SMART Institute focus of IEEE-USA InSight article
The University of Maine College of Engineering’s Stormwater Management Research Team (SMART) program was the focus of the IEEE-USA InSight article, “Award-winning Maine partnership: A model for boosting STEM literacy.” The STEM literacy program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation, focuses on creating innovative solutions to environmental problems related to stormwater management. SMART is part of a unique collaboration between UMaine and Bangor High School that provides hands-on opportunities for girls and underrepresented minority groups from throughout the state. It allows participants to apprentice with UMaine faculty members and take a demanding sequence of STEM courses, according to the article. In June 2015, the second SMART Institute at UMaine drew 78 students and 13 teachers from 12 high schools and tribal communities throughout Maine, the article states.