Creation of New Work and Knowledge

UMaine’s research and innovation reputation can advance through support for centers of excellence that can drive enrollment, recruitment, industry collaboration, and public sector partnerships. Earning an R1 Carnegie Classification ranks UMaine as one of the nation’s top 146 doctoral research universities engaged in “very high research activity” and opens the door to bold new opportunities for the university on the national stage. 

The creative and performing arts, music, and dance can be harnessed to complement STEM disciplines, foster creativity, and express identity. UMaine should promote efforts to prepare the state’s workforce for the information age and establish an innovation-driven Maine economy for the 21st century.  UMaine must remain at the frontier in order to have a role in the future. 

Focus Areas

  • Maine’s R1 Research University 
  • Arts at UMaine
  • Humanities at UMaine 
  • Undergraduate and Graduate Research and Creativity 

Recommendations

Support strategic cluster hires that can impact student learning, university research, statewide challenges and contribute to the national discourse; commit to providing resources for sustaining these interdisciplinary teams.

Commit resources to creating Centers of Excellence.

UMaine must connect with and be a driver of Maine’s significant economic and research institutions that are focused on addressing climate change.

UMaine needs to lead by example (i.e., smart buildings, smart technology, transportation) and teach by engaging students as we do so.

Universities must look beyond current demand of the labor market which will always reflect past features and imagine what the future(s) could look like for society. For example, what role is AI going to play? Critically important for universities to engage in future scanning — best kind of universities become the engineers of tomorrow’s world.

Universities must remain at the frontier in order to have a role in the future. Alternative content providers will begin to replace universities that fail to innovate.

Important to involve students in true research — i.e., research for which the teacher / investigator does not yet know the answer in advance. This will help to develop student agency and curiosity as well as a willingness to be involved in activities that may “fail,” hit road blocks, offer surprises, etc.