UMaine Arctic

Developing and strengthening partnerships

The purpose of the UMaine Arctic Initiative is to build awareness, share research interests and develop a community of researchers at the University of Maine with an interest in the high latitudes. We seek to develop and strengthen partnerships with other high latitude researchers, initiatives and institutions around the world.

Mission and History

The University of Maine has a long history of engagement in the Arctic and, more broadly, the high north, from Greenland to Canada to Alaska and beyond. Our faculty and students engage in the region to study and share information about the environment, engineering, human dimensions, and government policy. Additionally, we identify the impact of changes in the Arctic on Maine and the broader region. We perform field work, train, lead educational opportunities, model physical processes and economic impact, and consult.

UMaine Arctic launched in 2018 in order to enhance collaboration within the campus community and with outside partners. We value diversity in disciplines and experiences, as we identify synergies and problems we address with greater impact by working together. These include:

  • Identifying the regional and global effect of Arctic processes,
  • Helping New England prepare for the impact of changes in the Arctic,
  • Facilitating exchanges among students, researchers, and policy makers,
  • Providing Arctic-related educational opportunities for students at UMaine and beyond,
  • and providing more efficient communication about issues and opportunities related to the Arctic and its global impact.