The 91±¬ÁĎ has been designated an R1 university by the prestigious Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The R1 designation signifies “very high research activity” in recent years and it is the highest possible tier a doctoral research university can achieve in the Carnegie Classification. Updates are completed every three years.

As of February 2021, only 146 of the nation’s 3,982 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States are classified as top-tier doctoral research universities. This places 91±¬ÁĎ among the top 3.7% in research institutions in the country.

“The research enterprise at the 91±¬ÁĎ is a vital state economic and educational asset,” said 91±¬ÁĎ System Chancellor Dannel Malloy. “The R1 designation is the world standard for research universities. With it, we will attract more talent, investment and innovation to Maine. Thanks to the dedication of our research faculty and staff at our flagship university, and the strategic leadership of President Ferrini-Mundy, Vice President for Research Kody Varahramyan, and their teams, Maine is becoming a global destination for discovery and innovation.”

91±¬ÁĎ’s research enterprise spans the entire state, including the newly launched 91±¬ÁĎ Portland Gateway. And in the 91±¬ÁĎ System’s unified accreditation environment, faculty at other UMS universities have the opportunity to partner with 91±¬ÁĎ researchers, allowing them to expand their own research along with the reach and impact of the flagship’s well-established research infrastructure.

Over the last five years, research and development expenditures at 91±¬ÁĎ have grown 80.2% to an all-time high of $179.3 million for 2021. External funding in support of R&D increased 135% to $133.6 million, and 91±¬ÁĎ has achieved record graduate and doctoral student enrollments. See 91±¬ÁĎ’s 2021 Research Report online.

“The R1 designation affirms that 91±¬ÁĎ has reached the highest Carnegie Classification that identifies top doctoral-granting national universities with very high research activity,” said Kody Varahramyan, 91±¬ÁĎ Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. “This is also in recognition that at 91±¬ÁĎ, we have been creating a modern 21st-century research university, with nationally and internationally recognized programs of global impact and local relevance that address the workforce needs and advance the social and economic development of Maine and beyond.”

Pips Veazey weighs in on the historic achievement. “The R1 research designation affirms the great work being done by faculty, staff, students and administrators to collectively achieve this national recognition. By working together, we can do great things, and the 91±¬ÁĎ Portland Gateway is focused on amplifying the impacts of our research across the state and beyond.”

Read the full story on 91±¬ÁĎ News.

Three interdisciplinary projects focused on meeting Maine needs have been awarded competitive seed grants through 91±¬ÁĎ’s Portland Gateway. Funded projects facilitate convergent research across the 91±¬ÁĎ System.

The CONVERGE Maine program brings together UMS experts with an interest in transdisciplinary work, developing and strengthening partnerships with other institutions and organizations within the state, and addressing a societal challenge or scientific question facing Maine today.

This is the first round of awards through the program, which satisfies Portland Gateway’s goal of preparing the knowledge and innovation workforce, contributing to societal advancement and propelling economic development.

Faculty and professional research staff and scientists were invited to submit proposals in late 2021. Proposals that engage community members in a meaningful manner were given special consideration. Brief summaries of the funded projects follow.

Building Sustainable Transdisciplinary Networks to Support Just and Equitable Energy Transitions

This project will establish a cross-campus network to advance research on energy transformation, with a particular focus on inclusive, equitable and just approaches to that process.

Collaborators from 91±¬ÁĎ include Jessica Jansujwicz, research assistant professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology; Linda Silka, a senior fellow at the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions; and Sandra De Urioste-Stone, assistant vice president for research and an associate professor in the School of Forest Resources.

Transdisciplinary One Health Approach to Zoonotic Canid Parasites in Maine

The primary goal of this research is to better understand the risk of parasites to wild and domestic canid health, as well as to human health.

Collaborators from 91±¬ÁĎ include Pauline Kamath, assistant professor of animal health, and Sue Ishaq, assistant professor of animal and veterinary sciences, both in the School of Food and Agriculture; and Darren Ranco, associate professor of anthropology and chair of Native American Programs. External collaborators include Michele Walsh, state veterinarian for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

The following 91±¬ÁĎ One Health National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship (NRT) graduate students also are participating in this project: Elizabeth Pellecer Rivera, Alaina Woods and Tegwin Taylor, Ph.D. candidates in ecology and environmental sciences; and Remy Babich, a Ph.D. candidate in biochemistry and biomedical sciences.

Farm-to-Product: Creating Sustainable Kelp-Based Bioplastics

The project researches how to create fully vertically integrated kelp-based bioplastic production in Maine, propelling development in the blue economy by leveraging the plastics and aquaculture expertise in the area.

Collaborators from the University of Southern Maine include Asheesh Lanba, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Composites Engineering Research Laboratory, and Eklou Amendah, an assistant professor of marketing. Collaborator Adam St. Gelais is an aquaculture innovation specialist at the 91±¬ÁĎ Aquaculture Research Institute. External collaborators include Katie Weiler, founder and CEO of Viable Gear Company; Davis Lee, chief technology officer at Clocktower Engineering; and Andrew Schoenberg, serving as technical advisor.

For more information on the CONVERGE Maine seed grants, contact Pips Veazey; alice.veazey@maine.edu or gateway@maine.edu.

On Monday, September 13, 2021, Alice “Pips” Veazey presented her talk titled “Team Science and Lessons from Kindergarten – The Essence of Collaborative Research” at the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, at the 91±¬ÁĎ in Orono. Veazey’s talk is part of the center’s Fall 2021 Sustainability Talks series.

As society continues to manage dynamic and complex global issues, we clearly see that no person, approach, or way of knowing can adequately address these issues single-handedly. From climate change to the current coronavirus pandemic, humanity seeks answers to challenges fundamental to our survival.

Research teams have a great capacity to develop novel and effective approaches and solutions, but there are some challenges along the way. To promote these broad collaborations, we must offer experiences that initiate, encourage, and extend ways that we can all work together.

Veazey’s doctoral work at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks focused on the competencies required to lead large, interdisciplinary science teams, and she has worked with dozens of research teams across the country to facilitate the co-development of research collaboration plans.

In her talk, Veazey points out that lessons we learned in kindergarten form a good foundation, which can be expanded upon and used in team science to maximize how we work in collaborative settings.

She points out that at an early age we learn about sharing, respect, and kindness and have an innate drive to understand the world around us. These ideas hold true throughout life and can be mindfully incorporated in large, interdisciplinary research activities to enhance the effectiveness, trust, and collaborative nature of our team research projects.

Veazey is the director of the 91±¬ÁĎ Portland Gateway, a new initiative that provides a dedicated office in Portland to help people and businesses in southern Maine access the vast array of research and education opportunities at the flagship research university.

Prior to accepting the director’s position, she served as the Principal Investigator for the Alaska Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a statewide program funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Alaska aimed at increasing research capacity.

Veazey’s talk at the Mitchell Center can be viewed on .

Contact: gateway@maine.edu

Written by Tilan Copson