Principal Investigator: Heather Leslie (Marine Sciences, UMaine) Partners: Jake Ward (Economic Development, UMaine) Abstract: Researchers, industry professionals, and other stakeholders will meet to assess current and future needs for shoreline infrastructure at the Darling Marine Center (DMC), within the context of the University of Maine (UMS) system. As University of Maine’s marine laboratory, the DMC is a vital […]

Principal Investigator: Paul Rawson (Marine Sciences, UMaine) Partners: Carrie Byron (Marine Science, University of New England); Chris Davis (Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center) Abstract: Maine’s oyster culture industry has grown substantially since its inception four decades ago. Continued growth of the industry will rely on increasing the efficiency of production through improved and more uniform growth of […]

Principal Investigator: James Weber (Food and Agriculture, UMaine) Partners: Ian Dickey (Eastern Maine Medical Center); David Neivandt (Chemisty & Biological Engineering, UMaine); Anne Lichtenwalner (Food and Agriculture, UMaine) Abstract: This project will complete a controlled in vivo study of University of Maine-designed medical implants in a porcine model of skin healing. If successful, the proposed study would […]

Principal Investigator: Ian Bricknell (Marine Sciences/ARI, UMaine) Partners: Deborah Bouchard (Cooperative Extension/ARI, UMaine); William Wolters (USDA National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center/NCWMA); Leighanne Hawkins (Cooke Aquaculture) Abstract: This project will investigate a novel approach to mitigating superchill in cultured Atlantic salmon. Superchill is a physiological collapse in salmon occurring during periods of extremely cold weather in Maine’s […]

Principal Investigator: Andrei Alyokhin (Biology and Ecology, UMaine) Partners: Tap Pryor (Acadia Harvest, Inc.); Michael Peterson (Mechanical Engineering, UMaine); Edward Bernard (Molecular & Biomedical Sciences, UMaine) Abstract: Maine’s aquaculture industry is the largest in the U.S. and is growing rapidly. However, it currently relies on aquafeeds made with fish meal and fish oil from wild-caught small fishes, […]

Principal Investigator: Peter Van Walsum (Chemical & Biological Engineering/FBRI, UMaine) Partners: Balunkeswar Nayak (Food Science and Nutrition, UMaine); John Belding (Advanced Manufacturing Center, UMaine); Daniel Martinez (Environmental Science, USM) Abstract: Seaweed aquaculture is a global activity with an annual worth of $5.65 billion. We propose to investigate Energy Recovery DeHumidification (ERDH) as a highly energy efficient means […]

Principal Investigator: Heather Hamlin (SMS/ARI, UMaine) Partners: Deborah Bouchard (Cooperative Extension/ARI, UMaine); Jean McRae (Civil & Environmental Engineering, UMaine); Benjamin King (Regenerative Biology, MDI Biological Laboratory) Abstract: Marine invertebrates, such as lobster, support valuable commercial fisheries in Maine valued at nearly $457 million in landings, and have a 3x to 5x multiplier on the total dollar […]

Principal Investigator: Mehdi Tajvidi (Forest Resources, UMaine) Partners: Douglas Bousfield (Chemical and Biological Engineering, UMaine); John Hunt (Forest Products Laboratory, USDA) Abstract: This project involves a collaboration between several UMaine units and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory on the production of a novel fire-resistant fiberboard building material that can be sourced solely from deadwood and other wood […]

Principal Investigator: Laurie Connell (Marine Sciences, UMaine) Partners: Rosemary Smith (Electrical Engineering, UMaine); Jason Perkins (Allagash Brewing) Abstract: The goal of this project is to develop a new handheld instrument, called the InstaProbe, which will provide the only near-instantaneous solution to detect certain environmental microbes from a complex matrix with minimal sample preparation. The proposed instrument is […]

Principal Investigator: Douglas Gardner (ASCC, UMaine) Partners: Yousoo Han (Advanced Structures and Composites Center, UMaine); Steve Ruell (Innovasea); Duncan Mayes (Stora Enso) Abstract: The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the potential of a structural wood plastic composite material (WPC) technology for use in marine applications; more specifically, its application in fish cage pens. Aquaculture […]

Principal Investigator: Frank Drummond (Biology and Ecology, UMaine) Partners: Scott Dobrin (Biology, UMPI); Ron Butler (Biology, UMFA); Joseph Staples (Environmental Sciences, USM); Christopher Lage (Biology, UMA) Abstract: The goal of this project is to investigate the ‘health’ of Maine bumble bees in light of their critical importance to Maine commercial businesses. Since 2006, global concern has emerged […]

Principal Investigator: Parinaz Rahimzadeh (Forest Resource, UMaine) Partners: Aaron Weiskittel (UMaine), Peter Nelson (UMFK), David Maclean (University of New Brunswick), Daniel Kneeshaw (University of Quebec) Abstract: This research is on developing a practical, rapid, and cost effective method to detect annual spruce budworm (SBW) defoliation in Maine at a broad spatial scale using advanced technologies in […]

Principal Investigator: Carl Tripp (Chemistry, UMaine) Partners: Joshua Henry (Maine Maritime Academy), Robert Lad (UMaine) Abstract: Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have attracted much interest because of their potential for converting waste heat from power sources to useful electricity. This technology is especially important for Maine’s future marine industries, where energy recovery from on-board ship engine heat will […]

Principal Investigator: Erin Simons-Legaard (Forest Resource, UMaine) Partners: Kasey Legaard (UMaine), Aaron Weiskittel (UMaine), Dave Struble (Maine Forest Service), Ryan Hanavan (US Forest Service) Abstract: An intense outbreak of eastern spruce budworm expanding south from Quebec is without question a leading threat to Maine’s forest economy. We propose to develop a web-based resource mapping system to support […]

Principal Investigator: Rosemary Smith (Electrical Engineering, UMaine) Partners: Scott D. Collins (UMaine), Douglas Sawyer (MMC/MMCRI) Abstract: Each year, nearly one million Americans have a heart attack (myocardial infarction, MI). Patient outcomes are highly variable, but all suffer some loss of cardiac function due to permanent tissue damage. This seed project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the University […]

Principal Investigator: Rick Wahle (Marine Science, UMaine) Partners: Brian Beal (UMM), Damian Brady (UMaine), Burton Shank (NOAA/NMFS) Abstract: The goal of this proposal is to enhance and broaden the impact of the American Lobster Settlement Index (ALSI) as a stock assessment and forecasting tool for the US Northeast lobster fishery, the largest economic, and most geographically […]

Principal Investigator: Thomas Abbott (UMA) Partners: Col. Daniel M. Leclair (Civil Air Patrol, Northeast Region), J. Gregory Jolda (UMA) Abstract: This project will be the first step in establishing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) training and education center at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA). Furthermore, the larger goal of this project is to demonstrate that […]

Principal Investigator: Caitlin Howell (Chemical Engineering, UMaine) Partners: Philseok Kim (SLIPS Tech, Inc) Abstract: Durable fouling-resistant materials are highly sought after as solutions to a wide range of problems in both medicine and industry. We propose to apply a new bio-inspired approach utilizing immobilized liquid layers. We will develop and validate rapid, low-cost, and easily adaptable methods […]

Principal Investigator: Harlan Onsrud (Computing & Info Science, UMaine) Partners: Susan McKay (UMaine), Constance Holden (UMA), Richard Corey (UMaine), Torsten Hahmann (UMaine), Reinhard Moratz (UMaine), Silvia Nittel (UMaine), Michael Scott (UMaine), Roy Turner (UMaine); computing faculty from other UMS campuses to be invited. Abstract: The bulk of STEM jobs in the U.S. are in computing and this […]

Principal Investigator: Michelle Smith (Biology & Ecology, UMaine) Partners: Mindi Summers (UMaine), Eric Jones (UMM), Jason Johnston (UMPI), Joseph Staples (USM), Judith Ladd Roe (UMPI), Karen Pelletreau (UMaine), Kim Borges (UMFK), Larry Feinstein (UMPI), Lisa Moore (USM), Nancy Prentiss (UMF), Peter Nelson (UMFK), Sandra Haggard (UMA), Sherrie Sprangers (UMM), Theresa Theodose (USM), Charles Wray (The Jackson Laboratory), […]

Principal Investigator: Willhelm Friess (Mechanical Engineering, UMaine) Partners: Michael Davis (USM), Shari Templeton (UMA), Luke Shorty (Maine School for Science & Mathematics), Mohamad Musavi (UMaine), Craig Mason (UMaine), Betsy Webb (Bangor School Dept.), Shari Templeton (ME Dept. of Ed), Tony Paine (Kepware Technologies) Abstract: The vast majority of all jobs are created by the STEM-trained, and most […]