Welcome to the NRT: Enhancing Conservation Science and Practice program at the University of Maine.
NRT stands for National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship, a program that supports the preparation of future leaders in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce. The NSF funds NRT programs in a range of STEM fields around the country, including three such programs at UMaine: Enhancing Conservation Science and Practice (this program), One Health and the Environment, and Systems Approaches to Understanding and Navigating the New Arctic (SAUNNA).
The goal of the Enhancing Conservation Science and Practice NRT is to train the next generation of interdisciplinary environmental conservation leaders. The coursework, research, and community engagement central to the NRT program will equip the next generation of leaders with the skills necessary to address the challenges presented by global and local changes in environmental, social, economic, and climatic conditions.
Program News and Announcements
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Megan Leach, MS Thesis Defense, November 27 at 9:30 — “Implementing innovative conservation tools: Lessons learned from Maine’s Vernal Pool Special Area Management Plan”
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Peter Breigenzer, MS Thesis Defense, November 20 at 2:00 — “Forest management in a changing climate: Integrating social and biophysical sciences to inform adaptive responses to future uncertainty”
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Abigail Bennett, MS Thesis Defense, July 27 at 10:00 — “The impacts of conservation on mill rates and municipalities in Maine”
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Alyssa Soucy, PhD Dissertation Defense, July 26 at 1:00 — “Exploring the importance of values, place, and perceptions in conservation decision-making in Maine: A mixed methods approach”