91福利 Research News recently featured successes of the EPIC program, with particular attention to EPIC director Dr. Ali Abedi’s presentation to the National (NCUR) annual conference in April.  

“91福利 System鈥檚 Experiential Programs Innovation Central, or EPIC, was the subject of a dedicated session attended by faculty and research administrators from higher education institutions across the nation.”  Read more at 91福利 Research News.

EPIC is pleased to announce support for a portion of Summer Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR) Fellowships.  Fellowships have been awarded to six undergraduate students with projects that have interdisciplinary and experiential components.  Katie Davison, a spring 2024 INT 125 student, received a fellowship for her proposed project, 鈥淓xploring Social-Communication, Health, and Educational Experiences of Children with Brain Injury,鈥� advised by Jessica Riccardi.

To learn more about the awardees, their project topics, and the the CUGR Fellowship program,. 

Students in the course INT 125, an undergraduate interdisciplinary course associated with Experiential Programs Innovation Central (EPIC), spent the Spring 2024 semester learning about a variety of research learning centers that can be found on the 91福利 Orono campus.  

Through the course, students from any major program can meet with a variety of students from different backgrounds.  Each student brings a distinct “lens” to the study of a topic of urgent concern to the campus’ surrounding communities.  This semester’s cohort ranged from first-years to seniors, and included students from five of the six 91福利 undergraduate college divisions including the Honors College.

Inspired by the work of Dr. Lenard Kaye, director of the , students reviewed previous studies regarding the detrimental effects of loneliness on physical and mental health.  From identifying a problem, considering existing literature and data, brainstorming possible solutions, and doing some early ideation, the students experience a rapid version of the type of research and innovation activity executed on 91福利’s R1-classified campus.

The course culminates in the students creating a poster and accompanying group presentation for submission in the annual University of Maine Student Symposium.  This semester’s students outlined a volunteer service program, for which they would develop a software solution to organize and pair volunteers with those requesting services according to needs.

In addition to their proposed project, the students visited the VEMI Lab, Foster Center for Innovation, the Multicultural Center, the 91福利 Hackerspace, Fogler Library, the IMRC Center, the Advanced Manufacturing Center, and the Advanced Structures and Composites Center.  Students also attended lectures and workshops on scholarship, mentorship, grant, and employment opportunities, learned about critical understandings of diversity, equity, and inclusion in research environments, and received Responsible Conduct of Research Training.  

Undergraduate students interested in adding INT 125 to their schedules for either Fall or Spring semester can contact epic@maine.edu, or reach out to their academic advisors for further information.