The UMS Science Advisory Board, established by University of Maine System Chancellor Dan Malloy, was formed to stay fully abreast of fast-breaking scientific and medical developments in areas relevant for universities and the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccine development, diagnostic and serology testing, antiviral treatments, transmission mitigation, contact tracing, and others. The board meets with the UMS Planning Group twice a week.

The team has provided evidence-based information on the COVID-19 pandemic in briefs for the Chancellor and serves as an expert resource to the 2020 Safe Return Planning Committee to discuss science-based approaches to safely welcome students, faculty, staff and the public back to our universities. The team has also presented to the Maine Legislature and other groups, including UMaine Faculty Senate Representatives and the UMaine VPR Research Continuation Task Force.

The UMS Science Advisory Board partnered with Team Maine and Bananas to produce a new video: “COVID-19 101: The science of staying safe.” In it, SAB lead and professor Dr. Melissa Maginnis explains the science behind why we take health and safety measures, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distance, during this pandemic.

News and information

• COVID-19 Wastewater Monitoring Approaches Universal Coverage  of University of Maine System Residential Student Population for Spring Semester (January 22, 2021)
• University of Maine System Partners with Shield T3 for Universal COVID Testing (January 15, 2021)
• UMaine, UMass Amherst researchers bioengineering novel membrane to capture COVID-19 airborne droplets (July 21, 2020)
• University of Maine System on Track for Spring Return with More COVID-19 Testing (December 22, 2020)
• Chancellor Malloy Appointing Task Force on Vaccine Planning and Partnership (December 14, 2020)
• USM, Maine Law Moved to Remote Operations For Friday, Nov. 6, Coronavirus detected in USM’s Gorham campus wastewater (November 6, 2020)
• Monitoring Detects Low Levels of COVID Virus in Orono Wastewater (October 30, 2020)
• Wastewater Monitoring Confirms University COVID-19 Expectations (September 22, 2020)
• Claudia Desjardins: Hands-on lab experience benefits human health in pandemic (December 28, 2020)
• New microfluidic water purification system under development by UMaine, Harvard researchers (January 5, 2021)
• UMaine Medicine announces October events (Oct. 5, 2020)
• Melissa Maginnis co-chairs the American Society for Virology Education and Career Development Committee
• The Maine Question podcast: “What can we learn from UMS experts about coronavirus?” (June 25, 2020)
• Register to watch the BioME webinar, ‘The Science of COVID-19’ on-demand
• Maginnis an expert on upcoming BioME ‘The Science of COVID-19’ webinar (May 11, 2020)
• UMaine aids Bangor Public Health by providing vetted coronavirus research, updates (April 6, 2020)
• UMaine science and medicine updates (March 24 – July 3)

Reports and presentations

• Melissa Maginnis participated in a Northern Light Business to Business Zoom webinar, “What are the top five reasons for getting the COVID-19 vaccine?” She was joined in the session by UMaine students in microbiology Remi Geohegan and Emily McLaughlin (May 5, 2021)
• Vaccination educational webinar, offered by the UMaine Institute of Medicine, UMaine’s Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center, and Northern Light Health (April 15, 2021)
• UMS Wastewater testing fact sheet (Updated January 22, 2021)
• Evidence-based advice on disinfection and cleaning during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic (June 21, 2020)
• The Science of COVID-19 webinar (May 28, 2020)
• COVID-19 Science Advisory Board Legislature Presentation (May 21, 2020)
• ‘The Maine Question’ podcast looks at why viruses go viral (April 13, 2020)

Media citations

• Maginnis a subject expert on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (May 13, 2021)
• Press Herald reports on increased water testing for coronavirus at UMaine (January 21, 2021)
• Dagher, Maginnis leading two Maine Science Festival online forums (January 21, 2021)
• Wheeler cited in Press Herald coverage of campus wastewater testing (November 23, 2020)
• BDN interviews Wheeler about testing wastewater for COVID-19 (November 3, 2020)
• Wheeler talks with Currents for story about wastewater testing on college campuses (Sept. 30, 2020)
• Pen Bay Pilot cites Maginnis in story about UMS COVID-19 sampling (September 28, 2020)
• Wheeler talks with Maine Public about testing wastewater for COVID-19 (September 16, 2020)
• Howell talks with Business Insider about COVID-19, frozen food (September 4, 2020)
• UMaine virologist explains scientific reasoning behind community sport protocols (Sept. 4, 2020)
• Maginnis talks with WVII about COVID-19, athletics (September 4, 2020)
• Ferrini-Mundy, Maginnis quoted in media reports of expanded COVID-19 testing (August 25, 2020)
• Maginnis talks with BDN about second round of COVID-19 testing (August 12, 2020)
• News Center talks with university officials about return to campus (August 12, 2020)
• WABI reports on virtual town hall about COVID-19 testing plan (August 11, 2020)
• Howell speaks to Business Insider about membrane to capture airborne COVID-19 droplets (July 28, 2020)
• Media report on efforts to develop membrane to capture coronavirus-containing droplets (July 22, 2020)
• Maginnis quoted in BDN editorial about Maine’s COVID-19 response (July 17, 2020)
• Mainebiz previews BioME COVID-19 webinar featuring Maginnis (May 28, 2020)
• WABI, WVII interview UMaine professors, students about vetting information for Bangor Public Health (April 13, 2020)
• Maginnis talks with WVII about origins of coronavirus names (March 27, 2020)
• BDN speaks with Maginnis about how to teach kids about COVID-19 (March 19, 2020)