Maine-eDNA

Two people kneel in river collecting water sample.

Exploring Local Environments and the Research Process at University of Maine Farmington

By Evan Bartow, Writing Intern For undergraduate students, especially early in their academic career, field experience is often limited, but at University of Maine Farmington (UMF), faculty are working to incorporate more field and laboratory experience in their introductory biology classes to expand opportunities. Donelle Schwalm is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Biology at UMF […]

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Blue image of two graduate students conduct field work on block with text that reads Maine EPSCoR Newsletter

Maine EPSCoR Newsletter (Winter 2023)

The latest Maine EPSCoR print newsletter is out now. This newsletter covers some of the amazing work researchers across both Maine and the state’s EPSCoR grants. Maine EPSCoR Newsletter March 2023:   Featured Stories: Maine-eDNA Research Learning Experience Forest Bioproducts Research Institute Mind the Gap: Ecology, evolution, and the impact of humans on the natural […]

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The Emergence of Blue Crabs in Casco Bay with Brandon Henry

By Ilaria Bardini, Media Intern As the world’s climate changes, ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them are changing as well. This holds true for blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, which are beginning to populate areas along the coast of Maine. Native to warmer waters along the U.S. coastlines, the rising temperatures in the Gulf of […]

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Two people stand indoors as one presents a poster to another.

Using eDNA to Monitor Maine’s Rivers with Beth Davis

By Caty DuDevoir, Media Intern Across the NSF EPSCoR Track-1 Maine-eDNA grant, researchers are partnering with local communities and organizations to maintain dialogue and expand conservation in Maine’s waters. Located close to the University of Maine Orono campus, the Penobscot River, New England’s second largest river system, provides Maine-eDNA researchers studying freshwater systems or species […]

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Two people stand on a dock holding sampling materials while wearing raincoats.

Maine-eDNA Undergraduate Student Employment Opportunity

Undergraduate Student Employees Environmental DNA (eDNA) Maine-eDNA Full-time, starting May 2023 Overview: The Maine-eDNA program is seeking undergraduate students to join our team, a state-wide, multi-institutional initiative establishing Maine as a national leader in environmental monitoring, ecological understanding, and sustainability of coastal ecosystems (https://umaine.edu/edna/). Students will have the opportunity to participate through internship experiences in a […]

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Adam Copeland stands next to boat wearing a jacket and orange hat.

Using eDNA to Create Tools for Blue Mussel Detection with Adam Copeland

By Ilaria Bardini Writing Intern, Along the rocky intertidal zones of New England, blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), a native species of filter feeding bivalves, cling onto rocks, piers, and other structures. Although seemingly mundane and relatively sedentary in nature, these molluscs are essential to biodiversity, commercial aquaculture, and serve as habitats for a myriad of […]

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Two people stand looking at tidepool tank, one holding a camera

Meet Maine EPSCoR’s Fall Internship Cohort

Caty DuDevoir:  Writing Intern  Caty (she/her) is a junior at the University of Maine (UMaine), studying Anthropology and Journalism. She joined Maine EPSCoR in spring of 2022 as a writing intern. After noticing a disconnect in public understanding of science, she wanted to help bridge the gap in information access. Caty appreciates learning more about […]

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Graphical abstract that illustrates how the database functions

Maintaining Data on Maine-eDNA

By Caty DuDevoir Data is the core of any scientific project. Proper data management practices and documentation are imperative to allow for the standardization and comparison of results. This is especially important on large projects, like the NSF EPSCoR Track-1 Maine-eDNA grant, which rely on the collaboration of dozens of researchers. Maine-eDNA recently completed its […]

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