News – Maine EPSCoR

Three indivisuals in diving suits sit together on the water.

Maine’s kelp forests and the impact of environmental change

By, Camryn Sudimick, Maine EPSCoR Writing Intern The Gulf of Maine (GoM) is warming rapidly, and ecosystems contained within, including Maine’s rocky reefs, are undergoing significant changes. The kelp forest habitats along Maine’s coast are transitioning to red algae turf reefs. These kelp forests stand from one to a few meters tall that fish and […]

White Shark Migration and Taking Part in the Research Process with Patrick Tardie

By Camryn Sudimick, Writing Intern White sharks are one of the most iconic species in the sea. While they have gained a fearsome reputation, researchers like Patrick Tardie, a Maine-eDNA undergraduate intern, argue they should instead be recognized for their vital role as apex predators in marine ecosystems. While white shark populations faced a decline […]

Introducing Undergraduates to Interdisciplinary Research Through Cross-State Collaboration

By Evan Bartow, Writing Intern Focused on gathering, analyzing, and utilizing data collected from the Northern Forest Region, the NSF EPSCoR Track-2 INSPIRES project invested heavily in the creation of new environmental sensors. The development of these sensors is led by the WiSe-Net Lab under the direction of Ali Abedi, Associate Vice President for Research […]

Man with braided hair stares off to the left.

Building STEM Knowledge and Confidence Through Traditional Ecological Knowledge

By Caty DuDevoir Maine EPSCoR partner Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) is committed to providing Indigenous youth and communities with hands-on learning opportunities about Indigenous Knowledge and western scientific methods. Fusing western science practices with Indigenous Knowledge allows Wabanaki communities to reclaim spaces in the scientific community. Jason Brough, a Ph.D. student in Anthropology and […]

student in lab coat and mask organizes samples on lab bench.

Incorporating eDNA Curricula in Undergraduate Education Across Maine

By Ilaria Bardini, Writing Intern The many applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) in research and conservation has inspired educators to find ways to implement such topics into their various curricula. As an emerging appliance, eDNA can allow researchers and stakeholders to track population fluctuations of keystone species in order better understand the impacts of climate […]

Map showing the overlay of approximate location of Wabanaki Nation Tribes over current US and Canada Borders

Implementing Biocultural Markers in Research Data Practices

By Caty DuDevoir, Writing Intern In any scientific and humanistic discipline, ethical collection of samples is a vital step in the research process. With a field like environmental DNA (eDNA), researchers sample soil, water, and organisms from the physical environments. The knowledge derived from them is collected on the land of Indigenous tribal nations, which […]

Line of buckets with nets over them are lined up along a hedge.

An Introduction to the Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment

By Evan Bartow, Writing Intern Focused on bringing together researchers across multiple disciplines, the Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment (MGCE) has worked to develop and energize Maine’s genetic research community. MCGE was founded in 2019 in order to further advance the type of research being generated by the $20 million NSF EPSCOR RII […]

Woman in blue jacket holds a salt marsh sparrow in a salt marsh

Genomic Architecture: RNA research of tidal marsh sparrows under the influence of environmental stressors

By Stefania Irene Marthakis and Colin Gallagher, Media Intern In the field of RNA (ribonucleic acid) research, the NSF EPSCoR RII Track-2 grant, GECO (Genomic Ecology of Coastal Organisms: A Systems-Based Research and Training Program in Genome-Phenome Relationships in the Wild) has made significant research progress in understanding the interaction and differences in genotypes and […]

From LASST to FIRST

By, Colin Gallagher, Media Intern and Caty DuDevoir, Writing Intern The Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies (FIRST), formerly known as the Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology (LASST), is an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Maine (UMaine), with the vision of becoming a leader in materials, devices, and systems research. The […]

Two microscopic images of a chytrid and thraustochytrid

Biodiversity Beneath the Surface: Étaín Cullen’s Exploration of Chytrids and Thraustochytrids

By Camryn Sudimick, Writing Intern Amid Maine’s watersheds reside countless microorganisms that many do not take the time to consider. These organisms, while small in size, play a crucial role in their ecosystems. Scientists have harnessed the power of environmental DNA (eDNA) when it comes to understanding the world of microscopic organisms. Étaín Cullen, an […]