RRF Seed Grant Awards

Development and Application of 3D Printing for the Manufacture of Boat Parts

PI: James Anderson, UM Advance Structures and Composites Center Collaborators: Douglas Gardner UM School of Forest Resources, Hinckley Yachts, and Back Cove Yachts. A disproportionate amount of the cost of building a boat goes to the dozens of smaller parts, such as doors, hatches, and ducts. Each piece requires one or two molds and a […]

Read more

Transforming diploid potato breeding by enhancing potato haploid induction

PI: Ek Han Tan, UMaine School of Biology and Ecology Collaborators: Gregory Porter, UM School of Food and Agriculture and Kathy Haynes, US Department of Agriculture Adopting a new, commercially viable variety of potato requires a complicated process that can take as long as two decades. Considering a rapidly changing climate, Dr. Tan feels that […]

Read more

Nutrient Removal from Recirculating Aquaculture System Water

PI: Jean MacRae, UMaine Civil and Environmental Engineering Collaborators: Deborah Bouchard UM Aquaculture Research Institute, Hunter Swisher, Phospholutions, LLC, and David Noyes, Nordic Aquafarms. This project aims to establish a collaboration with the Aquaculture Research Institute, Phospholutions, and Nordic Aquafarms to build a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Maine. The RAS will improve biosecurity and […]

Read more

A Platform Using a New Cyber Physical System and UAV to Detect Temporal and Spatial Variation for Precision Agriculture

PI: Yongjiang Zhang, UMaine School of Biology and Ecology Collaborators: Hongzhi Guo, University of Southern Maine, Matthew Wallhead UMaine School of Food and Agriculture; Jasper Wyman & Son, Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, and Cherryfield Foods Inc. This project proposes the development of a platform that will allow farmers to use their resources more efficiently. […]

Read more

Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Practicum Intensive Week Pilot

PI: Judith Clukey, University of Maine at Augusta Collaborators:  Leigh Belair, University of Maine at Presque Isle; MaineGeneral Medical Center, Nordx Labs, ALI Labs, Pen Bay Medical Center, Waldo General Hospital, Central Maine Medical Center, Southern Maine Medical Center This project proposes using RRF funds for the Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) of Maine program, which […]

Read more

Local Transportation Decisions for a Resilient Future

PI: Martha Sheils (New England Environmental Finance Center, USM) Sector: Climate Science, Policy Partners: MaineDOT, GEI Consultants Inc. Abstract: It is a challenge for Maine’s municipalities to respond to long-term impacts of sea level rise and increased precipitation that threaten their economic viability. This pilot project develops a technical assistance process to help municipalities make […]

Read more

Predicting bad eggs: developing a high throughput respirometry system to portend growth, hatching, and survival rates of fish embryos for the aquaculture industry.

PI: Nishad Jayasundara (Marine Sciences, UMaine) Sector: Aquaculture Partners: Cooke Aquaculture, Center for Corporate Aquaculture Research Abstract: Aquaculture is a multibillion-dollar global industry that is valued at ~$130 million dollars in Maine. Atlantic salmon farming is the highest valued (over $50 million) finfish aquaculture in the State. Maine salmon is a major contributor to the […]

Read more

Gaming Application for Multimodal Skill Acquisition (GAMSA): Improving Navigation and Independence for Blind and Visually Impaired People

PI: Nicholas Giudice (Vemi Laboratory, UMaine) Sector: Healthcare Technology, It, Computer Science Partners: Iris Network Abstract: One of the biggest challenges to educational, vocational, and social success for blind and visually impaired individuals is the inadequacy of current tools for teaching travel skills and technologies supporting independent navigation. This problem impacts the 30,000 people in […]

Read more

Development Toward Commercialization of a Rapid Test for Beverage Spoilage Yeasts

PI: Laurie Connell (Marine Sciences, UMaine) Sector: Food Science Partners: Beacon Analytical Systems, Constellation Consortium Abstract: Our handheld, point-of-use instrument will provide the only near-instantaneous solution to detect certain environmental microbes from complex matrices with minimal sample preparation. The system is based on prior-art developed at UMaine funded through Federal, State, and Private sources. We […]

Read more