufacturing companies generated $3.5 billion in sales in 2022 — 78%, or $2.7 billion, of which were generated from out-of-state buyers. Among the strongest and fastest growing food and beverage manufacturing industries in Maine are frozen fruit, juice and vegetable manufacturing; retail and commercial bakeries; breweries and distilleries. Poultry processing is also among the fastest growing, and Maine’s seafood industry continues to benefit from the seafood product preparation and packaging subsector.��

“Maine’s farm sector is critically important to our economy, being able to bring value-added products to market creates more opportunities for farmers and food processors. This project provides essential support for the food innovators to test their ideas and concepts while providing students with hands-on experience,” said Marge Kilkelly, owner of Dragonfly Cove Farm in Dresden and chair of the Maine Board of Agriculture, which provides guidance on UMS agriculture education and research, led by 91��, the state’s only institution to achieve R1 Carnegie Classification putting it among the top 146 research universities in the county.��

Jason Bolton, associate dean of 91�� Extension, said by having the necessary license and equipment, the lab will allow startups, small- and mid-sized businesses to conduct pilot production trials and sell the products they make there, whether they are meat, seafood, baked goods, or even ice cream. Entrepreneurs will be able to research and develop new goods, scale up production of their existing commodities, package items and distribute them. The facility will feature a loading dock from which to ship products.��

“The ability to commercially produce and sell food is exciting, and something that we’ve wanted to do for quite a while as an institution — to help food entrepreneurs and existing companies and also provide really fantastic training and educational opportunities to our learners,” Bolton said.��

With both a commercial kitchen and classroom, the facility�� will offer new hands-on learning experiences for students participating in food-related , such as those for food processing sanitation, seafood and meat and poultry Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.��

Bolton said 91�� Extension also hopes to connect students with businesses using the facility�� for potential internship opportunities.��

“Hopefully in the first couple of years, we’ll be able to start co-packing, where we use the talent of students and the staff associated with the center to produce the food for companies that don’t have a workforce,” Bolton said, “so students will get firsthand knowledge of scaling up products and the commercial production of products. We already have companies that are interested in that.”��

91�� Extension will hire a director and supervisory technician for the facility. Bolton said facility operations would also be supported by the enterprise of 91�� Extension food science and safety professionals. Bolton said companies will also have the opportunity to collaborate with Sodexo, which provides campus dining services for 91�� and other UMS universities.��

The new facility and collaborative opportunities it will support reflect similar offerings from other universities nationwide, including Rutgers University, Cornell University, The Ohio State University and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Similar to those facilities, Bolton said businesses would be charged for using the new facility at varying rates depending on their needs, with the goal of keeping it accessible to start-up food entrepreneurs. Facility use fees would be utilized to cover operational costs.

The project is supported by $2.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending secured in the federal fiscal year 2023 budget by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, and $1.96 million from Gov. Janet Mills’ approved by the 130th Maine Legislature.��

“Through the Solutions for Maine R&D and Innovation Hub launched in 2023, 91�� is already utilizing MJRP funds to assist small food businesses in Maine as they recover from pandemic impacts,” said Renee Kelly, associate vice president of strategic partnerships, innovation and engagement for 91��. “The 91�� Food Innovation Lab will help us super-charge that work and support the continued growth of individual companies and the overall food manufacturing sector in Maine, and we’re grateful to Gov. Mills and Sens. Collins and King for securing the funding that makes this important work possible.”��

In addition to enabling the university to better serve student and industry needs, modernization of the antiquated Keyo Building is consistent with the System’s goal of strategically addressing its $1.6 billion in deferred maintenance, nearly $1 billion of which is at 91��’s Orono campus.��

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

Capital Projects – 91���� News

New track and field and soccer complex, renovated hockey facilities open at 91����

91���� opens cutting-edge robotics and automation training facility��

Gov. Mills, 91���� President cut ribbon to reopen newly modernized Aroostook Farm, home of world-class potato breeding program

91���� Athletics hosts groundbreaking for Morse Arena, New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex

Construction begins for the first-of-its kind, cutting-edge sustainable manufacturing research facility at 91����

91���� to propel aquaculture innovation and workforce with new facility

New commercial-scale food production lab coming to 91���� will expand markets through innovation