Office of the President

Joan Ferrini-Mundy is the 21st president of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, and the vice chancellor for research and innovation for the University of Maine System. 

Since she became president in 2018, Dr. Ferrini-Mundy has worked to position UMaine as a learner-centered R1 university and a key driver in advancing Maine’s workforce and economy. In early 2022 and again in 2025, she supported UMaine’s designation as an R1 Carnegie Classification research university, joining the ranks of the nation’s top universities engaged in high levels of impactful research. Since 2024, she has spearheaded the Strategic Reenvisioning initiative to align academic programs, research, and community engagement to meet the future needs of UMaine’s students and redefine the university’s role as the R&D department of the state of Maine. 

Dr. Ferrini-Mundy is an active leader nationally and in Maine. At the national level, she serves as a member of the National Science Board and the Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics (TPSE) board and previously chaired the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Board of Directors and the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences. In Maine, she is a member of the Maine Innovation Economy Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Strategic Work Team of the Maine Economic Development Strategy, as well as serving on the boards of Maine & Co., and Maine Public. 

In Spring 2025, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) named Dr. Ferrini-Mundy the recipient of its 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition of her exceptional contributions to education research and public policy. Dr. Ferrini-Mundy is also co-PI of a transformative and historic $320 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to improve student experiences and educational opportunities of the people of Maine and beyond.