Research Programs

American woodcock

Woodcock charge deer to defend nests, UMaine researchers find

American woodcock, short, plump shorebirds with long, thin beaks, are widely known for their bobbing stride and nasally “peent” calls, but not for being aggressive. Yet one April afternoon, when a deer sniffed around a woodcock hen’s ground nest looking for food, the hen lunged at it, scaring it away.  University of Maine researchers captured […]

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Prescribed burn

UMaine students gain firefighting experience through prescribed burn

When low-level flames spread across five acres of forestland in Old Town one June afternoon, University of Maine students Logan Quinn of Braintree, Massachusetts, and Mar Wiltz of Bloomington, Indiana, helped keep them under control while gaining hands-on experience that could shape their future forestry careers. The two-hour prescribed burn at UMaine’s Dwight B. Demeritt […]

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Mehdi Tajvidi (center-left) received the FiberLean Distinguished Scientist Award from the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry on April 28 at the TAPPICon conference in Columbus, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Mehdi Tajvidi.

Tajvidi honored with international award for forest-derived nanomaterial research

Mehdi Tajvidi, a professor of renewable nanomaterials at the University of Maine, has been named the 2026 recipient of the FiberLean Distinguished Scientist Award from the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) Advanced Renewable Materials division. The award recognizes individuals whose work has significantly advanced scientific and engineering knowledge within the renewable […]

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Moose

UMaine student explores new ways to detect parasites in moose

Moose are an essential part of Maine’s ecosystems, cultural identity and outdoor economy. As ecosystems rapidly change, moose face an increased risk of infection by parasites and disease.  Researchers at the University of Maine are researching new ways to study and monitor the parasites that plague Maine’s moose in order to best help and manage […]

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Wild blueberries

Seven MAFES faculty receive Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee’s 2026 research and extension awards

The Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee (WBAC) is a group of 7 industry representatives appointed by the Commission to set research, development, and Extension priorities and recommend funding allocations for the UMaine wild blueberry research and Extension projects. All WBAC award funding is derived from the wild blueberry tax. After hearing research and Extension faculty present their proposals in February, […]

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University of Maine student symposium

Three MAFES students earn awards at the 2025 UMaine Student Symposium

The University of Maine Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR) has announced the award winners from the 2026 UMaine Student Symposium for Research and Creative Activity, which drew over 2,400 attendees. The symposium awards undergraduate and graduate students who displayed outstanding research, presentation and creative ability. Award winners were selected through judging across academic categories, all […]

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41 faculty members, including eight MAFES faculty, receive tenure and/or promotion or just-cause protection status and promotion

At the University of Maine, 41 faculty members have received tenure and/or promotion or just-cause protection status and promotion effective July 1, 2026, or September 1, 2026. The annual announcement recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching, scholarship and research, and community engagement. Tenure for 17 of the faculty members was approved by the University of Maine […]

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Aerial view of University of Maine campus

UMaine announces 2026 Presidential Award winners including two MAFES faculty

The University of Maine will honor five faculty members with its 2026 Presidential Awards, recognizing excellence in research, teaching, innovation, public engagement and extraordinary impact. This year’s recipients are: “These awards recognize the very best of the University of Maine,” said President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “Each of these individuals demonstrates a deep commitment to excellence, innovation […]

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