The first thing the students noticed at the University of Maine’s J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center was the smell — fresh hay and something earthier, followed by the low hum of cows shifting in their stalls. Then came hesitation and, finally, curiosity, as small hands reached out to touch an animal many had […]
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Understanding the source of stress and disease can be difficult, especially if the subject of stress is a fish, or even thousands of fish. Detecting and diagnosing stress and disease is a major challenge for aquaculture farms, where keeping fish happy helps them thrive. In fish, stress can be hard to detect before it becomes […]
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As the May 1 college decision deadline approaches, students are showing increased interest in academic programs with clear career pathways. At the University of Maine, that trend is evident across disciplines tied to growing sectors of the U.S. economy, including engineering, health care and biomedical sciences, business, natural resources and environmental sciences, agriculture and food […]
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A University of Maine Ph.D. candidate will be among of the featured speakers for the Maine Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s annual conference starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 10 in the Wells Conference Center. Ashley Reynolds, a doctoral student in food and nutrition sciences, will present an overview of a new mouse model of […]
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University of Maine ecology professor Brian McGill has been named a 2026 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow, one of the highest honors in the scientific community. AAAS Fellows are a group of scientists, engineers and innovators recognized for their achievements across disciplines, from research, teaching and technology, to administration in academia, […]
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A group of chemicals known as PFAS have become a growing concern for human health, agriculture and the environment. Because they resist breaking down, these “forever chemicals” can accumulate in soil, water and food systems and expose people to a range of adverse health conditions. From nonstick cookware and disposable tableware to everyday items like […]
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Last summer, Sofia Diaz Flint spent her days working on a Maine oyster farm, hauling cages and tending shellfish that would not reach the market for another year. Seeing firsthand how much farmers depend on their crop surviving the winter shaped the direction of her senior capstone project at the University of Maine. “I worked […]
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A new teaching and research vessel at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center is expanding student access to the largest ecosystem on Earth: the open ocean. The new 45-foot vessel is the biggest in the center’s fleet. Previously used as a commercial tuna fishing platform, the boat will support student training, faculty research and […]
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Wild blueberries — the iconic Maine crop dotting hillsides, decorating sweatshirts and adding personality to local menus — is more than a cultural symbol. Over 20 years of preclinical and clinical studies suggest that regularly consuming wild blueberries supports gut and heart health and may reduce risk factors associated with chronic disease. Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, professor […]
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When warm days follow freezing nights, sap begins to run in maple trees across the University of Maine Forest in Old Town. Students and staff haul buckets of the clear liquid through snow and mud to a small wooden sugarhouse, where steam rises from a wood-fired evaporator as the sap slowly boils into thick, sweet […]
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