Three faculty members awarded fellowship to conduct research in Acadia National Park
Three University of Maine faculty members have been awarded fellowships to conduct research in Acadia National Park.
The faculty members are Rachel Fowler, laboratory coordinator with the School of Biology and Ecology; Bonnie Newsom, assistant professor of anthropology; and Jay Wason, assistant professor of forest ecosystem physiology.
The fellowships were awarded as part of Second Century Stewardship, an initiative of the National Park Service, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
The Second Century Stewardship was launched in 2016 upon the centennial of the National Park Service to provide top-quality science research for park stewardship, build public appreciation for science, and pursue solutions to critical issues for parks and society.
Fowler aims to develop an early warning system for detecting blooms of cyanobacteria, a kind of algae that thrive in warm, nutrient-rich waters and can be toxic to people and animals. Newsom will analyze existing archaeological collections from shell midden sites in the park to chronicle past occupation and use, and generate a baseline data set for future studies of Indigenous peoples and their connections to the region. And Wason plans to study coastal spruce-fir forests in Acadia.
The full news release is online.