Irja Hepler wants to crack the code on the additive manufacturing cooling process to make 3D printing faster, stronger and more precise. The University of Maine Ph.D. student in structural engineering is developing code to improve her model that predicts how thermal stress created during 3D printing could change what is being printed. Once developed, […]
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Chyanne Yoder seeks to prevent plastic pollution at its source by piloting systems for reusable food containers in Maine coastal communities, reducing the need for single-use foodware. The Ph.D. student in anthropology and environmental policy at the University of Maine is championing this cause through the Marine Debris Project alongside her adviser, University of Maine […]
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The University of Maine announced the winners of the 2025 UMaine Student Symposium for Research and Creative Activity, a signature event that highlights student research and creative work across disciplines. Organized by the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR), the Symposium drew more than 1,500 attendees to the New Balance Field House on April 11, showcasing […]
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The University of Maine will award a record-breaking 815 advanced degrees during its May 2025 commencement, marking the largest graduating class of master’s and doctoral students in the university’s 160-year history. The historic milestone includes 706 master’s and 109 doctoral degrees, surpassing previous records set in 2022 and 2023. Among this year’s graduate students are […]
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Sara Delaney, a Ph.D. candidate in ecology and environmental sciences at the University of Maine, is fine-tuning how scientists help farmers prepare for — and thrive in — the face of uncertainty. Her work builds on more than a decade spent advancing food security around the globe, from Mali to Latin America. Now, she’s using […]
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A record number of students came to the University of Maine in pursuit of doctorates this semester. The fall 2024 cohort includes 605 doctoral students, up from 465 in 2019. In total, the Graduate School received 917 applications to its doctoral programs — up more than 200% from five years ago. The new record was […]
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The National Institutes of Health awarded University of Maine Ph.D. candidate Amanda Ignacz the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award. This nationally competitive award honors and invests in pre-doctoral students by helping them obtain research training while conducting their dissertation research. Enrolled in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering’s […]
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Two University of Maine graduate students will wield DNA technology to support research at UMaine and across the state. Julianna Silver and Esther Olabamire will help conduct lab operations at the flagship university’s Environmental DNA (eDNA) Service and DNA Sequencing Centers through paid graduate assistantships. Silver, a second year masters student in aquaculture and aquatic […]
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The University of Maine is thrilled to announce Imagine That! Tours, an exciting event set to take place on Friday, October 13, from 1 to 4 p.m., as part of UMaine’s Homecoming and Friends & Family Weekend celebrations. This event offers participants an exclusive glimpse into the groundbreaking work of graduate students across various disciplines. […]
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Community Letter from the Dean of the Graduate School It was last January when with great joy and excitement I invited you to join us for a year-long celebration of the centennial anniversary of the creation of the Graduate School at the University of Maine. Since 1923 the Graduate School has been at the forefront […]
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Community Letter from the Dean of the Graduate School With great joy and excitement, I would like to invite you to join us for a year-long celebration of the centennial anniversary of the creation of the Graduate School at the University of Maine. The university has granted graduate degrees since 1881, when the first […]
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Story updated January 10, 2023 The University of Maine’s graduate enrollment has consistently increased over the past few years. Of the 2,457 graduate students enrolled this fall, 554 are in doctoral programs, a record high for UMaine. This is the third consecutive year that UMaine has established a new mark for doctoral enrollment. In addition […]
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In spite of the continuing pandemic, the University of Maine’s graduate enrollment has consistently increased over the past few years, setting records in the 2020-21 academic year, and then breaking those records this fall term. A total of 2,542 graduate students were enrolled in classes for the 2021 fall semester, surpassing the previous record enrollment […]
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Dear Colleagues, While fiscal year 2021 will be marked by COVID-19 and the considerable challenges that come with a global pandemic, it will also be marked by the great accomplishments and the inspiring collaborations, teamwork, and resilience that have taken place at the University of Maine. As Maine’s research university, its research impacts all areas […]
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Camden Bock is a Ph.D. candidate in the STEM Education program at the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development. Bock looks at how technologies, like virtual reality, can be used to analyze three-dimensional objects and researches how these technologies can be used to help students understand three-dimensional mathematical objects in three-dimensional space. […]
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Examining history can reveal some of the same problems faced today, along with how to cope with them. On the northern coast of Peru, a hot spot for El Niño events, Andean indigenous groups adapted for thousands of years through methods like cycling farming to higher ground. Some of these agricultural methods were previously revealed […]
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Tom Kiffney is a marine science Ph.D. student based at the Darling Marine Center. His Maine Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) project focuses on how to help potential aquaculturists choose the best site for their farm. The goal is to reduce the site selection risk for oyster and other shellfish farmers by using high-resolution satellite products […]
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Duwage Charitha Perera is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Chemistry. Her key research interest is to study the catalytic behavior of small metal clusters using density functional theory or DFT. She is originally from Sri Lanka. Most graduate students embark on a single research project, but Perera decided to finish the work she […]
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For the first time in its history, the University of Maine graduate student enrollment has exceeded 2400 students following a record-breaking year of admissions. Scott Delcourt, Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies, noted that “spring enrollment is usually about 10% less than the previous fall’s enrollment, so to set an all-time high graduate enrollment in […]
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UMaine researchers contributed to a March 2020 article that studies the effects of chemicals found in drinking water – and how the combination of certain chemicals could be the cause of a mysterious, chronic kidney disease impacting millions of people around the world. Assistant Professor of Environmental Physiology, Nishad Jayasundara, and doctoral candidate Remy Babich, […]
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The University of Maine Graduate School reports its highest enrollment numbers since 2010. In 2020, the total number of graduate students enrolled is 2,276 with a doctoral headcount of 517 – the first time doctoral enrollment has ever exceeded 500, and tops the previous high mark of 463 in 2012. “Graduate students contribute significantly to […]
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Dr. Susan L. Smith assumed the duties of director of the MA and MFA programs in intermedia effective September 1, 2020. Susan takes over leadership of the program from Dr. Owen Smith, the founding director of the intermedia program, which began admitting graduate students in 2008. Susan has a long record of involvement with the […]
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The Office of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, in collaboration with other offices at the University of Maine, continues to monitor COVID-19 developments that may impact research and graduate studies. We are available to assist the university community with information and support. As needed, we also are available to […]
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Gabrielle Hillyer, a Master’s student in oceanography and marine policy, is putting her marine science education into practice by researching water quality issues within the Gulf of Maine in the hopes to improve the solvency of the soft-shell clamming industry. Hillyer studies the impact of bacteria in mudflats on the Medomak River in Waldoboro, Maine […]
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The Advanced Structures and Composites Center celebrates historic event: Unveiling the world’s largest 3D printer and 3D printed boat “This is a big deal,” said Sen. Angus King at the Oct. 10 unveiling of the world’s largest 3D printer at the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center (UMaine Composites Center). Big, indeed. In […]
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A unique traineeship program designed to produce interdisciplinary environmental conservation leaders now offers Master’s and Ph.D. degree opportunities to address the challenges presented by global and local changes in environmental, social, economic and climatic conditions. The National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) Program has awarded the University of Maine “NRT: Enhancing Conservation Science and Practice” […]
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Some people consider themselves to be a numbers person, more than a creative type. Others feel drawn to the artistic side of life more than the analytical. Since the 1960s, when Nobel-prize winning research painted a picture of a human brain split straight down the middle – it is believed that humans are either right […]
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Maine’s idyllic landscape, rugged coastline and abundance of wildlife attract visitors each year to its natural parks. However, experts predict an increase in the number of ticks infected with Lyme disease due to climate change – which threatens to expose more people to the disease and cause some visitors to opt for alternative destinations. Which […]
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The University of Maine has received a five-year, $1.07 million Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) from the National Institutes of Health. This funding is the first of its kind to be awarded in the state of Maine from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. According to the NIH, the T32 program supports broad and […]
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Dr. George Bernhardt of the CORE Microfabrication Cleanroom showcases cutting-edge sensor research and technologies being developed by UMaine researchers and students. The CORE Cleanroom provides unique, hands-on training opportunities for students entering careers in STEM fields. FIRST Cleanroom Video Transcript Coordinated Operating Research Entities (CORE) A tour of UMaine’s CORE Microfabrication Cleanroom FIRST Lab – […]
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University of Maine System Chancellor James Page and President Joan Ferrini-Mundy discuss how UMaine research and development have evolved during his seven-year tenure. The Chancellor, who will retire June 30, and the President share their perspectives on the impact of research and development on the future of the University of Maine, the state, and beyond. […]
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Nestled on the Peruvian coast, the Ostra Collecting Station (OCS) is part of a complex of archeological sites that provide an amazing glimpse into the lives of the people who lived there approximately 6,000 years ago. OCS is cradled between the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range. Odd shells and fish […]
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Interdisciplinary multi-institution research collaboration, stakeholder engagement through Western Passage project The Western Passage – located between Eastport, Maine and Canada – is a highly turbulent, biologically active, and socially relevant ecosystem in Eastern Maine considered one of the best locations for tidal power nationwide. Kristina Cammen, assistant professor of marine mammal science, works alongside a […]
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Seaweed food products are trending – but do consumers know what they are buying? Search “eating seaweed” on Google and you’ll get pages of headlines promoting health benefits of consuming the ocean-dwelling algae. “Packed full of vitamins!” “Low in fat and full of fiber!” “Seaweed is a superfood!” In its raw state, seaweed does, in […]
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Alumni Spotlight: Brianna Hughes “How much can you really do with a cranberry?” University of Maine alumna Brianna Hughes answers this question every day as an Innovation R&D Manager for Ocean Spray Cranberries. Finding ways to develop new products from cranberries could be daunting – but it’s a fun challenge for Hughes, who earned her […]
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Graduate Student Spotlight: Gabrielle Hillyer, Diana Davis Spencer Scholar Gabrielle Hillyer is a duel-degree major in oceanography and marine policy. With support from the UMS Research Reinvestment Fund she has focused her research on the Medomak river estuary and its multiple impacts on local clamming. Her innovative research aims to understand the ability of the […]
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Eric Roy graduated from UMaine in 2009 with a Ph.D. in oceanography. Roy is the founder of Hydroviv, a company that makes custom water filters. He recently appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank to pitch his product to the sharks — and won a $400,000 investment from Mark Cuban. Season 10, Episode 19: “Hydroviv is a Washington, […]
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Judy Walker travels to a lot of places during a typical day: several spots in Maine, Canada and even Fiji. All without leaving her lab. Walker is an associate professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders and coordinator of the University of Maine Speech Therapy Telepractice Program. She oversees services provided by students and faculty to […]
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“An 80,000 word Ph.D. thesis would take 9 hours to present. Their time limit… 3 minutes.” Graduate students at the University of Maine competed in the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) event on March 25. Participants follow guidelines set by the University of Queensland, the founders of the competition. The rules are simple: present research […]
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International students at the University of Maine add diversity and enrich the learning experience for all students. They come from a multitude of backgrounds and are some of the best resources in campus to understand a foreign land and its culture. International researchers also richly contribute towards the growing global impact of UMaine research. Anwesha […]
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Neuropathy research leads to cutting-edge medical device development Neuropathy (or the dying-back of nerve fibers) affects roughly 20 million people in the United States. Unfortunately, most people do not realize they have the disease until they experience symptoms such as pain, numbness and loss of limb control. In many cases, amputation can result. Current methods […]
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Putting heart into cardiac research Jonathan Bomar joined the University of Maine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (GSBSE) in the fall of 2014 after earning undergraduate degrees in geological sciences and psychology at Michigan State University. From Geological Sciences to Psychology to Biomedical Engineering – it’s safe to say Bomar’s curiosity is vast and diverse. […]
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Nicklaus Carter has a lot of experience with tubes and pipes from his days working in construction. Now, he creates a different kind of pipe – a nanocellulose conduit – for use in the medical field. Carter, from Franklin, Maine, is a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering. His love […]
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James Elliott, a second-year Master of Science student in the School of Forest Resources from Danvers, Massachusetts, enjoys scuba-diving and collecting insects in his free time. “It’s like Pokémon but real,” said Elliott, who worked in the biotech industry before coming to UMaine. Elliott enjoys getting out of his comfort zone. When he had the […]
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Ken Akiha researched effective teaching styles for his thesis work at the University of Maine to determine how teachers engage their students for entire class periods. Now, as an Earth science and computer science teacher at Old Town High School, he can apply his findings to his own teaching style. Akiha’s research had an important […]
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Courtney Angelosante prepares Education majors with virtual classrooms and a wealth of expertise Stepping into a classroom to teach for the first time can be exciting and overwhelming. Education majors at the University of Maine have the unique opportunity to practice teaching in a lab space that provides the ability to pause and receive instant […]
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Robert Boenish believes now is the time for fisheries and marine conservation efforts to become more sophisticated – and his research work at the University of Maine will contribute to the future of how we interact with the ocean. Growing up on a small island off the coast of Washington state, Boenish says his marine-related interests […]
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