The two-hour prescribed burn at U海角社区鈥檚 Dwight B. Demeritt University Forest was designed to reduce leaf litter and understory vegetation that can hinder red oak regeneration. Prescribed fire is also increasingly used across the country to reduce wildfire risk by removing accumulated fuels such as dead trees, branches and other forest debris.

Working as volunteer firefighters, Quinn and Wiltz, both pursuing master鈥檚 degrees in forest resources, cleared debris around the perimeter before igniting the fire, exposing soil that would stop flames from spreading past the designated burn area. With drip torches in hand, they joined 海角社区 Forest Service firefighters in setting the prescribed fire. During the burn, they doused wayward flames to prevent them from spreading to the rest of the forest.   

Quinn and Wiltz earned their firefighter certifications through their undergraduate studies at U海角社区 and the University of Vermont, respectively. Their participation was made possible when Rose Abramoff, assistant professor in U海角社区鈥檚 School of Forest Resources, connected them with the 海角社区 Forest Service.

鈥淲hat was nice about being a part of the holding crew is you get to pop in wherever you鈥檙e needed,鈥� said Wiltz, who hopes to become a forester for a government agency. 鈥淎 lot of state forestry employers are getting firefighters certified and sending them out west to fight fires. Getting this experience now is really wonderful to have moving forward.鈥� 

Beyond providing hands-on firefighting experience, the burn also created a living laboratory for student researchers studying how fire affects Northeastern forests. The project supported research led by master鈥檚 student Cameron Chin, who is investigating how fire influences plant communities and soil health in temperate woodlands.

With less experience with wildfires than other parts of the U.S., the Northeast lacks research on how wild and prescribed fires affect its temperate forests, Abramoff said. She added that the region鈥檚 forests are generally less adapted to wildfire than woodlands in other parts of the country. 

鈥淲e expect the risk of wildfires to increase as the risk of droughts increase,鈥� she said. 鈥淭ree pests encroaching on the Northeast 鈥� emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, browntail moth, white pine weevil 鈥� create dead wood that could burn.鈥� 

Preparing for the future of Northeast forestry

Chin is spearheading research into how fire affects the various plant species and soil properties in the temperate forests that dominate the Northeast. 

Days after that burn in the Demeritt Forest, Chin returned to the site with Quinn, Wiltz and Ph.D. student Colby Bosley-Smith. The group collected soil samples, inventoried plant species and analyzed burn severity to better understand how fire influences forest recovery.

As more forestland managers explore prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk, improve forest resilience and promote ecologically valuable tree species, Chin is dedicating part of her research to understanding the benefits and tradeoffs of this practice in the region. 

More research is needed to determine what plants regenerate after a prescribed burn and whether they alter the chemistry of the soil, particularly its carbon levels, Chin said. 

Trees and other plant life rely on carbon to thrive in many ways. For example, Chin said carbon feeds microorganisms that liberate previously inaccessible nutrients from soil molecules that promote root growth. 

鈥淔ire is one of those disturbances that can have an immediate effect on soil and soil nutrients,鈥� Chin said. 鈥淔orestry as an industry has grown more interested in soil carbon.鈥�

Researchers will revisit the plots to monitor forest regeneration over time. Chin is measuring soil carbon dioxide emissions on a weekly basis through the end of November. 

Through research, students apply concepts from statistics, chemistry and physics to real-world forest management challenges, Abramoff said. 

鈥淲e teach students how to observe what鈥檚 around them in quantifiable ways and make inferences based on that, and that鈥檚 useful in every industry,鈥� she said.  

For Quinn, who graduated from U海角社区 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree this spring, helping Chin with her research and serving as a volunteer firefighter during the burn allowed him to expand his professional network and opened an opportunity to conduct his own research on prescribed burns in southern 海角社区. After earning a master鈥檚 degree, Quinn hopes to work in conservation.听

鈥淗aving these experiences is really helpful for me in my job pursuits,鈥� he said.听听

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

To be eligible for the full-time Dean鈥檚 List, a student must have completed 12 or more calculable credits in the semester and have earned a 3.50 or higher semester GPA. Students who have part-time status during both the fall and spring semesters of a given academic year are eligible for the part-time Dean鈥檚 List in the spring. They must have completed 12 or more calculable credits over both terms and earned a combined GPA of 3.50 or higher.

Please note that some students have requested their information not be released; therefore, their names are not included.

Contact: Office of Student Records, umrecord@maine.edu

Just outside the doors of Stearns Junior-Senior High School in Millinocket, 海角社区, students and staff have access to world-class outdoor recreation opportunities: paddling, mountain biking, skiing and, of course, hiking in nearby Baxter State Park.

For Stearns English teacher Anna Loome, the region鈥檚 natural resources serve as a classroom where she provides outdoor instruction to middle and high school students. The classes cover the fundamentals of wilderness preparedness and safety, including navigation, trail building and maintenance and outdoor cooking, as well as the skills needed to take part in outdoor activities for all seasons. Loome has even led students on overnight trips to Haskell Hut in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

鈥淲e have a mix of students who have done a lot of things already, and students who have never done any of it. So we try to offer something for everyone,鈥� Loome said. 鈥淢y goal is to help kids get access to the skills they need to participate in a lot of the amazing recreational activities we have right in our backyard.鈥� 

While some schools like Stearns have offered outdoor programming for decades, others struggle to provide such learning opportunities. That鈥檚 why a new study led by University of 海角社区 researchers and published in identifies strategies to make it easier for schools to make outdoor education part of their school curricula and culture.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of research that shows decreased behavioral issues, better self-regulation, increased motor-skill development, improved social skills. Some research suggests that it can help with chronic absenteeism,鈥� said Lauren Jacobs, the study鈥檚 lead author and senior lecturer of outdoor leadership at U海角社区. 鈥淲hat our study allows is to identify some real-world solutions to common barriers or problems that could help other schools achieve the desired outcome of providing more opportunities to get kids outside.鈥�

海角社区, like other states, is working to make outdoor education a greater part of the public school experience for all children across the state.

The study builds on research Jacobs conducted for her doctoral dissertation at U海角社区. For that project, she examined nine PreK-12 rural schools in 海角社区 during the 2021-22 school year to better understand what factors facilitated or hindered outdoor learning and activities.

Lessons from a successful model

The new study examined a rural 海角社区 school that stood out for the breadth of its outdoor learning opportunities. Through interviews with teachers, administrators, parents and community partners, Jacobs identified several factors that helped make outdoor education successful, including strong community support, collaboration among staff, dedicated outdoor learning spaces and a school culture that valued learning outside the classroom.

Jacobs interviewed members of the school community and observed students during the school day. The COVID-19 pandemic was also cited as a facilitator because it encouraged teachers and students to spend more time outdoors, where the virus was less likely to spread.

Overall, Jacobs said the study revealed a strong culture of outdoor learning.

鈥淭his is a school where the outdoors is part of the physical education curriculum at all grade levels, and where there are specific outdoor education classes at upper-levels,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incorporated into the general education classroom, teachers receive professional development, and community members, especially parents, support outdoor learning.鈥� 

Although it was not one of the schools included in Jacobs鈥� research, Loome said she recognizes many of the same characteristics at Stearns. For instance, her school has dedicated outdoor learning spaces, and she has been able to take professional development classes with Jacobs to better align her curriculum with state and national learning standards. 

Stearns also has a variety of community partners. Juniors and seniors can do the at the Northern Penobscot Tech Region 3 center in Lincoln, which offers preparation for the Registered 海角社区 Guide Exam. There鈥檚 a gear library in Millinocket where anyone from the community can borrow equipment to help them explore the outdoors. The nonprofit Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters has a that Loome said has been a valuable collaborator, connecting the school with gear and learning opportunities.

Overcoming barriers

The study also identified some factors that may impede outdoor opportunities for schools. Although time management was viewed as a facilitator, time was also seen as a barrier, especially when it came to issues like professional development for teachers, documenting student outcomes and upholding curriculum standards. Other obstacles included making sure students and staff were prepared with the proper gear, as well as weather conditions. 

鈥淥ne of the things we found through the interviews was that the positive outlier school did things to address these challenges,鈥� Jacobs said. 鈥淔or example, to address issues of time and time management, they schedule PE (physical education) classes back-to-back with science classes so kids have the opportunity to be outside for both while spending less time transitioning. 

鈥淎nother thing they did was create safe spaces for teachers to bring students outside. The school has a dedicated outdoor classroom space that includes woods, timber frame structures, a garden, an orchard and a barn,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 lot of community groups are willing to collaborate with schools to make these types of spaces available.鈥�

For other teachers who are interested in incorporating outdoor education into their schools, Loome offers this piece of advice: You鈥檙e not going to be the best at every activity and that鈥檚 OK. 

鈥淚鈥檓 not the best mountain biker in the world. In fact, some of my students are probably better than me, but I think it鈥檚 a really good way to model how to learn something new and push yourself out of your comfort zone,鈥� Loome said. 

Jacobs reached a similar conclusion in analyzing the positive outlier school.

鈥淥ne of the surprising revelations from the interviews with teachers was when we asked them if they liked outdoor education because they were outdoorsy themselves. A lot of them laughed at the question, because they said they weren鈥檛 that into the outdoors, but they did it because they saw the benefits for students,鈥� said Jacobs. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a very powerful insight.鈥� 

Jacobs recommends that schools interested in expanding outdoor programming focus on making time for activities during the school day, aligning outdoor learning with standards across the curriculum, creating outdoor opportunities that are relevant to their students and the communities they serve, and keeping the sustainability of any efforts in mind.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of planning involved to make these programs successful, but the long-term rewards for kids and rural communities is worth the investment,鈥� Jacobs said.

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu.

University of 海角社区 researchers have published new findings about how muscles form, why certain muscle diseases develop and why symptoms may not appear until years after muscle degeneration begins.

The study, published in , focuses on a protein called Mylpf that is essential for the development of fast-twitch muscle fibers, which propel rapid, powerful movements like sprinting and lifting heavy weights. When Mylpf does not form correctly, muscles completely lose their ability to contract.听

鈥淢ylpf is sort of the linchpin that makes the whole muscle fiber work,鈥� said Jared Talbot, the project鈥檚 principal investigator and an associate professor of developmental biology at U海角社区. 

Using zebrafish as a model organism, the team measured how Mylpf protein levels corresponded to muscle development, revealing a surprisingly sensitive relationship between protein levels and muscle health.

When Mylpf function was eliminated, fast-twitch muscles failed to build the structures they needed to contract or generate force. Crucially, the severity of this defect tracked closely with how much protein was present: animals with moderately reduced Mylpf had moderately impaired muscles, while those with none had no functional fast-twitch muscle at all. By testing many combinations of gene doses in a single study, the team was able to model the protein’s effects with unusual mathematical rigor.

The researchers also found that a human version of the Mylpf gene could fully restore normal muscle development in mutant fish, suggesting the protein plays a similar fundamental role across bony vertebrates, including humans. 

“That finding tells us this isn’t just a zebrafish story. Most of what we know about ourselves are insights drawn from other creatures,鈥� Talbot said. 鈥淭his study helps us learn the rules of how the muscle builds itself. Once you know those rules, it is far easier to develop drug treatments that could help people with muscle disorders.鈥�

The team then tested a version of the gene linked to Distal Arthrogryposis, a congenital disorder characterized by joint contractures and muscle weakness. Unlike the normal human gene, this disease-associated version could not restore muscle development in the zebrafish model. People with Distal Arthrogryposis typically carry only one defective copy of the gene; the other copy is normal, yet they still develop the disease. Together, these findings suggest that even a partial reduction in Mylpf function is enough to hinder muscle formation and cause the disorder.

One of the study’s most significant findings concerns how the body compensates for muscle loss, and what that may mean for understanding delayed disease onset. When fast-twitch muscles failed to form properly, slow-twitch muscles 鈥� normally a minor player in zebrafish movement 鈥� grew larger and became more active. This allowed the mutant fish to travel just as far as their healthy relatives in some tests. 

The researchers believe this compensatory mechanism may help explain why patients with diseases like muscular dystrophy can appear healthy for years, even as muscle degeneration is already underway. When one muscle system compensates for another, the damage may go unnoticed until the reserve is exhausted.

The study was supported, in part, by U海角社区’s first Center for Biomedical Research Excellence grant. This significant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is designed to build institutional capacity for biomedical research. The COBRE program is central to U海角社区’s broader push to build its biomedical research enterprise, including a recent investment in an expanded zebrafish lab where researchers investigate fundamental questions in developmental biology and muscle disease.

Another NIH award, an R15, helped provide hands-on experience for three graduate and 11 undergraduate students, all of whom earned authorship on the paper. For many of the undergraduates, it represented their first experience contributing to peer-reviewed science.

鈥淎 lot of people listed were owners of the project at some point. Each of these students made a unique contribution, and I鈥檓 proud of everyone involved,鈥� Talbot said. 

Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu

Throughout the spring, mechanical engineering students at the University of 海角社区 laid the groundwork for a multi-year effort to create a future entry for the competition. They designed the key initial components for a self-navigating surface vessel, including propulsion, hull design and onboard systems. 

In recent years, boat and shipbuilders nationwide have been developing autonomous and semi-autonomous systems to integrate in their fleets. By participating in challenges like RoboBoat, U海角社区 students are preparing careers in this evolving industry that is expected to add thousands of jobs, .

鈥淭his capstone project did an excellent job at connecting in-class lessons to real-world applications,鈥� said Clark Condon, who served as a manufacturing lead and team representative. 鈥淲e practiced real methods of manufacturing, assembly, team management and testing. Issues arose, and as a team, we had to come up with a solution together. It was a great experience to tie together all aspects of an engineering project.鈥�

The team split into groups that were tasked with designing each key component. They approached the project as an open-ended engineering problem, requiring them to balance performance, efficiency and integration with the work of other teams.

The group who worked on propulsion focused on developing a system capable of powering and maneuvering a competition-ready vessel while accounting for the added weight of batteries and autonomous technology. Students on the hull team worked in parallel, focusing on designing and manufacturing the physical structure of the vessel to support those systems.

鈥淥ur assigned task was to produce a hull design that could have the navigation and propulsion equipment seamlessly integrated when it comes time to compete in the RoboBoat competition,鈥� said Joseph Genco, who led manufacturing efforts.

Collaboration across groups played a key role throughout the process. Students coordinated with peers working on hull and autonomy systems to ensure compatibility, even though each group focused on a different aspect of the vessel. 

鈥淟earning how to work in tandem with others was an extremely important thing for me to learn, especially teamwork in slightly larger groups,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淕oing forward, it’s going to be amazing to have this basis of teamwork and expressive skills to lean on when faced with the larger real-world problems I’ll see in the workforce.鈥�

The project also introduced challenges that extended beyond design work, particularly during testing and manufacturing phases. Students encountered real-world issues that required quick adjustments and problem-solving.

鈥淣o matter how much research and analysis into something you do, something is unfortunately bound to go wrong or break eventually,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淲e had several components fail during testing, such as the driveshaft couplers coming loose, and after that was fixed, the propellers were then blown into little pieces. At first, we were lost as to what to do, but we sat down as a team after each failure and brainstormed fixes.鈥�

Beyond technical knowledge, students emphasized the value of enhancing their project planning, problem solving and technical communication skills 鈥� all of which will carry into their careers after graduation.

As the first groups to take on the RoboBoat capstone at U海角社区, students said their work provides a foundation for future teams to build on, with the long-term goal of fielding a competitive entry.

鈥淭his project will be reflected upon throughout our professional careers,鈥� Condon said. 鈥淚t provided excellent first instances of many tangible skills. We were honored to pioneer the beginning of this project here at U海角社区, and we hope to see it excel in the future.鈥�

Story by William Bickford, graduate student writer

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu 

The University of 海角社区 System (UMS) Board of Trustees recently approved a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nursing program and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program with a concentration in Family Nursing Practice.

The programs are expected to begin enrolling students in 2027.

The Ph.D. program will be the first research-focused doctoral nursing degree in northern New England, while the DNP will transition the existing family nurse practitioner track to a doctoral degree aligned with evolving national standards for advanced practice nursing.

Startup funding for the programs is being provided through a one-time , chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

鈥淭hese efforts position the University of 海角社区 to lead the future of healthcare education and research in 海角社区,鈥� President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said. 鈥淲e are grateful to Senator Collins for her leadership in securing this federal funding, which will expand nursing education, bring healthcare disciplines together and open new pathways that build the statewide healthcare workforce 海角社区 needs.鈥�

Letters of support for the Ph.D. and DNP programs were submitted by The Jackson Laboratory, Lunder Learning Partnerships of 海角社区, 海角社区Health, Northern Light Health, Penobscot Community Health Care and St. Joseph Hospital.

鈥淭o meet 海角社区鈥檚 current and growing demand for nurses, particularly in rural and underserved communities, we must expand enrollment in undergraduate nursing programs across the University of 海角社区 System,鈥� said Gabriel Paquette, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. 鈥淭hat expansion requires more faculty members with Ph.D. credentials. At the same time, healthcare systems need more doctoral-level advanced practice nurses and clinical leaders. These programs will address both needs.鈥�

Designed for working professionals across 海角社区, the doctoral programs include coursework in nursing science, advanced statistics, qualitative and quantitative research methods, grant writing and dissertation research. 

Although the Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing programs serve different purposes 鈥� the DNP prepares advanced clinical and healthcare leaders, while the Ph.D. prepares nurse scientists and researchers 鈥� both are intended to strengthen the state鈥檚 pipeline of nurse educators, advanced practice nurses and healthcare researchers. 

According to labor market data, 海角社区 employed more than 1,600 nurse practitioners in 2024, with demand projected to continue growing over the next decade.

鈥淭hese programs create new opportunities for nurses to pursue doctoral education without leaving 海角社区, while also expanding access for nurses in neighboring states such as New Hampshire and Vermont, where doctoral nursing education options remain limited,鈥� said Dr. Kathryn Robinson, associate director and associate professor at the U海角社区 School of Nursing.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

The project came about in part from Towne’s love of libraries, working in classrooms and her own experience growing up in Freeport, 海角社区. During her first year at U海角社区, Hunter spent a week in a Portland classroom and was working with a student who did not speak English and struggled socially in the classroom. 

鈥淚 got to work with him very closely over the course of that week,鈥� said Towne. 鈥淲ith some pushing, he had formed some relationships with his peers, learned how to write his name and read a couple of sentences. He was so happy to connect with his peers. I still think about it to this day.鈥�

Working with her advisor, associate professor of early childhood development and education Julie DellaMattera, Towne refined the project and made it the focus of her Honors College thesis. She started by researching libraries and how surroundings impact children鈥檚 development. Then throughout the summer before her senior year, she drove and took boats to 35 libraries, almost everyone in Cumberland County. Towne entered each library as if it was her first time. 

鈥淚 wanted to immerse myself in the experience, and see if I could walk into a space without communicating with anyone or reading signs, seeing if there was any sort of way I could navigate myself to resources that would help me,鈥� said Towne. 鈥淚 can walk in as an English speaker and find the language section in five seconds, right? I can read the signs, but a non-English speaker would have a very difficult time with that.鈥�

The study also looked for programming for young English learners, other resources libraries provided, such as WiFi routers, and the physical space. A library might have good books for a child learning English, but if it is on the top shelf, the child might not be able to find it. Taking into account the level of funding different libraries had access to also helped Towne better understand how limited resources were being allocated.

The results were both encouraging and at times underwhelming. Some libraries were really able to provide great resources for young English language learners, even if one would expect less demand for it in the area. Some had limited resources for younger patrons but had great resources for adults.

At the library in South Portland, Towne observed them doing a lot with a little. 鈥淪outh Portland had a very small language support section, but it was incredible,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey had something like 50 languages represented with at least five books for everyone. It was so cool to see where they didn鈥檛 have a lot of funding, but were able to really make it work.鈥�

After completing her Honors thesis, Towne shared the results of her study with Fogler Library. She hopes that this project helps drive more support to schools and libraries that support young students learning English. 

鈥淚 hope people understand not only the need to support all learners in every area, working in a public school right now, but also the value of public libraries,鈥� said Towne. 鈥淚 want to make sure people understand the need to keep up with the changing world, because the guidelines that worked 20 years ago may not work now, and may not be able to support the community as they should.鈥�

Starting in the fall, Towne will begin a master’s program at U海角社区 in curriculum, assessment and instruction with a concentration in library and media studies. She said she鈥檚 excited to be a Black Bear for at least two more years and to continue exploring her interest in libraries. 

Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu 

She was diving across a basketball court.

Atherley had traveled to the Cumberland County Civic Center during LaBonte鈥檚 senior year at York High School to evaluate the future Black Bear athlete. What stood out wasn鈥檛 her speed or finesse. It was the grit.

鈥淪he was always in the middle of a play,鈥� Atherley recalled. 鈥淪he was willing to do the dirty work 鈥� diving on the floor, fighting for rebounds, doing whatever it took for her team to win. You could see her competitiveness and leadership immediately.鈥�

That same mentality would later define LaBonte鈥檚 career far beyond the soccer field.

Today, the 2016 U海角社区 graduate is the founder of Sweet Addison鈥檚, a fast-growing gourmet dessert company specializing in gourmet gluten-free and dairy-free baked goods shipped nationwide. The company鈥檚 cookies and desserts have quickly gained traction online and through wholesale partnerships, fueled by LaBonte鈥檚 mission to create treats that feel indulgent while still being made with ingredients she feels good about eating. 

What began as recipe testing in a 700-square-foot Dallas apartment has become a multi-seven-figure business with six employees and products sold in dozens of coffee shops, hotels and specialty stores across the country.

But long before LaBonte was scaling a national food brand, she was a shy freshman walk-on from York trying to prove she belonged at U海角社区.

鈥淚 had just turned 18. I was homesick. I was timid. I felt so far outside my comfort zone,鈥� LaBonte said. 鈥淔ast forward four years, and I was so much more confident and outgoing. The University of 海角社区 transformed me.鈥�

LaBonte grew up in a family deeply connected to U海角社区. Her father, Richard LaBonte, played football for the Black Bears in the early 1980s. Her mother, Robin, also attended U海角社区, where the two met as students. Her younger sister, Delaney, later played soccer for the Black Bears, and her brother, Trevor, played baseball at 海角社区 during a postgraduate season after transferring from the University of Maryland. 

鈥淲e are obsessed with the University of 海角社区,鈥� LaBonte said with a laugh.

At U海角社区, LaBonte majored in mathematics, minored in business administration and earned an Honors College degree. All while competing for the women鈥檚 soccer team. 

But her path onto the field was anything but guaranteed.

Atherley recruited LaBonte as a walk-on after seeing her athleticism and determination translate from basketball to soccer. He remembered her as disciplined, analytical and intensely competitive from the start.

鈥淪he was very clear about who she was,鈥� Atherley said. 鈥淪he was regimented, organized and always looking to solve problems. You could already see the traits that would later make her successful in business.鈥�

During her first two seasons, LaBonte fought for playing time on a highly successful Black Bear team. Then came a turning point.

Early in one season, U海角社区 scheduled an exhibition against Harvard, giving Atherley an opportunity to play athletes who had not seen much game action.

鈥淲e started her against Harvard and she was arguably the best player on the field,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom that moment forward, she never looked back.鈥�

LaBonte eventually earned a scholarship and became a mainstay in 海角社区鈥檚 lineup, starting 16 games in 2013 and all 18 games in 2014 while helping anchor one of the America East Conference鈥檚 top defenses.

鈥淪he wasn鈥檛 the fastest player on the field,鈥� Atherley said. 鈥淏ut if you rolled a ball between her and someone else and said, 鈥楪o win it,鈥� she鈥檇 win the race every time.鈥�

That relentless mentality followed LaBonte after graduation.

After earning her degree in 2016, she returned home to York and began working in finance and data analysis, believing she would build a traditional career in business. But the work left her unfulfilled.

At the same time, she began dealing with health issues and eventually adopted a gluten-free lifestyle.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find desserts that tasted indulgent but were still made with quality ingredients,鈥� LaBonte said. 鈥淚t always felt like you had to choose between healthy and delicious.鈥�

She began experimenting in the kitchen, drawing on years spent baking with her mother and grandmother. Around the same time, she launched an Instagram account called Organically Addison, where she shared gluten-free recipes, wellness content and training updates from her growing passion for distance running.

The audience exploded.

Today, LaBonte has more than 300,000 followers across her online platforms, operates multiple food and wellness websites and hosts the Organically Addison podcast, where she interviews entrepreneurs and health and wellness experts. Before launching Sweet Addison鈥檚, she built a full-time career as a content creator focused on gluten-free recipes, wellness and healthy living.

Still, she wanted something more tangible.

In 2021, LaBonte made another leap, moving alone from 海角社区 to Dallas.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know a single person in Texas,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y dad drove me out there, and I just decided to take a chance on myself.鈥�

While working remotely and continuing to grow her online audience, followers began asking whether they could purchase the desserts she baked at home.

That demand became the foundation for Sweet Addison鈥檚.

LaBonte launched the company in early 2024 with a single product: chocolate chip cookies. She tested the recipe 26 different times before landing on the final version.

鈥淚 remember thinking, 鈥業f these cookies can survive shipping from Texas to 海角社区, then maybe I have a real business,鈥欌�� she said.

The company quickly took off.

Sweet Addison鈥檚 now ships nationwide and has been featured by TODAY.com, OK! Magazine鈥檚 鈥淭he Morning Honey,鈥� NBC Dallas-Fort Worth and multiple podcasts and digital publications. The brand has resonated with customers looking for desserts that are both gluten-free and dairy-free without sacrificing the rich, indulgent flavors of traditional baked goods.

The rapid growth has been exhilarating. And exhausting.

鈥淲hat we do in a daily average now is what we did in an entire month during the first year,鈥� LaBonte said. 鈥淪ome days it feels like I鈥檓 building the plane while flying it.鈥�

Her operation has expanded from apartment baking to a commercial kitchen and fulfillment facility in Dallas. The business now employs six people and continues growing its wholesale footprint.

One of LaBonte鈥檚 major goals for the coming year is expanding into more retailers in 海角社区.

鈥満＝巧缜� will always feel like home to me,鈥� she said.

Even as her business has grown, LaBonte said the lessons she learned as a Division I athlete remain central to her success.

鈥淭he biggest thing soccer taught me was discipline,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing a Division I athlete teaches you delayed gratification. You work for months and months hoping it pays off later, and there are no guarantees.鈥�

That mindset now shapes everything from her business operations to her personal life.

LaBonte runs marathons and completed her first ultramarathon 鈥� a 50-kilometer race in Dallas 鈥� last year. She hopes to tackle a 50-mile race next.

鈥淚 like to push myself to the extreme and then figure it out,鈥� she said.

Her daily schedule remains meticulously organized, often planned hour by hour.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 watch TV and I don鈥檛 drink alcohol,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just genuinely love what I do.鈥�

Atherley sees clear parallels between the determined walk-on he coached in Orono and the entrepreneur leading a rapidly growing company today.

鈥淪he took her opportunity and ran with it and never looked back,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 one of the most determined people I鈥檝e ever coached.鈥�

He also remembers the early version of LaBonte before the gluten-free recipes, ultramarathons and food brand.

鈥淲hen she first got here, she loved hamburgers, bacon and ketchup,鈥� Atherley said, laughing. 鈥淣ow she鈥檚 transformed her lifestyle completely. But the one thing that never changed is how driven she is.鈥�

For LaBonte, U海角社区 remains at the center of that story.

She still talks regularly with former teammates, stays close with fellow alumni and hopes to return to Orono this fall for a soccer game.

What she remembers most is the sense of community.

鈥淭he University of 海角社区 did such a great job of making a big campus feel small,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he whole town revolves around the university and everyone supports each other. There鈥檚 just something special about that place.鈥�

And when Atherley thinks back to that first basketball game years ago 鈥� the one where a future entrepreneur kept throwing herself into loose balls and fighting for rebounds 鈥� he sees the same person he sees today.

Competitive. Disciplined. Fearless.

A walk-on who built herself into something bigger.

And a 海角社区r who never stopped chasing the next challenge.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

These microorganisms, particularly the plant-like phytoplankton, have been producing about 50% of the world鈥檚 oxygen, and feed numerous species 鈥� oysters, crustaceans, seabirds and whales 鈥� that support marine ecosystems and economies worldwide. Greater plankton biodiversity is often associated with healthier and more resilient marine ecosystems.   

That鈥檚 why Boss, professor of oceanography, spent 50 days from January to March  investigating biodiversity in the Ross Sea bordering Antarctica. Aboard the Perseverance, a 131-foot-long aluminum schooner serving as a floating research platform, Boss sailed 7,200 miles between Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand. He and his colleagues deployed buoys with sensors to collect ocean and atmospheric data and harvest water samples as the boat wove past floating sea ice through high winds. 

鈥淲ith this data, my colleagues and I plan to develop a biodiversity algorithm that will link satellite observables with ocean biodiversity parameters assessed with genomic techniques,鈥� Boss said. 鈥淪uch data is critical to design and evaluate ecosystem models with, as well as assess the state of the ocean health.鈥� 

The total fuel consumption of the Perseverance during the 50 days voyage was about 20 tons, similar to that of a standard research vessel of the academic fleet in a single day. That鈥檚 because the ship utilized sails along most of its journey in the Southern Ocean.

Boss collaborated with scientists from NASA, the European Space Agency and the Centre national de la recherche scientifique on his project and others throughout the voyage. Citizen scientists were also recruited to assist with the research. 

Phytoplankton contain chlorophyll, which influences the color of ocean surface water. Different phytoplankton communities affect ocean color in different ways. Satellites can measure light reflecting off the ocean鈥檚 surface, allowing researchers to study ocean color remotely. Boss and his colleagues tested whether that information could be used to identify the types of species residing in various areas of the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean. 

Some of the sensors used during the expedition measured light emanating from the ocean as influenced by phytoplankton communities as well as the optical properties of the water via instruments through which ocean water flows. The data from those instruments, as well as water samples that underwent genetic analysis in the onboard labs, were provided to NASA for comparison with satellite imagery collected during the expedition and for use to develop new space-based algorithms. 

鈥淪atellite observations are the only that can span the full planet in a matter of a few days,鈥� Boss said. 鈥淎ny link we can make between them and the state of the ecosystem, the better we can understand the living ocean on relevant time and space scales.鈥�

Read more about the expedition on . 

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu 

It should be a gathering place where students, families and community members can come together to laugh, reflect, learn and connect.

That philosophy will guide Monagan as she steps into her new role as executive director of the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of 海角社区 on July 21.

Monagan brings more than two decades of experience in arts leadership, higher education and community engagement to the Collins Center. She currently serves as executive director of the Smith Center for the Arts in Geneva, New York, where she has expanded programming, increased fundraising and built partnerships with schools, civic organizations and local businesses since 2017.

鈥淭he Collins Center is so deeply woven into the region, and that really appeals to me,鈥� Monagan said. 鈥淭he arts have a very broad role to play in mirroring to a community what it鈥檚 thinking about, what it鈥檚 arguing about, what brings it joy and how it learns.鈥�

Located on the U海角社区 campus, the Collins Center serves audiences across eastern and northern 海角社区 through performances, lectures, educational programming and community events. More than 100,000 people visit the venue annually for Broadway tours, concerts, lectures, student performances, film screenings and public gatherings.

鈥淪usie brings a tremendous combination of artistic vision, community engagement and leadership experience to the Collins Center,鈥� said George Kinghorn, senior executive director of cultural engagement and arts at U海角社区. 鈥淪he understands how a performing arts center can serve both a university and the broader community, and she has a clear passion for building connections through the arts.鈥�

At the Smith Center for the Arts, Monagan has overseen expanded programming, increased fundraising and strengthened partnerships with community organizations and regional leaders. Before joining the Smith Center, she spent 12 years at Ithaca College, where she taught arts management courses and worked with students in the Department of Theatre Arts.

Monagan holds a master鈥檚 degree in communications from Ithaca College and a master of professional studies degree in community and rural development from Cornell University. She earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in English from Dartmouth College.

Monagan said returning to a university setting was one of the biggest draws of the U海角社区 position.

鈥淭here are so many opportunities to connect what鈥檚 happening on stage with what students are learning in classrooms across the university,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hether a student is studying engineering, public health, business or the arts, there are ways to engage creativity, critical thinking and community through live performance and shared experiences.鈥�

Monagan also hopes to strengthen the Collins Center鈥檚 connections with schools, families and local organizations throughout the region.

Monagan pointed to youth and family programming as a priority, citing the success of school day performances in her current role that bring students from rural districts into the theater for live arts experiences.

鈥淵ou need people coming through the doors who will become future audience members, future donors and future community advocates,鈥� she said. 鈥淧art of that is making the arts accessible and welcoming for everyone and finding out what barriers might be preventing people from participating.鈥�

Monagan said she also hopes to expand opportunities for U海角社区 students to engage with the Collins Center beyond traditional performances, including more informal community events and collaborations across campus.

鈥淣ot every student is going to connect with every performance, and that鈥檚 OK,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut the goal is to create opportunities for as many students as possible to feel like the Collins Center is a place for them.鈥�

Monagan said she plans to spend much of her first year listening and building relationships across both the university and the broader community.

鈥淚鈥檓 all ears,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to hear what the Collins Center means to people, what they hope it can become and where opportunities for collaboration exist.鈥�

Monagan said she was especially struck by the Collins Center鈥檚 open gathering spaces and the symbolic flame at the center of the building.

鈥淚t sends the message that this is your space,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople gather there for performances, lectures, orientations and community events, and each experience creates a different kind of community. I love that idea.鈥�

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

Three couples were awarded the 2026 Stillwater Society Award, one of the institution鈥檚 highest honors for philanthropic leadership and service. This year鈥檚 recipients are J. Daniel Lafayette III and Carla Joy Lafayette; Raymond A. Jean 鈥�65 and Louise C. Jean; and Bion A. Foster 鈥�68, 鈥�70G and Dorain A. Foster.

鈥淚t is not a coincidence that we host this celebration of philanthropy just after commencement,鈥� said U海角社区 Foundation President/CEO Jeff Mills. 鈥淯海角社区 graduates benefit from scholarships, travel opportunities, new facilities and enhanced opportunities as a result of the generosity of these loyal donors, and it is important to recognize and thank them.鈥�

鈥淕atherings like this offer an important opportunity to reflect on the shared commitment that sustains the University of 海角社区,鈥� says U海角社区 President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. 鈥淭he generosity of our Stillwater Society members continues to expand access, strengthen our programs and advance the impact of this institution across 海角社区 and beyond.鈥�

Bion A. Foster 鈥�68, 鈥�70G and Dorain A. Foster

For more than four decades, Bion and Dorain Foster have been influential leaders in 海角社区鈥檚 business, civic and academic communities, combining entrepreneurial vision with a deep and sustained commitment to U海角社区.

Bion Foster鈥檚 career reflects a remarkable record of entrepreneurship, spanning the startup, acquisition or ownership of more than 40 companies across 海角社区 and South Carolina. His work has impacted industries ranging from manufacturing and real estate development to hospitality, including stewardship of the historic Lucerne Inn. He also served as director of economic development for the town of Hampden, where his leadership helped establish a modern business park that contributed to the town鈥檚 growth. His achievements have been recognized with honors, including the Entrepreneur of the State of 海角社区 Award and the Hampden Business Award.

Dorain Foster built a distinguished 25-year career with the Bangor Daily News before bringing her expertise to U海角社区, where she served in both the Development and the President鈥檚 offices. Known for her precision and professionalism, she played a key role in advancing special projects and events that supported the university鈥檚 mission.

Together, the Fosters have left a lasting imprint on campus through transformative philanthropy, including the Foster Center for Innovation, the Foster Boardroom at the Buchanan Alumni House and a dedicated space within the New Balance Student Recreation Center. Bion Foster鈥檚 leadership has also included service as chair of the University of 海角社区 Alumni Association board, involvement with the Buchanan Alumni House Endowment and membership on the U海角社区 Board of Visitors.

Raymond A. Jean 鈥�65 and Louise C. Jean

Raymond and Louise Jean exemplify lifelong partnership, professional achievement and a steadfast commitment to community and education. Raised in Lewiston, 海角社区, their shared values of service and determination have guided both their personal and professional lives.

Raymond Jean earned a degree in engineering physics from U海角社区, where he balanced academics with varsity tennis and campus involvement. His career evolved from engineering into executive leadership roles at major corporations, including Evans Products, Gulf and Western and IC Industries. He later served as president, CEO and Chairman of Quanex Corporation and as CEO of Varlen Corp., while also contributing as a board member to several Chicago-based companies. He earned an MBA from the University of Chicago during his career ascent.

Louise Jean鈥檚 early interests in writing and communications shaped her contributions both professionally and within her family and community. As the couple raised their three children, she played a central role in supporting their education and activities while remaining actively engaged in volunteer service.

Despite careers that took them across the country, the Jeans maintained a strong connection to the University of 海角社区. Raymond served on the U海角社区 Board of Visitors and participated in campaign leadership efforts, while the couple established the Raymond & Louise Jean Scholarship to support business students. They also honored Louise Jean鈥檚 mother with a memorial scholarship at St. Dominic Academy.

Now residing in both Florida and 海角社区, the Jeans continue their philanthropic engagement, including leadership roles with the American Cancer Society, while remaining dedicated supporters of U海角社区.

J. Daniel Lafayette III and Carla Joy Lafayette

For over four decades, Daniel and Carla Lafayette have been cornerstones of 海角社区鈥檚 hospitality industry and beacons of transformational philanthropic spirit in our state. Their journey has been shaped by deep family connectivity, bold entrepreneurial leaps and an unwavering commitment to the community they call home.

Both proud alumni of Hampden Academy, Daniel and Carla Lafayette would go on to graduate from the United States Military Academy and Cornell University, respectively. After college, Daniel served five years in the army as Carla began her career in research chemistry for solar energy storage with what is now Texas A&M University-Central Texas.

In 1982, they took a leap of faith into an industry new to them both: hospitality. They bought the Best Western White House Inn in Hampden, 海角社区, from Henry Page, who donated to help start the Page Farm and Home Museum at U海角社区. Since that first purchase nearly 45 years ago, Danny and Carla Lafayette and their children have amassed an impressive and successful portfolio of more than 30 properties comprising over 2,500 rooms, condos, cottages and homes in 海角社区 and New Hampshire. That includes building the Best Western Black Bear Inn and Conference Center with another Stillwater Award Winner, Ralph Leonard, and the Sargent family. This hotel hosted many events to raise money for U海角社区 athletics.

As their knowledge and success grew, so did the couple鈥檚 footprint in the industry at large. Daniel has served as the president of the 海角社区 Innkeeper Association and on the Best Western Board of Directors and as chairman of the BWH Hotel Group, a leading global hospitality network that includes WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels and SureStay Hotels.

From Carla Lafayette鈥檚 impactful board leadership at the 海角社区 4-H Foundation and the family鈥檚 naming support of the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center at U海角社区, to Daniel鈥檚 work with the Hampden Recreation Committee, Kiwanis and the Greater Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce, the couple has proven that it is possible to serve your community in equal proportion to your personal success. Part of their enduring legacy will be the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute at Northern Light Health in Brewer, 海角社区, for which the family provided a critical lead gift. They have spent decades perfecting a 鈥渉ome away from home鈥� for their guests, but it鈥檚 clear that the family has never lost sight of where their own roots 鈥� and hearts 鈥� truly lie.

Passionate fans of U海角社区 athletics, Daniel and Carla Lafayette carry on a legacy passed down from Carla鈥檚 mother, Morna Kimball Rawcliffe 鈥�48, who was named an All-海角社区 athlete in basketball and field hockey. The couple gathers as often as possible in their U海角社区 hockey and football boxes to watch games with their loved ones. Today, U海角社区 student-athletes and U海角社区 Athletics staff proudly walk alongside the family at Champion the Cure events, uniting the campus and the community in a shared mission of hope and service.

The Stillwater Society Dinner also celebrates members of the Stillwater Society, U海角社区鈥檚 giving society, which recognizes donors whose lifetime contributions reach $25,000 or more. The biennial event also celebrates donors who have reached new levels of giving since the previous gathering, and highlights the collective impact of philanthropy on the university. 

Contact: Monique Hashey, monique@maine.edu

But for Donovan and dozens of other 海角社区 high school students, the event represented more than a rocket launch competition. It gave students hands-on engineering experience and exposed them to career opportunities in 海角社区鈥檚 growing STEM workforce.

For Donovan, the experience also reinforced his decision to attend U海角社区 next year, where he plans to study mechanical engineering technology. He said participating in the program gave him a firsthand look at the university鈥檚 engineering opportunities and campus community.

鈥淯海角社区 is really competitive with every engineering program in the country, and it鈥檚 right in my backyard,鈥� said Donovan, a Presque Isle High School senior.

Students from Presque Isle, Hermon and Richmond high schools traveled to campus as part of the Black Bear Launch3D program, which connects 海角社区 students with advanced engineering experiences. The program also helps build a pipeline of future workers for the state鈥檚 aerospace and defense industries, which currently support nearly 19,000 jobs in 海角社区, including around 9,600 direct jobs and another 9,300 supply-chain jobs, according to the Aerospace Industries Association.

Through the program, participants learn  how to design, simulate, prototype and test air-powered rockets using 3D printing and computer-aided design software. U海角社区 faculty work with teachers to provide training, equipment and curriculum support aimed at expanding STEM opportunities in 海角社区 schools.

Ahmed Aboelezz, a U海角社区 assistant professor of mechanical engineering who founded and designed Black Bear Launch3D, said programs like this help students see engineering as an accessible career. Aboelezz initiated the program in partnership with the 海角社区 Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) and the Perloff Foundation to upgrade 3D printing outreach into a full-cycle engineering experience.

鈥淚 wanted to move beyond just printing a model,鈥� Aboelezz said. 鈥淏y bringing teachers to campus first to learn flight simulation and design, we created a way for students to experience the full engineering process鈥攄esign, simulate, produce, and test. When they see the results of their decisions play out in real time at the competition, they start to see themselves as true engineers.鈥�

In addition to building rockets, students learned about design iteration, troubleshooting, prototyping and manufacturing technologies that are increasingly used across modern industries. Teachers in the program have said the experience gave students opportunities to apply classroom concepts in collaborative and creative ways.

鈥淒espite some clear conventions and limitations to the rocket design, the students have shown impressive creativity and innovation in their designs,鈥� said Nicholas Stahl, a teacher at Hermon High School. 鈥淭his has been doubly impressive considering most have little to no experience with physics, aerodynamics or the use of software like TinkerCAD to create physical prototypes.鈥�

For Richmond High School junior Owen Tribbet, 16, the  engineering process, mathematical calculations and computer aided design employed in making the rockets for Friday鈥檚 competition will prepare him for a future career in mechanical engineering. 

鈥淛ust the experience. Having the knowledge of how some of it works,鈥� he said. 

The Black Bear Launch3D program is offered by 海角社区 College of Engineering and Computing in partnership with the 海角社区 Space Grant consortium.

Story by William Bickford, graduate student writer. 

Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu 

That’s why when working toward her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) at the University of 海角社区, Woodard, now assistant principal of Old Town Elementary School, focused on tackling a key issue for her dissertation: the in-the-moment decisions teachers make during literacy instruction and how those decisions can lead to better outcomes for students.   

鈥淎s I got into an administrative role, I wondered why teachers were making the decisions they were making and about all of the new literacy programs that are available for schools,鈥� said Woodard. 鈥淚 wanted to be able to answer some of those questions through research, and get a better understanding of what our teachers are doing in the classroom.鈥�  

Woodard is one of 10 full-time professional educators who just graduated with their Ed.D. degrees. Many of them were already leaders in their schools and communities. Now, using what they learned through their courses and dissertation research, they are able to make even greater contributions while advancing in their careers. 

For Woodard, that means continuing to mentor teachers in a new role that she鈥檒l be stepping into next school year as principal of Marcia Buker Elementary School in Richmond. Eventually, she hopes the doctorate will allow her to teach literacy at a college or university, helping shape the next generation of reading and writing teachers in 海角社区. 

鈥淚鈥檓 so glad U海角社区 has the opportunities it has,鈥� Woodard said. 鈥淟iving in Orono, it was a natural choice for me to get my doctorate here, but I don鈥檛 believe I would have found a better opportunity elsewhere.鈥�

Statewide impact, local relevance

Based in schools and districts spanning two states, including five counties in 海角社区, the members of this year鈥檚 Ed.D. cohort currently serve in positions such as superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, special education director, instructional coach and classroom teacher. They not only spent the past four years taking classes together, but also supported each other through dissertation research and writing.

An innovative, 100% live and online executive doctoral degree, the Ed.D. program uses a cohort model that brings working professionals together to share knowledge and develop the research skills needed to critically engage with educational practices and better support the students, families and communities they serve. Each member of the cohort chooses a problem-of-practice related to their professional work to investigate for their dissertation.

Nicole Hatch is one of three 2026 Ed.D. graduates who work at Rockland-based RSU 13, a rural district serving five communities in midcoast 海角社区. Having grown up in the midcoast, Hatch, who is an assistant principal at Oceanside High School in Rockland, was eager to explore the dual roles that teachers in rural schools fulfill as professional educators and regular members of the communities that they serve.

鈥淚t was a narrative inquiry using emotional intelligence as a tool to navigate issues of rurality, the overlaps between teachers and students, and school leaders and students, and the dual-relationships and power dynamics that exist in small communities,鈥� said Hatch, who has a background in school-based and clinical counseling. 鈥淭he study was a great reminder of the influential roles and power we educators have in our communities, and how we can be mindful of that and maintain positive relationships with our students and their families who don鈥檛 have a choice of where they go to school or who their school leaders are.鈥�

Hatch said she plans to stay in her position at Oceanside for now while pursuing principal certification and continuing to serve students throughout the midcoast both as an educator and as community member.

Heather Mitchell, another recent Ed.D. graduate, has held various building administrator roles at schools in RSU 29, the district for Houlton in Aroostook County. She鈥檚 currently administrator and teacher at Summit Academy, the district鈥檚 alternative education school. 

For her dissertation, Mitchell originally set out to do a comparative study of parent expectations for alternative education versus general education. That morphed into a project that explored parent-voice in administrative decision-making, through which she found that caregivers 鈥� regardless of whether their child was in an alternative or a traditional classroom 鈥� wanted a model. A framework that鈥檚 already employed by several schools in 海角社区, the model provides targeted academic, behavioral and social-emotional services and interventions to meet the needs of students.

鈥淚 believe the next step is to work with teachers and hopefully organizations beyond the school and the district to make sure that kids are getting all the support they need no matter what type of classroom they鈥檙e learning in,鈥� Mitchell said. 

The Ed.D. will allow Mitchell to take on additional roles and responsibilities, including becoming a district-level administrator, she said.

A belief in each other

Each Ed.D. in educational leadership cohort at U海角社区 collectively chooses a name for itself. The name chosen by the group that just graduated was the Credo Cohort. The word 鈥淐redo鈥� derives from the Latin word for 鈥淚 believe鈥� and means 鈥渁n idea or set of beliefs that guides the actions of a person or group.鈥�

鈥淚t helped tremendously to go through this process together,鈥� said Woodard. 鈥淲e met almost every week, developed critical friendships and partnerships within the cohort. We had people we were able to reach out to in times of need.鈥�

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine going through a learning experience like this without that type of support,鈥� said Hatch. 鈥淚 can look outside and name other things, but it was really that we leaned on each other, and these friendships and relationships within the group. These educators are 100% my role models.鈥�

This year鈥檚 group of Ed.D. graduates is among the largest doctoral cohorts from a single program to graduate from U海角社区 in recent years. In addition to each other, members of the cohort say they leaned on associate professor of educational leadership Esther Enright, who served as chair for all of their dissertation committees, as well as other U海角社区 educational leadership faculty members, including Catharine Biddle, Lindsey Kaiser, Maria Frankland and Paul Austin.

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud of this group and the perseverance they showed in getting to graduation,鈥� said Enright. 鈥淐ompleting a doctorate is a massive undertaking by itself, and all of them did it while balancing their professional duties, including all of the challenges facing educators today, serving as role models and leaders in their communities, raising families, and so much more.鈥�

The other members of the Credo Cohort include Janet Corcoran, Benjamin Greenlaw, Briana Haynes-Morrill, Janet Hicks, Steffany Tribou, Amy Sullivan and Sue Sydnor. 

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

U.S. consumers are willing to pay more for lobster harvested using ropeless fishing technology designed to reduce whale entanglement risks, according to new University of 海角社区 research.

A study led by Qiujie 鈥淎ngie鈥� Zheng, associate professor of business analytics in the University of 海角社区鈥檚 海角社区 Business School, found that consumers are willing to pay an average of $3.42 more for a lobster roll made with lobster harvested using ropeless fishing technology when presented with information on animal welfare.

The research explored how consumers might respond if conditions necessitate ropeless technology to be adopted more broadly in the future. Zheng said the findings are not intended to suggest 海角社区鈥檚 lobster industry should change its current practices.

海角社区鈥檚 lobster industry has implemented whale-protection measures for decades, including weak links, sinking lines and reduced vertical line requirements aimed at lowering entanglement risks. The fishery supplies roughly 90% of the nation鈥檚 lobster and remains one of 海角社区鈥檚 most recognizable economic and cultural drivers.

The North Atlantic right whale is one of the world鈥檚 most endangered large whale species, with an estimated population of 356 whales and fewer than 100 reproductive-age females.

Traditional lobster gear uses vertical lines connecting traps to surface buoys, which regulators and researchers have sought to modify in order to reduce entanglement risks for large whales. Federal regulators and environmental groups have debated the extent to which 海角社区 lobster gear contributes to right whale deaths, though the industry has faced increasing pressure to reduce potential risks.

While existing protections are already in place within 海角社区鈥檚 fishery, Zheng said consumers may also play a role in bearing the cost of whale conservation through their purchasing decisions.

鈥淩ight whale conservation is a collective effort. In addition to the fishermen, regulators and scientists, consumers play a role, so we hope this research helps understand consumer preferences and evaluations,鈥� Zheng said. 鈥淭hese findings do not suggest that 海角社区鈥檚 lobster industry needs to change its current practices. Rather, they provide insight into how consumers might respond if ropeless technology were adopted.鈥�

Zheng collaborated with Kanae Tokunaga from the Gulf of 海角社区 Research Institute and Rodolfo Nayga and Wei Yang from Texas A&M University to explore consumer preferences and demand perspective of ropeless technology, as well as marketing and communication strategies surrounding the gear.

Researchers tested how information about whale conservation, animal welfare and 海角社区鈥檚 lobster industry shaped consumer willingness to pay more for lobster harvested using ropeless technology. Messaging focused on whale welfare and entanglement impacts proved most effective at increasing support for ropeless technology, with consumers willing to pay more.

However, this was further varied by consumers’ attitudes toward the environment and animal welfare, as well as their prior knowledge of right whale entanglement and ropeless technology, Zheng said.

“The results provide a baseline for considering different perspectives. With four treatments, including the control, we can see how different types of information influence consumer perspectives,鈥� she said.

Zheng said she hopes the research will contribute valuable insights to 海角社区鈥檚 seafood sector about how consumers respond to different marketing approaches and sustainability messaging as environmental concerns increasingly influence food purchasing behaviors.

鈥淲e are providing a base for the community to assess the overall economic feasibility,” Zheng said. 鈥淚鈥檓 always trying to learn from fishermen and the fishing community because they make their living from a very complicated natural system, and they know it so well.鈥�

Findings from the study were published in the journal .听

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu听

When Timothy Simons arrived at the University of 海角社区, he was homesick, uncertain about his future and struggling to find his place on campus.

Everything changed after he auditioned for a student theater production and met professor Sandra Hardy, who encouraged him to pursue acting.

Twenty-five years later, Simons returned to Orono as the keynote speaker for U海角社区鈥檚 224th undergraduate commencement ceremonies, delivering a speech that mixed humor, self-reflection and encouragement while urging graduates to recognize that success does not follow a single timeline.

鈥淚 was an aimless student,鈥� said Simons, a 2001 U海角社区 graduate from Readfield, 海角社区. 鈥淲hen I came to U海角社区, I had truly no idea what I should do with myself day-to-day, much less what I wanted to do with my life.鈥�

U海角社区 held three commencement ceremonies in Orono and Machias, where speakers emphasized resilience, courage, innovation and community. In Orono, 1,495 students received degrees during undergraduate ceremonies May 9, while over 900 graduate students were recognized May 8. The University of 海角社区 at Machias honored 54 graduates May 10.

Simons, known for his role as Jonah Ryan on HBO鈥檚 鈥淰eep鈥� and more recently for his Critics Choice Awards-nominated role in Netflix鈥檚 鈥淣obody Wants This,鈥� addressed graduates inside the newly renovated Harold Alfond Sports Arena.

鈥淢y timeline here was what we now call nontraditional,鈥� Simons said. 鈥淏ut my time at this school is the reason that I鈥檝e managed to do anything in my life.鈥�

Throughout his remarks, Simons reflected on the professors, classmates and experiences that shaped him during his five years at U海角社区. He credited Hardy with teaching students how to persevere through failure and rejection while continuing to grow.

鈥淪he prepared us for the inevitable onslaught of rejection we would receive but at the same time taught us the skills to build ourselves up again,鈥� Simons said.

Simons also encouraged graduates to take risks even when they feel uncertain about the future.

鈥淏ravery isn鈥檛 not being afraid,鈥� Simons said. 鈥淏ravery is being afraid and doing it anyway.鈥�

The undergraduate ceremonies also celebrated the university鈥檚 recent growth and achievements, including the reaffirmation of U海角社区鈥檚 Carnegie R1 research status, major campus construction projects and student-led initiatives.

U海角社区 President Joan Ferrini-Mundy encouraged graduates to remain open to new opportunities after leaving campus.

鈥淚 want to assure you that it is OK to be uncertain about your future,鈥� Ferrini-Mundy said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 let that uncertainty stop you from taking risks and reaching out in new directions.鈥�

Ferrini-Mundy also highlighted several undergraduate students whose research addressed issues impacting 海角社区 and beyond, including PFAS and food insecurity.

鈥淭he future can be more just, more equitable, more innovative, more safe and more compassionate with intention,鈥� Ferrini-Mundy said. 鈥淚t becomes better only when people like you 鈥� people who care, people who worked hard here at U海角社区 to learn and grow and have knowledge and capability, people who can see both problems and possibilities. When you choose to act, you are capable of making those changes.鈥�

Valedictorian Ruth Griffith encouraged graduates to reflect on the values that will guide them after college.

鈥淪o I think each of us here today needs to ask two additional questions,鈥� Griffith said. 鈥淔irst: What are my core values? And second: How will I embody them?鈥�

Griffith, who graduated with a degree in economics and minors in mathematics and international affairs, urged classmates to prioritize values over ambition.

鈥淏ecause I truly believe that if we lead with our values rather than just our ambitions, we will find ourselves happier,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur picture of success will shift.鈥�

Co-salutatorian Isabelle Irani told graduates uncertainty should be embraced rather than feared.

鈥淲hat if not knowing what we鈥檙e doing isn鈥檛 a weakness?鈥� Irani said. 鈥淲hat if it鈥檚 actually the reason we鈥檙e capable of more than we think?鈥�

Co-salutatorian Andrii Obertas reflected on the perseverance shared by graduates and encouraged classmates to support one another moving forward.

鈥淚t is a simple reality of life that no single person can change the world alone,鈥� Obertas said. 鈥淥nly united can we make a difference. And only through empathy can we build a better future.鈥�

Student Government President Keegan Tripp told his fellow graduates to stay bold enough to act.

鈥淪peak when it would be easier to stay quiet,鈥� he said. 鈥淏uild when it would be easier to walk away. Show love and appreciation to the family and friends who got you here.鈥�

The university also recognized Mohamad Musavi, senior associate dean and professor in the 海角社区 College of Engineering and Computing, as the 2026 Distinguished 海角社区 Professor.

鈥淪uccess does not happen by accident,鈥� Musavi said. 鈥淚t requires passion, hard work and resilience.鈥�

The university also recognized Carol Dana, upon whom the University of 海角社区 System Board of Trustees conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree for decades of work preserving and revitalizing the Penobscot language and culture.

Graduate ceremony focuses on innovation, resilience

During the graduate commencement ceremony, speakers focused on research, innovation and the impact graduates will have beyond the university.

Graduate School Dean Scott Delcourt encouraged graduates to remain adaptable in a rapidly changing workforce.

鈥淲hen asked about the greatest skills that companies were looking for in their new hires, the overwhelming response was the ability to think critically,鈥� Delcourt said.

Ferrini-Mundy praised graduate students for balancing academics with careers, caregiving and leadership responsibilities while advancing research and innovation.

鈥淵ou stepped into entrepreneurship and innovation. You stepped into the unknown,鈥� Ferrini-Mundy said. 鈥淎nd you just kept going!鈥�

Graduate Student Government President Sudati Shrestha reflected on her journey from Nepal to the commencement stage while honoring her late father.

鈥淭he University of 海角社区 gave me that opportunity, and today, as I stand here, I realize that this moment is more than just a personal achievement,鈥� Shrestha said. 鈥淚t is the fulfillment of a dream.鈥�

Graduate commencement speakers Amber Boutiette and Patrick Breeding reflected on building Marin Skincare from lobster research connected to U海角社区鈥檚 Lobster Institute into a nationally distributed skincare company rooted in 海角社区 innovation and sustainability.

鈥淵ou are on the cusp of a huge life change, the beginning of an entirely new story, and it鈥檚 time to think big,鈥� Boutiette told graduates.

Breeding encouraged graduates to remain curious and open to unexpected opportunities.

鈥淲hen you lead with curiosity, suddenly, you start to make your own luck,鈥� Breeding said.

Machias ceremony emphasizes community, perseverance

During the Machias ceremony, speakers encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty, persevere through challenges and remain grounded in community and compassion.

Ferrini-Mundy encouraged graduates to move forward with confidence and to remain connected to the values and community they developed at U海角社区 Machias.

鈥淎s you move forward, you will encounter both opportunity and uncertainty,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n those moments, I encourage you to draw on what you have built here: a strong sense of purpose, respect for others, and a readiness to engage thoughtfully with the world around you.鈥�

Valedictorian Rachel D鈥橝lessandro encouraged classmates to embrace change and reject perfectionism.

鈥淒on鈥檛 strive for perfection; strive to be a better you,鈥� D鈥橝lessandro said.

The university conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree upon Susan Mingo, who reflected on returning to college after initially dropping out.

鈥淵our path does not need to be perfect to be powerful,鈥� said Mingo, president of Washington County Community College.

Ivy Orator Regina McNamara de la Vega encouraged graduates to continue learning and remain optimistic through difficult moments.

鈥淣ever let the clouds deter you from reaching the sunlight and earning what you want in life,鈥� McNamara said.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

The field of medicine is constantly evolving to optimize care and patient outcomes. Technology growth and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) have changed what it means to be a doctor and a patient, even in the recent decade. To contend with this, researchers at the University of 海角社区 are helping medical education adapt to a changing world of medicine. 

Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. candidate Kevin Real MD is part of this movement, working to shape the way students understand medical issues and develop innovative solutions. After earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical engineering and completing medical school, Real put his medical career on hold to further pursue a passion in education and technology. 

Over the past year, Real has focussed his research on an innovative approach to eye disease in premature infants, utilizing both his engineering and medical backgrounds. He partnered with ophthalmologists in Portland, Oregon to help them advance their curriculum and way of understanding eye models. 

鈥淚 used my ECE experience to ultimately help the surgeons look at 2D images and transpose them to 3D images, specifically for looking at disease progression. The question is, how can we do this better, how do you make these models more precise? That was my mission this year,鈥� explained Real. 

He specifically looked at a disease process called retinopathy prematurity, the leading cause of childhood blindness in the United States, according to the . The disease impacts infants born prematurely who received supplemental oxygen. This can impact the eye鈥檚 ability to develop normally because abnormal blood vessels can grow inside the retina and lead to retinal detachment. Surgeons are able to fix retinal detachment, but rely on a two-dimensional view of the retina. Real is hoping to bring more precision to this process by making two-dimensional view into three-dimensional models. 

It was important to Real to not limit this research to the lab or a hospital and engage students in the research process. He took this concept of two to three-dimensional image transposition and further explored the idea with a 海角社区 high school senior, helping them use simple geometric principles to develop a 3D model of an infant鈥檚 eye. The student was then able to present their work at a conference for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and gained real-world research experience. 

Real鈥檚 passion for student engagement extends beyond his direct research. He helped high school students from John Bapst Memorial High School participate in ophthalmology research on glaucoma progression, eventually leading to publication of their work in the Proceedings of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (). Real鈥檚 motivation for working with students comes from his time teaching a high school science class here in 海角社区, and they still inspire his research methodology today. 

鈥淥ne thing that I like about high school students is that they come up with the craziest ideas, and sometimes they work. We tend to get stuck in our ways about the best way for research to be conducted, but students come up with ideas we might never have heard of,鈥� remarked Real. 

His passion for education extends into his work with National Science Foundation 海角社区-SMART project, working to revitalize education efforts in the state. Real helped develop new educational modules that have been distributed across the state to diversify STEM education for local students. Last year, he helped develop new educational modules on the uses of cellulose nano fiber (CNF) that are now in use throughout the state. He also created modules and curriculum on CNF that were used by the 海角社区 Mobile BIOLAB, a traveling laboratory that provides hands-on STEM education to students in 海角社区. 

鈥淚 really understand that education is what I love, and my mission today is incorporating AI, neural networks and technology into education at every level, not just medical school,鈥� said Real. 

Looking ahead, Real will be starting his residency this fall with the John Peter Smith Family Medicine Residency program in Fort Worth, Texas, but hopes to return to 海角社区 in the future. He is part of a coalition that aims to establish 海角社区鈥檚 first medical school for MDs, and would love to be a part of the process down the line in his career. With an MD and Ph.D., Real鈥檚 end goal is to eventually become a dean of a medical school, bridging his experiences with medicine and education, and helping med students adapt to changing technology and practices.听

Real鈥檚 mission and reasoning behind his journey is a goal to never stop learning and innovating in his field, and teaching those along the way. 

鈥淭he whole point is not only that I hope to pass the torch, but I hope that the torch surpasses me,鈥� said Real. 

Real would like to thank his advisor, Giovanna Guidoboni, U海角社区鈥檚 interim vice president for research and dean of the 海角社区 College of Engineering and Computing, for her support in his endeavors. 

By Heather Johnson, graduate assistant

Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

In young forests, the widespread consensus is that this process rapidly pulls, or sequesters, carbon from the atmosphere. As forests mature, more trees start to die, releasing the carbon they captured in their wake. Carbon sequestration, the thinking goes, slowly stalls and old forests eventually release roughly as much carbon into the air as they capture.

Thirty years of measurements taken by University of 海角社区 scientists at a remote 550-acre forest challenge this idea.

At Howland Research Forest, located about 30 miles north of 海角社区, in the towns of Edinburg and Howland, 98-foot towers rise above the spruce and hemlock canopy. They are topped by instruments that measure carbon dioxide flux 鈥� the exchange of the gas between the forest canopy and the atmosphere. The measurements are so precise that they can detect the breath of a technician working nearby.

What they have recorded is a carbon record of exceptional length drawn from a mature, undisturbed forest. The data generated here is reshaping how the world understands forests and their influence on climate. The towers on Howland have been collecting data since 1996, making them among the longest-running records of their kind in the United States, second only to Harvard Forest. 

These findings are used by scientists, educators and land managers worldwide, informing forest management, timber production, carbon budgets, conservation and policy. But the future of this research is uncertain. For decades, the Howland towers were supported through the federally funded AmeriFlux network. As research priorities shifted, that support was interrupted, putting the long-running record at risk. 

A recent $175,000 private gift to the University of 海角社区 Foundation 鈥� equal to the site鈥檚 annual operating cost鈥� has temporarily filled that gap, keeping the research running through next year. Without it, the towers would have gone offline this August, bringing 30 years of continuous monitoring to a standstill. 

While the gift provides a one-year lifeline, it does not solve the underlying challenge. Sustaining this irreplaceable observatory and training ground for U海角社区 students aspiring to become foresters, conservationists and researchers requires .

A living benchmark

Mature, unmanaged forests are exceptionally rare in New England. Centuries of timber harvest have reset the ecological clock across nearly every landscape. 

At Howland, the forest canopy is dominated by trees between 100 and 200 years old. Some are even older. They had already stood for centuries when Henry David Thoreau passed through central 海角社区 on his way to Mount Katahdin in the 1840s.

A yellow birch documented in the forest’s permanent research plots dates to the mid-1600s 鈥� at least 367 years, the oldest of its species on record in 海角社区. Cedar and hemlock that sprouted in the 1700s stand alongside fallen logs in every stage of decay. Their slow decomposition is a critical part of the carbon cycle that researchers here are still working to fully understand.

Coarse woody debris 鈥� the fallen logs and standing dead trees so characteristic of old forests 鈥� are largely absent from managed landscapes. At Howland, it is everywhere. 

The forest is surrounded by active timber operations, which makes it something else: a control site. Without Howland as a baseline for what an unmanaged forest looks like, the comparisons that inform forest management across the Northeast would be far less meaningful.

The Northeast Wilderness Trust recognized that value in 2007, when it purchased the 550-acre site and permanently protected it as forever-wild. The protection came at a critical moment: the previous owner had considered resuming active management, which would have disrupted decades of research.

“We permanently protected Howland because ancient forests are rare and have so much to teach us,” said Shelby Perry, the Northeast Wilderness Trust鈥檚 wildlands ecology director. “Howland shows us the unique value of wild places amid managed landscapes. What researchers learn here informs forest policy at a global scale. Keeping this land wild and keeping the research going are inseparable.” 

For these findings, time is priceless

When a carbon flux tower was installed at Howland in 1996, it became a founding site of the AmeriFlux network, which has spread to more than 500 monitoring stations across the Americas. 

鈥淲e measure temperature, wind speed and direction, and the air鈥檚 carbon dioxide, water and methane concentration every tenth of a  second. That鈥檚 over 315 million data series a year,鈥� says Roel Ruzol, U海角社区 research associate and Howland Forest鈥檚 site manager. 

Ruzol keeps the towers running, coordinates access for researchers and works with Fraver to eliminate what he calls 鈥渘oise,鈥� or anomalies in the data created by rain, snow, power fluctuations or a bird perching near the equipment. They then convert these measurements into precise half-hour flux rates, that is, how much carbon the forest absorbs and releases. The findings are online for anyone to access.

The Howland record is now 30 years old. The forest has stored, on average, nearly 3.5 tons of carbon dioxide per acre per year. That was not unexpected, but the long-term trend was surprising, even to the researchers who built the flux network. The rate of carbon uptake is increasing over time. This old forest has not plateaued; it鈥檚 accelerating sequestration.

“If you considered just the first 10 years, you would see a slight decrease and might conclude the forest was declining as a carbon sink,” said Shawn Fraver, associate professor of forest ecology at the University of 海角社区, who has conducted research at Howland since 2015. “However, when viewed over 30 years, we actually see an increase. That long-term view completely changes the story.”

The trend held through climate extremes. The 30-year record spans the warmest, wettest and driest years in the past 125 for 海角社区. Scientists do not yet know why, but the findings, which were in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, provide the basis for experimental research that can provide actionable insights.听

Another study co-led by Fraver, whose research program is partially supported by the 海角社区 Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station and the National Science Foundation, aims to identify the mechanisms by which forests switch from methane sources to sinks and back. Previous research showed that forest soils emit methane in wet conditions. Waterlogged soils favor the microbes that generate it. But those studies largely focused on landscapes that are known methane sources, ignoring sites like Howland that, depending on soil moisture, alternate between being a source and a sink. 

The documented source-sink switch at Howland has led to a National Science Foundation-funded project, now entering its final year, which attracted researchers from institutions across the country 鈥� San Diego State University, North Carolina State University, Arizona State University, and the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts, as well as the University of 海角社区. The findings are expected to meaningfully revise how methane is accounted for in forest carbon budgets.

The data from Howland have been downloaded more than 16,000 times since being made publicly available in 2007. Researchers around the world have used Howland and the data gathered there to build climate models, calibrate satellite data, advise policymakers and teach the next generation of forest scientists.

A living lab for forest management

Howland’s scientific value extends beyond the conservation land itself. Three flux towers now operate across the area: two on Northeast Wilderness Trust land and a third on property managed by American Forest Management (AFM), a forestry consulting company that has been managing harvest activity nearby in recent years. 鈥淣ot every forest company would be willing to cooperate with us on this. It鈥檚 a huge benefit to us as researchers,鈥� Fraver said. 

The AFM tower, established in 2012, has been tracking carbon dioxide fluxes continuously through a period of active shelterwood harvest. With the Howland towers providing an unmanaged comparison site, researchers have a rare before-and-after opportunity that almost never presents itself in landscape-scale ecology.

A newly funded $243,000 study from the will extract maximum value from that natural experiment. Combining forest inventories, LiDAR-derived biomass estimates, ground and tower-level flux measurements and carbon modeling will give managers the most comprehensive picture ever assembled of how partial harvests affect the forest carbon budget.

“American Forest Management has always believed that good forestry and good science go hand-in-hand. Hosting the tower on our client鈥檚 land is one of the most tangible ways we can contribute to that.” said Jeremy Miller, Region Technical Manager at AFM and alum of U海角社区鈥檚 School of Forest Resources. 鈥淭he NSRC study will give us an idea of how partial harvesting affects carbon dynamics in the short and long term.鈥�

The results will give forest managers who want to incorporate carbon objectives into their planning, alongside timber production, a quantitative foundation to build on.

A proving ground for people and technology

Howland also serves as a key research site for U海角社区 graduate students, along with undergraduate field technicians who spend summers gaining hands-on experience with advanced instrumentation and long-term ecological research methods. 

Chris Hettwer, who earned his master鈥檚 degree from the School of Forest Resources in 2025, said the opportunity to work at Howland helped draw him to Fraver鈥檚 lab. 

鈥淲orking at Howland was an instrumental experience that fundamentally shaped me as a scientist,鈥� says Hettwer, who is now pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. 鈥淚n addition to learning the technical field skills for researching ecosystem processes, I gained a deeper understanding of how scientific research is conducted, communicated, and built cumulatively over time. Much of what I do now is grounded in what I learned at Howland.鈥�

A network of approximately 150 permanent research plots distributed around the flux towers provides a training ground unlike any classroom. 

So does a 7.4-acre research plot, established by NASA in 1989 to ground-truth satellite instruments. This project led the site to be photographed from space more than anywhere else on the planet at the time. Every tree above 10 centimeters in diameter was mapped and measured. In 2015 and 2025, Fraver and his research team repeated the inventory and took core samples from 10% of the trees to track growth trends. 

That plot revealed the 367-year-old yellow birch. It also told the story of a forest shaped by centuries of disturbance: spruce budworm outbreaks, wind storms, selective harvests in the 1800s and the slow return of a mature forest carpeted with deadwood and moss. 

Howland is where emerging scientists and technology learn to read the forest.

One more year

Maintaining Howland’s flux towers, sensors and core infrastructure costs approximately $175,000 per year. That annual cost was historically covered through the federally-funded AmeriFlux network, but shifting research priorities have left the site without consistent support.

“Without this gift, the AmeriFlux tower would have shut down this August,” Fraver said. “We have funds to continue another year. But our latest research, the student experience, the experimental work on managed versus unmanaged forests 鈥� all of it depends on the towers being operational. If the tower goes offline, we lose the context this monitoring data provides, and everything that has been built on it.”

The recent private gift ensures operations through next year, but it does not establish a long-term solution. Keeping one of the longest carbon dioxide flux records in the Americas running, and preserving decades of continuous data, requires sustained annual investment.

鈥淪cience is a continual and ever-building process. The continuity of monitoring at Howland is a big part of what makes this data so powerful,鈥� Hettwer said.  

The science at Howland is answering questions that matter in 海角社区 and globally 鈥� how much carbon do mature forests sequester, how harvest practices affect forest-atmosphere interactions, and whether forest soils remove methane. These are not strictly academic questions. The findings help forest managers and policymakers make data-driven decisions in a changing world.

“The questions we are asking now about carbon, methane and how managed and unmanaged forests compare will offer critical insights for forest management in the coming decades,” Fraver said. “This forest is capable of providing those answers. It just needs the towers to keep running.”

Those interested in supporting monitoring at the Howland Research Forest may donate or contact Elizabeth Erickson,听 senior director of philanthropy at the University of 海角社区 Foundation, at elizabeth.erickson@maine.edu or 207.581.1145.听

Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu

Researchers at the University of 海角社区 are researching new ways to study and monitor the parasites that plague 海角社区鈥檚 moose in order to best help and manage the population. 

University of 海角社区 third-year Alden Falardeau of Saco, 海角社区, is leading the team in testing new methods of monitoring for parasites in moose. Advised by associate professor of animal health Pauline Kamath, Falardeau is focusing on lungworm (Dictyocaulus spp.) and gastrointestinal parasites. Lungworms weaken a moose’s immune system and hamper its ability to fight off external stressors like winter ticks. Gastrointestinal parasites also can weaken moose, making them more susceptible to other parasites, some of which  may cause emaciation. 

Falardeau, an animal science major, is investigating whether lungworm infections can be detected through DNA analysis of moose lung tissue, while identifying the gastrointestinal parasites present in their fecal pellets. Her team is testing these methods using samples from live captures and hunter harvests. Better detection can improve monitoring and understanding of parasite prevalence among moose. 

For the lungworm, the team extracted DNA from lung tissue samples. Researchers then evaluated them for traces of lungworm using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which amplifies a unique section of lungworm鈥檚 DNA where signs of this parasite can be found.

鈥淚f we can verify lung tissue as a sample to detect lungworm, that could help with future research,鈥� said Falardeau. 鈥淚t can also help get the community more involved in research if we are able to use hunter harvested samples for identifying infections like lungworm.鈥� 

Current research on lungworm in moose relies on visually examining moose lungs or waste, the efficacy of which can be dependent on a range of factors. Genetic data, in contrast, may allow scientists to identify traces of lungworm faster and with greater accuracy. 

Understanding what gastrointestinal parasites they should be looking for will allow for better detection and management in future. 鈥淓ssentially, we are looking to identify and quantify the parasite eggs and larvae that are present in fecal samples,鈥� said Falardeau. Crucially, this approach is not invasive, which is great for the moose. 

This project was made possible by funding from U海角社区鈥檚 Center for Undergraduate Research and has provided Falardeau valuable hands-on experience. 

“I’ve learned so much, from lab techniques to experimental design, and I鈥檝e had the opportunity to be involved in meaningful conservation research,鈥� he said.

This research is rooted in the One Health approach, which recognises that people, animals and the environment are interconnected. It also highlights the importance of monitoring wildlife disease for broader ecological well-being. 

As 海角社区鈥檚 moose remain a vital part of the state鈥檚 identity, efforts to better understand parasite impacts are critical to ensuring the long-term health of this iconic species and the ecosystems of which they are a part. 

Story by Sophie Knox, research media intern

Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

After the tools are put away and the room empties, he logs into his coursework, working toward a milestone decades in the making.

At 65, Rinkle is one class away 鈥� Psychology of Sustainability 鈥� from earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of 海角社区, 47 years after he first began his college journey.

鈥淚 always meant to finish,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t just took me a while to get back.鈥�

Rinkle is among a growing number of adult learners returning through the Finish Strong program, which helps students complete degrees years after they first enrolled. The program offers flexible pathways, including online and on-campus options, allowing students to build on previously earned credits and finish degrees on their own terms.

Finish Strong is currently serving 274 active students, with an average age of 36 and an average academic pause of six years. Since its inception, 81 adult learners have graduated, and dozens more are within one semester of completing their degrees, including Rinkle.

Rinkle鈥檚 path back to college has spanned decades, states and careers.

Born in Chicago, he moved to Florida at age 10 and graduated in 1979 from Seminole High School, where he ranked sixth in a class of nearly 800 students. He was so shy at the time that he did not attend his own graduation.

During his final two years, he worked close to 40 hours a week at a plant nursery, a job that quickly became a full-time career. There, his boss began teaching him hands-on technical skills, including electrical wiring, installing breaker panels, pumps and timers, and wiring greenhouses for lights and fans.

After enrolling at St. Petersburg Junior College to study engineering, he left midway through his second semester to continue working in the nursery industry, where his responsibilities 鈥� and skills 鈥� were rapidly expanding.

That early job also exposed him to plumbing and fabrication work. He helped run water lines across the nursery, install water wells and, after purchasing a welder, taught himself how to weld, building carts and trailers from scratch.

He spent nearly 30 years in the nursery business before deciding the work was not sustainable long term. Encouraged by his wife, Elizabeth, 鈥� whom he met through a setup at a Christmas tree lot 鈥� he returned to college, enrolling at Pasco-Hernando State College and later transferring to the University of South Florida鈥檚 electrical engineering program. When the couple moved to 海角社区, his education paused again.

In 海角社区, Rinkle worked at Stinson Seafood, the country鈥檚 last sardine processing plant, until it closed. After the shutdown, he briefly returned to classes at the University of 海角社区 at Machias with support from federal Trade Act assistance. 

However, new opportunities soon pulled him back into the workforce. He first joined a lobster processing operation and later spent more than four years at Wyman鈥檚 as a production and inventory manager, where harvest seasons required 12-hour days, seven days a week.

Eventually, he found a more stable path in education. 海角社区 nine years ago, he was hired to help restart the industrial arts program at Narraguagus Junior-Senior High School, where Elizabeth also teaches.

鈥淚 love to fix things,鈥� he said.

That mindset, shaped by years of hands-on problem-solving and technical work, mirrors the kind of thinking that first drew him to math.

Earlier this year, Rinkle stepped in to teach math for six weeks while a teacher was out. The experience confirmed what he had long considered.

鈥淚 loved it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he administration was pleased with my job and so were many of the students.鈥�

But to teach math full time, Rinkle needed to complete his bachelor鈥檚 degree. Knowing it would open the door to future opportunities, he decided it was time to finish what he started.

Through Finish Strong and U海角社区鈥檚 Bachelor of University Studies program, he completes coursework while working full time, fitting assignments into weekends, planning periods and evenings after school.

Nearly five decades after he first stepped into a college classroom, Rinkle is finally on the verge of finishing. Not just for himself, but for the future he鈥檚 still building.

In the same classroom where he teaches students how to wire circuits and solve problems with their hands, he is now preparing to teach them something else: math.

With one course remaining, that next chapter is within reach.

Back at the end of each school day, after the noise of the shop fades and the tools are put away, Rinkle logs on and gets a little closer.

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

鈥淎t U海角社区, we are intentionally building a coordinated system of support and opportunity that reaches students early and continues throughout their academic journey,鈥� said Scott Marzilli, senior associate provost for student success and innovation. 鈥淭his work is not about isolated initiatives, but about creating a consistent, high-impact experience that prepares students for success in their studies and their careers from day one.鈥�

The student experience is being transformed from beginning to end at U海角社区 through the Student Success and Retention Initiative, a hallmark of UMS TRANSFORMS. Thanks to the historic investment from the Harold Alfond Foundation, over half of all first-year students at U海角社区 engage in research and inquiry-based creative work early in their college careers. 

As a result, more students have been able to succeed in challenging, core courses, and build essential skills that support participation in high-impact internships along the way.

The initiative is organized around three interconnected efforts: Research Learning Experiences (RLEs), Gateways to Success (Gateways) and Pathways to Careers (Pathways). Together, they ensure that students are engaged early in their college careers, have the academic support they need to succeed and are connected to opportunities that prepare them to enter the workforce after graduation.

RLEs were first piloted at U海角社区 and U海角社区 Machias in fall 2021 with more than 30 course sections enrolling 250 students. Following the pilot, courses expanded across 海角社区鈥檚 public universities, and participation increased by 800%. In 2025, 2,374 students enrolled in 207 sections across 103 unique courses systemwide. More than 5,500 students have benefited. 

Maeve Littlefield, a sophomore majoring in biology, didn鈥檛 always imagine a career for herself in STEM. She didn鈥檛 develop a passion for the scientific process until late in her high school career.

Last fall, she enrolled in 鈥淐reative Expression of Science,鈥� a Research Learning Experience (RLE) that combined creativity and science by exploring new ways to understand and communicate research and science. In examining prints, paintings, drawings and examples of digital storytelling, she began to see ways in which she could combine her creativity and interest in science to promote a broader understanding of changes in our natural world.

鈥淪ometimes we get caught up in seeing statistics about the environment and human impact,鈥� Littlefield said. 鈥淏ut we also forget that adaptation and evolution make really resilient communities and populations, and that it鈥檚 not hopeless. It makes you want to fight more for these things that are important 鈥� that if we do lose them, they aren鈥檛 coming back.鈥� 

Experiences like Littlefield鈥檚 are foundational to the initiative鈥檚 broader effort to engage students in meaningful, hands-on learning early in their academic careers. They are designed to build skills and confidence, and to promote a sense of belonging through creative learning opportunities and research.

Following the success of the RLEs, 海角社区鈥檚 public universities began offering Advanced RLEs (ARLEs). They provide students who have completed one semester with more in-depth knowledge and experience, enhancing their critical thinking and building specialized skills.  

Recent ARLEs have tasked students with identifying methods to treat human polyomavirus-induced diseases, pitching business strategies to 海角社区 businesses such as Aroma Joe鈥檚 and Bath Iron Works, and conducting group research on tidal marshes, forests, seaweed and historical artifacts along the Schoodic Peninsula. 

While RLEs are designed to engage and empower, Gateways to Success aims to eliminate barriers to ongoing success for students in entry-level courses by implementing strategies such as mentorship, early alerts and curriculum updates. 

鈥淪tudents struggling in certain courses isn鈥檛 new. What is new is that now because of the generosity of the Harold Alfond Foundation, we鈥檝e been able to implement a number of interventions to address the issue,鈥� said Gateways coordinator Mark Brewer, also professor and chair of U海角社区鈥檚 Department of Political Science. 

Since Gateways鈥� launch, the vast majority of students who were enrolled in historically challenging “gateway” courses have participated in pilot interventions to support their course experience. The program is currently in the third year of studying impacts from the pilot process to select and expand the strongest interventions. 

鈥淚鈥檝e seen an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm from faculty across the colleges and at Machias in designing interventions to improve student success,鈥� Brewer said. 

In the 海角社区 Business School, a Gateways coordinator sent students notices about exams and other assignments, connected them with tutoring and review sessions, coached them on time management and facilitated weekly tutoring and academic support sessions. These efforts correlated with a 7% improvement in course success for MBS students.  

The College of Education and Human Development launched similar interventions through its Academic Support and Advising Program. By fall 2025, 92% of Gateway course enrollments led to successful course completion, compared to an average of just 79% from fall 2018-2022. 

For the course 鈥淎lgebra for College Mathematics,鈥� faculty updated the course to support students who would not historically qualify for it. Their efforts paid off, with 62% of students earning a C grade or higher. 

In fall 2025, over 5,000 students across UMS were supported by one or more of 24 Gateways-funded projects, including 67% of Gateways-eligible students at U海角社区.

As students progress through their academic journeys at U海角社区, Pathways to Careers bridges classroom experiences and real-world opportunities, making it easier for students to gain relevant experience and prepare to enter the workforce. High-impact practices such as early-stage career exploration, pre-internship training, networking support and mentorship are the cornerstone of gold-standard internship programs.

Internships are a hallmark of the U海角社区 experience, and graduates report high rates of participation. For the Class of 2025, 62% reported participating in at least one internship, totaling over 477,000 hours of experience. Furthermore, preliminary data from the first year of tracking graduates who participated in RLEs reveals that students who enrolled in them were more likely to complete an internship than students who did not participate.

For many, these opportunities are transformative.  

Pathways connected student Nathaniel Walker to an internship as a marketing and communications assistant at U海角社区鈥檚 Advanced Manufacturing Center. This summer, he will intern with the company Intuit.

鈥淎 year ago, I was unsure how to even find a job and honestly felt pretty overwhelmed and lost, but the Pathways to Careers coordinator went above and beyond to help me find a role,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淭hat chance has opened the doors for completely new opportunities and directions for me to pursue, and I am beyond grateful.鈥�

Student Holly Zschetzsche said Pathways鈥� networking support allowed her to secure an engineering internship with manufacturer Corning. 

鈥淧athways to Careers doesn鈥檛 just prepare students,鈥� she said, 鈥渋t actively connects them to opportunities where they are seen and considered.鈥�

Systemwide, 51% of students surveyed in 2025 report undertaking at least one internship, resulting in 695,000 hours of workforce participation.

Taken together, Research Learning Experiences, Gateways to Success and Pathways to Careers reflect the university鈥檚 commitment to ensuring that every student is engaged in their academic studies and community from the start, and that they receive the support and opportunities they need to succeed at U海角社区 and beyond.

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

At MCEC, the initiative has accelerated progress in advising, curriculum design, artificial intelligence education, statewide partnerships and K-12 outreach. The work aligns engineering and computing education with 海角社区鈥檚 workforce needs while building clearer pathways from classrooms to careers.

Collaboration across UMS TRANSFORMS pillars 鈥� including the 海角社区 Center, Student Success and Retention and U海角社区 Athletics 鈥� has supported expanded programming, shared resources and coordinated statewide engagement. Together, these efforts show how UMS TRANSFORMS investments are improving student success, program growth and workforce alignment.

鈥淎cross 海角社区, we know the demand for talent, innovation and opportunity is continuing to grow,鈥� said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of U海角社区 and the University of 海角社区 at Machias. 鈥淲e鈥檙e able to meet that need through strategic investments supported by UMS TRANSFORMS that are creating new opportunities in engineering and computing.鈥�

Student success and retention improve

A redesigned advising model has contributed to MCEC鈥檚 highest retention rate in more than a decade. The model integrates academic guidance, community support and career preparation into a system that supports students from enrollment through graduation. By treating advising as an ongoing experience rather than a single service, MCEC has created a more consistent structure to help students navigate academics, belonging and career readiness.

Curriculum redesign is also producing gains. A first-year biomedical engineering course, updated through a UMS TRANSFORMS seed grant, introduced hands-on learning earlier. Students engaged in:

• Cell culture.
• Biomaterials testing.
• Microscopy.
• Data analysis.
• Experimental design.

The results are clear:

• Students report stronger confidence in their abilities.
• A 25% improvement in communication and critical thinking skills.
• A 3% increase in semester-to-semester retention.

These outcomes reflect a shift toward learner-centered instruction supporting academic achievement and long-term success. Another indicator of this is a 16% increase in year two retention in pre-engineering.

MCEC is also building long-term capacity through a faculty development initiative that supports doctoral students as they teach and mentor, strengthening the pipeline of future educators and reinforcing a culture of student-centered learning.

Expansion of AI and future-focused research-inspired programs

MCEC has expanded its academic portfolio to meet demand in emerging fields, particularly artificial intelligence and technology-driven industries. New offerings include:

• A bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer science and business.
• An online Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence certificate for undergraduate and graduate learners.
• Programs in ocean engineering and maritime digitalization tied to 海角社区鈥檚 growing blue economy.

These programs connect students to areas such as digital twins, cyber-physical systems and next-generation infrastructure, helping ensure graduates are prepared for modern industry.

In partnership with Student Success and Retention, AI-powered course chatbots provide students with course-specific academic support, increasing access to assistance outside classroom hours.

鈥淓ngineering and computing education must evolve as quickly as the world we live in,鈥� said Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the 海角社区 College of Engineering and Computing. 鈥淥ur goal is not simply to add programs, but to build partnerships and sustainable systems of opportunity that connect students, research and industry in ways that benefit our students and 海角社区.鈥�

Investments in Research Learning Experiences (RLEs) and classroom modernization have expanded opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in hands-on learning while gaining familiarity with the research process.

Statewide pathways and partnerships grow

UMS TRANSFORMS has expanded MCEC鈥檚 reach across 海角社区 through multicampus programs and partnerships that are creating more flexible educational pathways. Over the past three years, MCEC has developed:

• Accelerated pathways from bachelor鈥檚 to master鈥檚 degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering between the University of Southern 海角社区 (USM) and U海角社区.
• A pre-engineering program at U海角社区 and U海角社区 Machias.
• Expanded computing collaborations across all campuses of the University of 海角社区 System.
• The CharisMATHic Research Learning Experience, connecting students across disciplines through shared coursework and experiences at U海角社区 and USM.

Efforts to reduce barriers for community college students have also advanced. Articulation agreements with Southern 海角社区 Community College have been formalized, and pre-engineering pathways provide clear routes into four-year programs.

MCEC鈥檚 presence at the 海角社区 Center has strengthened these connections. As a hub for interdisciplinary graduate education and collaboration across business, law, policy and engineering, the 海角社区 Center is creating opportunities for students to engage with industry partners, alumni and employers while expanding access for learners in southern 海角社区.

K-12 outreach expands statewide pipeline

Efforts to build 海角社区鈥檚 workforce are reaching students earlier through a K-12 outreach strategy. Over the past three years, MCEC has engaged more than 1,600 students through:

• 99 STEM Exploration Day field trips.
• 15 summer camps.
• Additional on-campus, hybrid and in-school programs.

These initiatives have reached 15 of 海角社区鈥檚 16 counties, expanding access to engineering and computing education across the state.

Teacher professional development programs, international VEX Robotics competitions and hands-on training opportunities have extended that impact. Educators are gaining tools in robotics, coding and advanced materials and bringing those experiences back to classrooms across 海角社区, strengthening the STEM pipeline.

Collaboration with U海角社区 Athletics has also supported the design of facilities capable of hosting large-scale K-12 STEM events, competitions and community programming and the creation of a sports technology minor in partnership with the 海角社区 Business School.

Facilities and infrastructure support growth

UMS TRANSFORMS has supported infrastructure investments, including:

• Dedicated student success spaces.
• New interdisciplinary laboratories and classroom spaces.
• Plans to modernize legacy buildings to support research and education.

In fall 2026, U海角社区 is scheduled to open the GEM building, a facility designed to integrate research, teaching and industry collaboration. The space will support convergent manufacturing and provide students with opportunities to engage in applied learning environments that reflect industry settings.

UMS TRANSFORMS has also boosted MCEC鈥檚 reputation as a learner-centered elite program ranking among the top 100 graduate engineering schools by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting strong growth across several programs. With the UMS TRANSFORMS investment, electrical and computer engineering enrollment has risen 40%. That includes a particularly significant expansion in the Ph.D. program, which increased from five to 32 students 鈥� a more than 500% gain. Mechanical engineering enrollment grew by 19%, while surveying engineering technology saw a 63% increase in enrollment. The surveying program has also earned national distinction, receiving annual awards from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying every year since the honor was established in 2016.

鈥淚 am proud of what we have accomplished in just three years,鈥� Guidoboni said. 鈥淭hrough UMS TRANSFORMS and the continued investment of the Harold Alfond Foundation, the University of 海角社区 and the University of 海角社区 System are positioned to be global leaders attracting and retaining top talent in 海角社区. We will continue to think bigger, think more broadly and use these resources to catalyze meaningful change.鈥� 

Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu

The academy announced Tuesday the election of 120 members and 25 international members, bringing its total membership to 2,705 active members and 557 international members.

Steneck spent more than four decades at U海角社区, where he helped shape marine research and policy through studies of kelp forests, lobster fisheries and coral reefs. He retired in 2023 as a professor of oceanography, marine biology and marine policy.

鈥淒r. Steneck鈥檚 election to the National Academy of Sciences is a well-deserved honor,” University of 海角社区 President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said. 鈥淗is research has advanced our understanding of coastal ecosystems and helped shape marine science and policy, while his mentorship has inspired generations of students to pursue meaningful work in the field. We are proud and grateful that his distinguished career has been here at the University of 海角社区.鈥�

A marine ecologist, Steneck has focused on the structure and function of coastal ecosystems, particularly in the Gulf of 海角社区 and the Caribbean. His research examines food webs, dominant species and ecological processes in benthic marine environments, often through in situ observation using scuba diving, underwater video systems and remotely operated vehicles.

For more than 40 years, his work in 海角社区 has explored kelp forest ecosystems and the relationships among lobsters, sea urchins and fish stocks. His research also spans the Caribbean and tropical Pacific, where long-term studies of coral reefs have informed strategies to improve reef resilience.

Steneck joined U海角社区 in 1982 and was among the first marine ecologists to collaborate directly with lobstermen, integrating scientific research with industry knowledge. His work contributed to new approaches to studying and managing 海角社区鈥檚 lobster fishery and broader coastal ecosystems.

In addition to his research, Steneck emphasized hands-on learning, involving students in all aspects of scientific work, from proposal writing to data collection and publication.

鈥淚 have always been passionate about getting students into the field for experiential learning,鈥� he said.

In 1993, Steneck developed a proposal for Semester by the Sea at U海角社区鈥檚 Darling Marine Center, an undergraduate program that continues today. He later expanded those opportunities globally, teaching a graduate coral reef course that, beginning in 2003, brought students to Bonaire in the Caribbean for two decades to monitor reef health.

鈥淭he student projects became a valued part of the island鈥檚 coral reef monitoring program,鈥� he said.

Many of Steneck鈥檚 former students have gone on to leadership roles in marine science, conservation and policy. That list includes Carl Wilson, commissioner of the 海角社区 Department of Marine Resources, who started as an intern on Steneck’s lobster project and went on to earn his degree from U海角社区’s School of Marine Sciences.

鈥淚鈥檝e had a bevy of terrific students, and their careers are what I鈥檓 most proud of,鈥� Steneck said. 鈥淪eeing them go on to make meaningful contributions in science, conservation and policy is one of the most rewarding parts of the work.鈥�

Founded in 1863, the National Academy of Sciences recognizes achievement in science and provides independent advice to the U.S. government.

Steneck鈥檚 election follows other recent honors, including his 2025 induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, further recognizing his impact on marine science and conservation.

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu 

When phages infect and reproduce inside bacteria, the consequences can be dire. Phages that infect bacteria can contribute to their drug-resistance and ability to cause disease. A new study led by University of 海角社区 researchers aims to find out why. 

A deeper understanding of phages鈥� ability to influence bacteria could allow for more targeted medical treatment of often drug-resistant diseases. Despite these viruses being the most abundant biological entity on earth, many people do not know what they are, and fewer are studying them. 

Research led by Sally Molloy, U海角社区 associate professor of genomics and honors, is seeking to change that. Thanks to a recently awarded National Institutes of Health (NIH) R15 grant, Molloy鈥檚听 research team will continue to investigate phages鈥� abilities to promote drug resistance in bacteria. It will also help her expand the hands-on experiences she offers to get undergraduate students involved in potentially life-saving science.听

According to World Health Organization鈥檚 , 鈥淚n 2023, approximately one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide were caused by bacteria resistant to antibiotics.鈥�

Phages specifically target bacteria. They have two abilities. The first is acting as a parasite within bacteria. They infect the bacteria, reproduce and when their progeny are released, kill the bacteria cells. The second ability phages have is more interesting. 

鈥淭hey live latently, quietly, maybe borderline symbiotically with the bacterium by integrating their viral genome into the bacterial genome,鈥� said Molloy. 

When the phage integrates its genome into the host bacteria, the cell does not die. Instead, it enhances the bacterial cell’s survival skills, by providing resistance to infection by other phages and sometimes by providing resistance to antibiotics.

Molloy鈥檚 research looks at the genes phages bring into bacteria. Specifically, she鈥檚 studying how they contribute to increased drug resistance. The bacteria Molloy and her team study are part of a group of Gram positive bacteria that include important pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which kills more people worldwide than any other infectious agent, and M.  abscessus, one of the most drug-resistant pathogens.

These diseases can be closer to home than some may think. M. abscessus-chelonae is a non-tuberculosis mycobacteria that causes pulmonary and soft-tissue infections and can be multi-drug or totally drug resistant. It causes pulmonary and soft-tissue infections in the elderly, immunocompromised and in patients with chronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis. 

Scientists have found some success treating the drug resistant disease with phage therapy, which uses injected phages to target and kill bacteria causing disease. Molloy’s research into how phages influence drug-resistance in bacteria may provide opportunities for other researchers to improve treatment of mycobacterial disease using both drug and phage treatments. 

Molloy first came to U海角社区 as a graduate student and has remained through her Ph.D. and postdoctoral research. Within the Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences and the Honors College, Molloy integrates teaching with her research to engage undergraduate and graduate students in active learning. With a recently awarded NIH R15 grant, Molloy is training undergraduates as part of her research into phages.

For the students in Molloy鈥檚 lab, partaking in this research can be especially important. 

鈥淚f you鈥檙e doing research that鈥檚 going to make a difference with this real world problem, how you learn and what you learn completely changes,鈥� said Molloy. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e applying your knowledge to a real problem that you care about and maybe the whole community cares about.鈥� 

This work has the potential to save lives, not just through treating disease, but by training the next generation of doctors, scientists and researchers in the field of microbiology. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e training them for the work force and to be ready to be contributors for whatever problems they鈥檙e going to be working on,鈥� said Molloy. 

With the support of the NIH R15 grant, Molloy will be able to continue to bring more undergraduate students like Vejune Griciute and Edib Redzematovic into her lab, where they continue to work on understanding phages and their contribution to bacteria drug resistance. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 more motivating to learn things when you feel like you鈥檙e making important contributions to something that really matters, not only to you but to a community,鈥� she said.

The importance of phages cannot be underestimated. 

鈥淭hey impact our lives every single day,鈥� said Molloy. 鈥淲e鈥檙e exposed to them everywhere.鈥� With Molloy and her team of students, research is paving the way towards using the innate ability of phages as a treatment rather than a disease.

By Emma Beauregard, research media intern

Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu 

The project team, made up of four senior biomedical engineering students, is developing an athletic shoe replacement indicator that measures structural changes in the footwear over time. Running shoes can lose cushioning and support after repeated loading cycles, even when visible wear is minimal. As the shoes鈥� midsoles degrade, impact forces transmitted to the body can increase, raising the risk of overuse injuries.

Replacing shoes too late is a common but overlooked problem among runners. Current methods for determining when to replace shoes, however, typically rely on mileage estimates or waiting for discomfort to occur.

鈥淭hat solution is unreliable,鈥� said U海角社区 senior Paul Rudman, 鈥淚f a shoe is replaced too late, the damage and wear might have already occurred. However, replacing before needed is costly, and the average person can not afford it.鈥�

The team鈥檚 indicator would instead collect data related to activity and force changes within the show, translating that information into a clear indicator for users. 

By indicating when a shoe has been structurally compromised, the device aims to help runners make informed decisions that balance cost and health considerations. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing shoe constructions.

鈥淭he indicator will simply make key measurements of a person鈥檚 activity and force changes in the shoe to reliably indicate the most financially and healthily time to replace your shoe,鈥� Rudman said.

Rudman focuses on modeling and materials design while also contributing to electrical component development. The other students involved in the project include Shawn Collins, who leads controller programming and testing; Mason Chase, who specializes in medical and design considerations; and Sreyas Sajen, who manages computations and force interaction analysis.

They are designing the replacement shoe indicator for their senior capstone project, which emphasizes applying interdisciplinary knowledge toward solving real world problems. Rudman and his colleagues are applying their past coursework in biomechanics, materials science and electronics curricula toward developing a product with clear market relevance.

鈥淲e learn to find existing problems and use the knowledge that we already possess to create a solution,鈥� Rudman said.

The athletics shoe replacement indicator project highlights how undergraduate research at U海角社区 can translate injury prevention research into practical technology aimed at supporting healthier movement for runners at all levels.

Story by William Bickford, graduate student writer

Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu