Faculty and Research Staff

Associate Professor Sean Smith leaning on a large rock beside a stream

Sean Smith

Director – Darling Marine Center
Associate Professor – School of Earth and Climate Sciences
Faculty Affiliate – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
sean.m.smith@maine.edu
207.581.2198
About Sean

Assistant Professor Lauren Ross in her office

Lauren Ross

Associate Professor – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
lauren.ross1@maine.edu
207.581.2088
About Lauren

Nyxen Fisher

Lab Manager and Instructor – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
nyxen.r.fisher@maine.edu
207.581.4406
About Nyxen

Head shot of Bea Van Dam with the mouth of the Jordan River estuary in the background

Bea Van Dam

Postdoctoral Research Associate – School of Earth and Climate Sciences
bea.vandam@maine.edu
About Bea

Graduate Students

Elias Pinilla

Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
elias.pinilla@maine.edu

Cristian Rojas

Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
cristian.rojas@maine.edu

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Lara Luczak

Sophomore – School of Earth and Climate Sciences
lara.luczak@maine.edu

Madeline Gavin

Junior – Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program
madeline.gavin@maine.edu

Special Project Assistants

David Libby

david.libby1@maine.edu

George Swenson

george.swenson@maine.edu

Affiliated Faculty

Onur Apul

Onur Apul

Assistant Professor – Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Onur.Apul@maine.edu
College of Engineering

Sean Birkel

Research Assistant Professor – Climate Change Institute
birkel@maine.edu
More about Sean

Head shot of Bridie McGreavy

Bridie McGreavy

Associate Professor – Communication & Journalism; Faculty Fellow – Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
bridie.mcgreavy@maine.edu
More about Bridie

Samuel Roy

Supervisory Physical Scientist, USGS New England Water Science Center; Adjunct UMaine Research Faculty
More about Sam

Neil Thompson

Irving Woodlands Forestry Associate Professor – University of Maine Fort Kent
neil.thompson@maine.edu
Thompson Bio [external link]

Joseph Zydlewski

Professor, School of Marine Sciences
josephz@maine.edu
Zydlewski Bio

WPES Alumni

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

  • Taylor Bailey Spencer – 2025 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Bea Van Dam – 2023 – School of Earth and Climate Sciences
  • Sohaib Alahmed – 2021 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Brett Gerard – 2018 – School of Earth and Climate Sciences

Master of Science (M.S.)

  • Grace Johnson – 2024 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Taylor Bailey Spencer – 2020 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

  • David Libby – 2025 – School of Earth and Climate Sciences
  • Izaak Krause – 2025 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Angie Casella – 2023 – Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program
  • Hayden Libby – 2023 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Hanna Cronin – 2022 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Maeve Dineen – 2022 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Cade King – 2022 – Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program
  • Morgan Oehler – 2022 – Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Samuel Roberts – 2022 – Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program
  • Jeremy Braun – 2021 – School of Earth and Climate Sciences