UMaine’s impact across the state highlighted in week-long celebration

Maine Impact Week, an annual celebration of the University of Maine’s community and contributions to the scientific, creative and economic advancement of the state, officially kicks off on April 7.

More than 25 events will highlight the impact of research and creativity produced by Maine’s only R1 research university, a distinction held by 187 top-tier universities nationwide. Most events are free and open to the public.

“Maine Impact Week reflects UMaine’s dedication to scientific, cultural and creative progress,” said Kody Varahramyan, vice president for research and dean of the graduate school. “Our recently reaffirmed R1 status is the result of faculty, staff and students collaborating across disciplines to tackle challenges and explore new opportunities. Their achievements highlight our steadfast commitment to expanding knowledge and its applications — both for our students and for the betterment of Maine and beyond.”

More than 1,000 students will present posters, oral presentations and exhibits showcasing their research or creative endeavors from the past year at the UMaine Student Symposium on April 11. Students from all majors, including art, business, education, engineering, science and the humanities, participate. The symposium is free and open to the public.  

Employers may also meet students at the UMaine Student Symposium, as well as from UMaine’s Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering at the University of New England’s Brain, Body, and Wellness Fair. 

At a time when schools nationwide are struggling with teacher shortages, representatives from districts serving more than 90 communities throughout the state will have an opportunity to meet UMaine education students who are working toward teacher licensure at the College of Education and Human Development’s Career Fair. Members of the UMaine STEM community can explore active learning practices through the “Active Learning in Action” workshop hosted by the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center). 

Imagine That!, a celebration of four years of impact and collaboration led by the University of Maine’s Portland Gateway, will provide opportunities for current and future partners to connect in the heart of Maine’s business hub in downtown Portland on April 10 at 5 p.m. 

Experts from University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer more than 20 workshops about gardening, homesteading, food processing and more during the 30th Annual Rural Living Day and inaugural Mid Coast Agroforestry Conference in Lincolnville. UMaine Extension will also offer workshops about how to cook for crowds safely and how to plant a resilient perennial garden. 

Members of the public are invited to learn about models for waste exchange that can make resource use more efficient, cut disposal costs, minimize pollution and unlock new economic opportunities for Maine through a hybrid panel discussion titled “Closing the Loop: Opportunities for Industrial Circular Economy Exchanges in Maine.” The event will feature UMaine faculty with expertise in engineering, manufacturing and social sciences.

A vibrant series of events will celebrate the arts and humanities at UMaine. Creative Collision: An Interactive Happening at UMaine’s Innovative Media Research and Commercialization (IMRC) Center will feature live music, performance and real-time art-making. Student creativity will also be on view at the Department of Art’s 2025 Student Exhibition in Lord Hall Gallery all week. 

The McGillicuddy Humanities Center will present a screening of “Courts of Belonging” followed by a conversation with the film’s director and UMaine alumnus Santiago Tijerina as a part of the center’s symposium, From Talkies to TikTok: 100 Years of Audiovisual Storytelling. 

A book launch celebration of “Piecework / Travail à la pièce,” a bilingual collection of two plays by Vermont playwright and performer Abby Paige, will feature live music and performed excerpts from the plays. The event is hosted by Franco American Programs and the University of Maine Press, which published the book.

The University of Maine’s 12th Annual Human Dimensions of Climate Change Film Series will feature a screening of  “Necessity: Oil, Water, and Climate Resistance.” The Hudson Museum will present the talk and special exhibition, “pXRF Analysis of Greater Nicoya Ceramics,” on April 9.

Art-science integration will be highlighted during the School of Biology and Ecology seminar titled “Tangled up in blue: Understanding carbon movement in trees during water stress with Jess Gersony,” by a plant physiologist, artist, educator and Smith College assistant professor Jess Gersony. 

The latest developments in how genes shape mental health will be highlighted during the seminar “Advanced AI-Based Phenotyping of the Laboratory Mouse” with Vivek Kumar, assistant professor at The Jackson Laboratory. The seminar will be held during the inaugural Maine IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Data Science Colloquium. The seminar is supported by Maine INBRE and UMaine’s Center for Biomedical Research Excellence and Institute of Medicine.

Professional development opportunities include workshops about the patent and trademark process, pursuing research and educational program funding, and how to use artificial intelligence to advance research.

Maine Impact Week is hosted annually by UMaine’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. A complete list of events with information about how to participate can be found on the Maine Impact Week website. 

Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu