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:
- Mehdi Tajvidi, Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award.
- Darren Ranco, Presidential Public Engagement Achievement Award.
- Jay Wason, Presidential Outstanding Teaching Award.
- Melissa Ladenheim, Black Bear Award for Extraordinary Impact.
- William Davids, Presidential Innovation Award.
“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 and service. Their work strengthens our university, advances knowledge and makes a meaningful difference for the people of Maine and beyond.”
Mehdi Tajvidi
Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award
Mehdi Tajvidi, professor of renewable nanomaterials in the School of Forest Resources and Advanced Structures and Composites Center, is recognized for internationally distinguished research and scholarship. The award honors faculty whose work contributes knowledge to issues of local, national and global significance.
Since joining UMaine in 2013, Tajvidi has focused on the production, characterization and performance of renewable nanomaterials and their composites. His research centers on cellulose nanomaterials for applications including coatings, packaging and building products, spanning work from foundational science to industrial trials.
“Mehdi’s work reflects research leadership that brings global visibility to UMaine while delivering real value to our state,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “His focus on sustainable innovation is helping address important challenges in materials and manufacturing.”
Tajvidi’s lab has developed bio-based alternatives to synthetic materials, including technologies to replace formaldehyde-based resins in building products and PFAS in molded fiber packaging, as well as foam products used in packaging. He has also launched a line of research in mycelium-based biocomposites, using fungal materials to produce low-density insulation and packaging products.
His work supports collaborations with Maine-based and national companies and contributes to new product development in the forest products industry. He also mentors graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and undergraduates who have gone on to careers in academia, industry and national laboratories.
Darren Ranco
Presidential Public Engagement Achievement Award
Darren Ranco, professor of anthropology, faculty fellow in the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, and chair of Native American Programs, is recognized for public engagement that applies academic expertise to enhance the public good.
Since returning to Maine in 2009, Ranco, a Penobscot Nation citizen who grew up in Orono, has worked with Wabanaki Tribal Nations on environmental and cultural issues. His work includes leadership on responses to the emerald ash borer, an invasive species that threatens ash trees used in traditional basket making. His efforts contributed to agreements among tribal nations, the state and federal agencies.
“Darren’s work reflects a deep commitment to partnership and to connecting the university’s expertise with community needs,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “He builds relationships that lead to meaningful, lasting impact.”
He has also supported tribal climate resilience and land return efforts, working with communities to develop priorities, establish baselines and create plans to address environmental change.
Ranco has contributed to strengthening relationships between the university and tribal communities, including efforts to support collaboration and culturally informed research practices.
His public engagement includes educational initiatives supporting the development of Wabanaki studies curriculum, public talks, working with legislators to support environmentally and culturally sound legislation, and participation in projects that address community needs.
Jay Wason
Presidential Outstanding Teaching Award
Jay Wason, associate professor of forest ecosystem physiology in the School of Forest Resources, is recognized for advancing student learning through teaching and mentorship.
Since joining UMaine in 2018, Wason has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in forest biology, plant structure and function, and research methods. His teaching emphasizes scientific thinking and applying knowledge to new problems.
“Jay’s teaching reflects a commitment to student learning that both challenges and supports students,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “He helps students build confidence and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.”
His courses incorporate hands-on laboratory work, group activities and opportunities for students to design experiments and analyze data. These approaches support active learning and encourage students to engage directly with course material.
Student evaluations consistently highlight his preparation, clarity and enthusiasm, as well as his ability to help students understand complex topics.
In addition to teaching, Wason mentors undergraduate and graduate students and contributes to instructional development within his department.
Melissa Ladenheim
Black Bear Award for Extraordinary Impact
Melissa Ladenheim, associate dean of the Honors College, is recognized for exceeding expectations and making an extraordinary impact through service and leadership.
She coordinates the Maine Day Meal Packout, a campus-wide initiative that provides meals to food-insecure communities across the state. A central part of Maine Day Week of Service, the effort engages approximately 400 to 500 volunteers each year. Since its early years in the 2010s, the initiative will surpass 800,000 meals packed and distributed with the culmination of this year’s event.
“Melissa’s leadership shows how service can bring people together while creating opportunities for students to lead,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “Her work inspires a strong culture of engagement on campus and beyond.”
The Maine Day Meal Packout is student-driven, with a leadership team playing key roles in fundraising, logistics and partnerships, while Ladenheim oversees and coordinates the initiative. Through that work, students gain experience in leadership, project management and community engagement while contributing to a statewide effort to address food insecurity.
Ladenheim is also involved in the Servant Heart Research Collaborative, which develops educational initiatives addressing social and learning challenges in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Haiti and Uganda. Through this work, she helped create and build the National Education Test Tool, an online platform that prepares students in Sierra Leone for national exams, as well as the Attachment Theory Workshop, a caregiver training program focused on fostering healthy attachments in children who have experienced trauma.
Her work reflects a sustained commitment to service and student development, with impact across campus, throughout Maine and internationally.
Bill Davids
Presidential Innovation Award
Bill Davids, Bodwell University Distinguished Professor and chair of civil and environmental engineering, is recognized for translating research into technologies with economic and societal impact.
Over nearly three decades at UMaine, Davids has focused on engineering research that supports innovation and real-world application. He is a co-inventor of the CT Girder, a fiber-reinforced polymer bridge beam that is significantly lighter than steel and resistant to corrosion. The technology has been used in bridge construction projects in Maine, Rhode Island and Florida.
“Bill’s work demonstrates how research at UMaine can translate into practical solutions that strengthen infrastructure and support economic development,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “He connects innovation with real-world impact.”
He has also contributed to the development of the Continuous Forming Machine, a manufacturing technology for fiber-reinforced thermoplastic materials. This work has supported the creation of a startup company that is generating revenue, attracting investment and building a manufacturing facility in Maine.
His research has also contributed to improved methods for evaluating and maintaining bridges, helping extend the service life of infrastructure and reduce the need for repair and replacement.
Through collaboration with students and industry partners, Davids’ work has produced practical outcomes that advance engineering practice and support infrastructure solutions.
Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu
