The Maine Question

There are about 3,500 students living on the University of Maine campus, many of whom have spent much of their high school or early college years learning remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the transition to in-person learning and socializing has been daunting to some first-year and returning students. In recent years, […]

For 10 years, the McGillicuddy Humanities Center has bolstered student and faculty creative works and research in history, geography, language, social sciences and the arts. It funds and supports fellowships, lectures, symposia, panels, performances and exhibitions. In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Center director Beth Wiemann, discusses her team’s work and the benefits […]

In recent years, communities across Maine and the U.S. have discovered the presence of toxic chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in their land and water. Also known as forever chemicals because they are difficult to destroy, PFAS have been incorporated in various products, including food containers, clothing, rugs, teflon pans, fabrics and […]

Daniel Sandweiss’s archaelogy career doesn’t mirror depictions of those in movies like “Indiana Jones,” but for him, it’s been equally as exciting. Over the years, Sandweiss, a University of Maine professor in the Anthropology Department and Climate Change Institute, has uncovered extensive evidence into how ancient civilization dealt with natural disasters, such as climate change, […]

Dana Humphrey has hung up his hard hat after 36 years of serving the University of Maine as a faculty member and dean of the College of Engineering. During his tenure, the college has undergone tremendous growth, most recently with the opening of the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center on Aug. 24. The $78 […]

The average school day today looks different than in years past. K–12 educators face a myriad of challenges this year, including teacher and other staffing shortages, distance learning, the politicization of curricula, calls for book bans and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.    In the first episode of Season 7 of “The Maine Question,” we […]

Innovation fuels entrepreneurship in Maine. In recent years, several small business startups with novel ideas for products have created and sold them at a global scale. For more than a decade, the University of Maine Foster Center for Innovation has collaborated with students, faculty, staff, startups and established organizations, and offered courses and other resources […]

Allen and Sally Fernald of Camden, Maine have long been advocates for the University of Maine. Since graduating in 1954 and 1955, the owners and publishers of Down East Magazine have donated to various capital campaigns, sponsored art galleries and poetry readings, and led alumni groups and fundraising drives. In this week’s episode of “The […]

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Maine will require a broader adoption of electric vehicles, according to University of Maine economist Jonathan Rubin. Officials from the Maine Department of Transportation and other state agencies have a role to play in fueling the transition away from gas-powered cars and trucks. To guide them, Rubin, professor of economics […]

In 2018, Joan Ferrini-Mundy became the 21st president of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. In 2021, she was appointed vice chancellor for research and innovation for the University of Maine System. Among her many leadership initiatives: the appointment of the President’s Council on Diversity Equity and […]