After earning his chemical engineering degree in Pakistan in 2018 and spending several years working in industry there and in Saudi Arabia, Sardar began to rethink what he wanted from his career. Watching former classmates leave for graduate school in the United States, he decided to apply as well. He dedicated to come to 91¸ŁŔű for an opportunity to work on a research project closely aligned with his undergraduate capstone.

“I originally came here just to do a master’s and then get a job, but I was having so much fun with the work that I decided to stay and do a Ph.D,” he said with a smile.

Sardar’s project focuses on developing new ways to make cellulose nanofiber directly from wood and other biomass, starting from raw material instead of purchased pulp.  This can be utilized in thin film packaging and bio composites. 

“Lignin is like a binding matrix that holds the tree together. We are trying to see what impact would lignin have on the properties of cellulose nanofiber,” explained Sardar.

He is testing how keeping more lignin, the natural glue in wood, changes the properties of cellulose nanofiber and how these lignin‑rich fibers can be blended with common plastics to create stronger, more sustainable composite materials. 

To test that, he prepares cellulose nanofiber from three different sources and compares how each behaves. 

Sardar’s process begins with raw biomass, different kinds of wood and recycled paper products, which he converts into different pulp using equipment at 91¸ŁŔű’s pilot plant in Old Town. From that pulp, he produces cellulose nanofiber and deliberately keeps varying the amount of lignin to study changes to the fiber’s properties. He repeats this with three feedstocks: pulp he makes directly from wood, material supplied by TimberHP (a Maine‑based manufacturer of wood‑fiber insulation) and recycled cardboard from a paper mill, then compares the resulting nanofibers. Finally, he blends these different cellulose nanofibers with plastics such as polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), and polylactic acid (PLA) to create and test composite materials that aim to be both stronger and more sustainable than conventional plastics.

“The challenge comes down to chemistry: bleached cellulose nanofiber is hydrophilic and attracts water, while plastics like polyethylene are hydrophobic and repel it. That mismatch keeps the fibers from dispersing evenly and bonds weakly with the plastic, resulting in poor properties of the bio composites. We are trying to incorporate lignin-containing cellulose nanofiber to address this challenge and enhance the properties of bio composites,” explained Sardar, “We want to use cellulose nanofiber to improve the properties of plastic, and then we are using that lignin that was derived during my reactions to give it a much better coupling.”

Because there are so many possible combinations of fiber source, lignin content and plastic type, he is also collaborating on an artificial intelligence component to guide experiments. Under the supervision of his advisor, Assistant Professor Chemical Engineering Sampath Gunukula, Sardar is working with fellow graduate student Md. Hafizur Rehman, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Prabuddha Chakraborty, Professor of Renewable Nanomaterials Mehdi Tajvidi and Director of 91¸ŁŔű’s Process Development Center Dr. Colleen Walker to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning models into his project, so that known material properties can be used to predict promising biocomposite formulations instead of relying only on thousands of trial‑and‑error experiments.

In addition to his lab work on lignin‑containing cellulose nanofibers and polymer composites, he helps design and lead “lab to classroom” activities that bring simple versions of his biomass experiments into school science classes. Sardar is committed to making sure younger students can see themselves in science and engineering.

“What we’re trying to do is educate the next generation about STEM, especially engineering and let them know that chemical engineering, and a place like 91¸ŁŔű, are actual options right here in Maine. If they see that early, staying in Maine to build a future in it becomes a real option, not something they have to leave the state to find,” said Sardar.

For him, those classroom visits are as energizing as any breakthrough in the lab. Many of the students initially think of wood only as fuel or as something you build cabinets with. 

Through his activities, he wants to broaden that view and show them that wood can also be turned into sustainable products, biofuels and other advanced materials. 

Hopefully, as sustainable materials advance and awareness grows, more people, especially children, will develop a mindset that values caring for the planet.

By Yoana Karageorgieva, research media intern

At the University of Maine, Professor of Anthropology Darren Ranco is at the forefront of this effort, working to embed Indigenous Knowledge in pedagogy and research. A citizen of the Penobscot Nation, this approach lies at the center of Ranco’s work with both the NSF EPSCoR Maine-FOREST and Maine-SMART. Serving as a primary investigator for themes on both EPSCoR grants, Ranco has the unique position to help mobilize Indigenous Knowledge across the university system, the state of Maine and education as a whole. 

With Maine-FOREST, Ranco’s work focuses on climate resilience and improving Indigenous access to traditional places. 

“We work with conservation and land partners to create a new mapping interface for Indigenous harvesters to be able to locate places that they have been locked out of because of conservation and other private property concerns, so creating frameworks of access helps reinvigorate Indigenous land care,” said Ranco. 

Through Maine-SMART, Ranco’s research is changing how research faculty and universities understand ecological knowledge and can incorporate Indigenous knowledge and science paradigms into the way they teach. To accomplish this, two cohorts of six 91¸ŁŔű faculty members across different disciplines have undergone training to change the way they teach core environmental science concepts, to better reflect Indigenous thought processes such as land stewardship and management. 

“All students benefit from being exposed to Indigenous Knowledge in science frameworks, in a respectful, ethical manner,” said Ranco. 

This program additionally helps empower Indigenous youth to seek out environmental and STEM careers, another research area that Ranco explores. He previously helped create the (WaYS) Program in 2012, which originally focused on integrating Indigenous knowledge into Western science curriculum for middle and high schoolers. 

“We found that this program created a lot of interest for Indigenous students entering the university system and they were excited to pursue environmental fields, but would then switch out often due to the way introductory classes were taught and the values reflected in those classes,” said Ranco. 

Ranco’s current programming with Maine-SMART works to shift the pedagogy in these courses while also creating frameworks of mentoring and support for students. 

“The real output and shift has been seen with the retention of Indigenous people in the life sciences, more degrees being awarded, and an increase of indigenous graduate students,” explained Ranco. “This has a significant impact on the University’s relationship with Indigenous communities and the projects we engage in, but it’s not just me anymore. It’s all of these students who are engaging in community-based research that’s supporting Indigenous sovereignty and also mobilizing Indigenous knowledge in a way that is ethical and framed up in the right way.”

For Ranco, his position with both EPSCoR grants reflects the core mission of a research university, engaging in community-led research while transforming educational systems to better support future researchers. 

“The promise of a research university is that students are being taught by the people creating new knowledge,” he said. “The research informs the pedagogy, and the pedagogy prepares the next generation to continue advancing that research.” 

By strengthening both research and education, Ranco’s work through Maine EPSCoR is helping create a more inclusive scientific community while demonstrating the value of Indigenous Knowledge as an essential component of environmental research, education and long-term stewardship. 

By Heather Johnson, EPSCoR graduate student

At the University of Maine, postdoc researcher Maurelio Cabo Jr. is strengthening this effort by bringing with him a global perspective. Originally from the Philippines, where he finished his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science, Cabo worked in the powder coating industry in Saudi Arabia for six years, studied for his master’s degree in Smart Manufacturing Engineering in South Korea, and earned his Ph.D. in Nanoscience at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro- Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. 

Working with 91¸ŁŔű’s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute (FBRI) and Process Development Center (PDC), Cabo is focused on creating new applications for nancellulose, a versatile and small form of CNF, across different disciplines and product applications. 

By developing ways nanocellulose can be functionalized for new products in different industries, Cabo hopes to create sustainable products with unique and impactful capabilities. His previous research focused on using bacteria as a producer of nanocellulose, creating anti-microbial wound dressings that help navigate antimicrobial resistance that emerges from overuse of antibiotics, in addition to being sustainable. 

At 91¸ŁŔű’s Product Development Center, Cabo hopes to utilize nanocellulose in alignment with the center’s mission to reduce plastic use while continuing to push the limits of bio-based materials and what they can accomplish. 

“I hope to utilize my background in flexible biomaterials, antimicrobial-resistant nanomaterials, and carbon-based research to create new composite systems out of nanocellulose at the PDC that solve energy, environmental, and biomedical problems while reducing the use of plastic,” said Cabo. 

His experience in industry also brings a unique perspective to this work, integrating his time as a quality control chemist in Saudi Arabia. 

“My background in Saudi Arabia focused on creating and testing coatings for substrate products and gaining knowledge of quality management,” explained Cabo, “which is an additional focus of the PDC here in Maine.”

Cabo hopes to use his broad professional experiences and expertise to help increase Maine’s biomaterials and manufacturing capacity, creating new products in a sustainable and functional manner. 

“My goal is to help develop new products that can be manufactured in a low-cost way that supports local economies through workforce development and future employment opportunities,” said Cabo. 

In addition to his research, Cabo is passionate about mentoring the next generation of researchers. With almost 20 publications, 11 of which were first-authored, in the last 6 years, Cabo hopes to use his experiences to help students gain their first publications during their time at the university, giving them valuable opportunities early in their careers. 

As 91¸ŁŔű continues expanding its leadership in forest-based biomaterials, Cabo’s combination of international research experience, industry knowledge and commitment to student mentorship will help strengthen the university’s efforts to develop sustainable technologies with real-world impact.

Story by Heather Johnson, Graduate Assistant

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

Kennedy Rubert-Nason, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, is testing a new technology for carbon sequestration: a novel form of biochar made from the byproducts of cellulosic biodiesel production. Traditional biochar is a type of charcoal that can be added to soil to increase aeration, water and nutrient retention, and carbon content. The new product can also increase soil carbon, water and nutrient retention, although it is more acidic and its texture is similar to sphagnum peat moss. Cellulosic biodiesel research is incredibly important to reducing the carbon footprint of industries like long-haul trucking. Biodiesel production yields waste products and some manufacturers are finding a new way to utilize that waste in creating biochar.

If this new biochar can perform these tasks well it could offer a new avenue for sustainability while making use of waste products. Parts of Maine’s forest industry have invested in biomass boilers that help generate energy and biochar from what is otherwise waste in their sawmills. Rubert-Nason’s team received biochar materials from the Clean Maine Carbon and Forest Biofuels Research Institute. They also received donated spruce seedlings for the work. 

Rubert-Nason and his team of undergraduate students are testing whether soil amendment with traditional biochar and the new type of biochar can increase retention of carbon in soil and drought resilience in saplings of four tree species: balsam poplars, norway and white spruces, and sugar maples. These tree species represent common broadleaved and coniferous trees in Maine’s forests, several of which are commercially important.  The tree saplings are being  monitored while growing under water-limited and unlimited conditions to explore how biochar impacts the soil respiration and growth of trees experiencing chronic low level drought. Recognizing the important relationship between soil microbiome and tree health, Rubert-Nason’s team is concurrently exploring how these different experimental treatments impact the abundance and types of bacteria found in soil. This work is particularly relevant because much of Maine is experiencing drought conditions–a problem that is likely to get worse under forecast climate change scenarios ().Ěý

Rubert-Nason’s team is supported by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR Maine-FOREST and Maine-SMART projects, and the Maine Economic Improvement Fund. If this new biochar effectively increases soil carbon storage and water retention, it could become a simple way for corporations to offset their emissions and earn carbon credits. More work is needed to optimize the logistics for application of biochar in forests at scale, which is currently receiving the attention of engineers. Further improvements in biochar technology and distribution networks will continue to push the sustainability of the forestry industry and help strengthen Maine’s forests.

Story by Nathan Deveney, Research Media Intern

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

His work in Maine exists at the intersection of different industries, working to understand how Maine’s communities interact with one another. In addition to working on the NSF EPSCor Maine-FOREST project, he is also a trainee in the NSF National Research Traineeship: 3D Ecosystem Science program. 

“I’ve gained experience in Maine’s local industries, first on waterfronts and now in forests. It’s important to understand the differences between coastal and forestry-based communities, and how they interact with each other,” said Colbert Stone. 

Colbert Stone, a self-described “convener,” focuses on bringing people and organizations together to best support one another and create meaningful change. Originally from Ohio, Colbert Stone began his academic career at Denison University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Black Studies and Women’s and Gender studies. He joined 91¸ŁŔű’s Anthropology and Environmental Policy Master’s program to merge his past interests with his future career goals in the environmental sector. 

While in Maine, Colbert Stone has been involved with multiple organizations that work to increase environmental stewardship across the state while supporting local communities. As a research assistant with Maine-FOREST, he is currently involved with research on rural communities and youth education. Working with Dr. Lydia Horne and Dr. Sandra De Urioste Stone, he researches rural and tribal communities and how they can educate students for the future. The research team partners with Rural Aspirations Project, a Maine nonprofit that empowers students in rural schools to engage in their communities with place-based projects. 

The goal is to support forest communities by strengthening educational opportunities and student community engagement through the Rural Aspirations Project. He is currently interviewing community partners, teachers and administrators involved with the Rural Aspirations Project and the Maine Forest Collaborative to better understand rural education and environmental stewardship. 

“Their theory of change is that rural schools are one of the only places that rural communities have left to get together as a community and have real outcomes and change. So using the school as an avenue for rural vitality, empowering kids to know that they have a future here in Maine and don’t have to leave to attain their goals. It’s been really nice getting to work with them,” said Colbert Stone. 

Beyond his work as a researcher, Colbert Stone has further contributed to the Rural Aspirations Project through his own connections. As a recipient of a Changemakers Fellowship from the Maine Environmental Education Association, he received funding for a community project of his choice. He directed those funds to support a new school participating in the Maine Forest Collaborative, a program of Rural Aspirations Project. This program allows students to create place-based community projects relating to sustainability and forest management. 

Working with an eighth-grade class at Piscataquis Community Secondary School, he helped expand a project on maple tree awareness. Building on students’ experience with maple tapping, the class is planning a community event to highlight the cultural and historical significance of maple trees, including connections to Wabanaki traditions.

“It felt like a win for everybody,” Colbert Stone said. “The students receive the funding directly and gain experience managing a project themselves.”

This work is part of Colbert Stone’s mission to engage with Maine’s vital industries, such as the forest and marine sectors. After graduating this spring, Colbert Stone will become a community engagement associate with the Maine Women’s Lobby, focusing on research coordination and community organizing. 

As the country’s most forested state, Maine requires a multifaceted approach to resource management. Forests must be managed to sustain growth while allowing timber and other wood products to be harvested. Weiskittel first became involved with EPSCoR in 2008, when he began his affiliation with the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute (FBRI) at 91¸ŁŔű. FBRI was established in 2006 as part of an EPSCoR grant to advance Maine’s progress in the bio-economy by leveraging forest products. A large part of Weiskittel’s work there focused on reframing the narrative on these products. 

“One of the challenges that we face with the forest sector is just people. People don’t really like seeing trees harvested, and I think we’re all taught at an early age that cutting a tree is a bad thing. So I think a lot of what we deal with is not necessarily technical issues, but more societal and policy issues,” said Weiskittel. 

More recently, Weiskittel led the multi-institutional NSF EPSCoRTrack-2 INSPIRES project, Leveraging Intelligent Informatics and Smart Data for Improved Understanding of Northern Forest Ecosystem Resilience (Award #OIA-1920908), which laid the groundwork for cross-disciplinary forest management and increased regional capacity. As a Track-2 grant, INSPIRES highlighted the value of collaboration with regional partners, enabling Maine to share expertise and learn from other jurisdictions. Awarded in 2019, INSPIRES fostered collaboration among Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, with a focus on strengthening relationships with similarly forested states that have a vested interest in the forest sector. A key aspect of this work was increasing monitoring efforts by developing new technologies. The INSPIRES project team furthered this task by developing new remote sensing technologies to assess forest conditions in real time and by creating models for future use. Remote sensing is an important tool for forestry, as it provides easier access to data. Many research sites are densely forested and lack cell service, making on-site data collection challenging. The challenge of data collection and the use of new technologies in forestry is part of Weiskittel’s current work with Maine-FOREST, an EPSCoR project that began in 2024. This research track, along with his prior work with FBRI, has led Weiskittel to consider how Maine can better conduct research, prepare for changing forests, and optimize output. 

The culmination of Weiskittel’s previous work with 91¸ŁŔű EPSCoR grants is manifested in his role as primary investigator and manager of the NSF E-RISE Maine-FOREST project (Award #OIA-2416915). Maine-FOREST highlights research on emerging technologies in the forestry sector that grow Maine’s capacity to measure and manage important aspects of forests. This grant is dedicated to advancing Maine’s forest-based economy through four intersecting themes: Environmental AI, Cellulosic Nanomaterials Bioproducts, Rural and Tribal Resilience, and Smart Rural Development. With this project, a diverse team of researchers across the state is working together to increase Maine’s position as a leader in forest-sector technology and innovation. 

“The overarching goal is, how do we do this in Maine? How do we take disruptive technologies like AI and some emerging uses of wood fiber to make new products, and how do we do that within the context of doing that in Maine? We’re dominated by a lot of rural communities, as well as the number one challenge that everyone in the state seems to be having, which is workforce development,” said Weiskittel. 

Currently, Weiskittel is helping 91¸ŁŔű embark on a new, exciting chapter in forestry. The university is a for place-based development and research under the NSF Engines Initiative. “This is a bold, new program for NSF, which is very interested in research that is relevant to the local economy and the state itself,” said Weiskittel. The Engine program awards a sizable investment to institutions working to improve their state through economic development and research aligned with a specific theme. 91¸ŁŔű is one of 15 finalists nationwide to advance to the final round of the program.

The mission of 91¸ŁŔű’s engagement in the Engine program continues all of Weiskittel’s work, “It’s the integration of our emerging new products, technologies, and AI, which are really going to drive the management of our forest, at the same time it’s developing and expanding the use of invaluable tools like LiDAR and other remote sensing platforms,” said Weiskittel. Along with related programs under 91¸ŁŔű’s Center for Research on Sustainable Forests and Weiskittel’s past work and continued efforts to better Maine’s forest sector, the future is bright and growing. 

Researchers at the University of Maine are advancing UAV technology as part of the NSF E-RISE Maine-FOREST project. 91¸ŁŔű Assistant Professor of Engineering Vikas Dhiman and Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student Arman Kiani are at the forefront of this effort. 

The team assembled custom-ordered drones that encompass a small computer that the AI runs on. Kiani works on the building and programming process, enabling the drones to observe and react to their environments. Guided by Dhiman, Kiani also debugs technical issues so the drones can successfully get off the ground. Once the drones are assembled, they have to learn how to navigate the unpredictable environment under the tree canopy.   

 â€śInstead, we aim to fly the drones below the tree canopy which is challenging because the drone needs to plan a path around shrubs and thin branches. To accomplish obstacle avoidance, we plan to use AI for detecting trees and placing them in a 3D model around which the drone plans its path,” said Dhiman. 

Once these challenges are addressed, Dhiman and Kiani will be able to collect a wide variety of data that has traditionally been challenging and time-consuming to collect. By combining data from under the tree canopy with previously collected data from above the canopy, researchers can see a complete view of the forest. 

“The aim is to get a unified picture of a forest, like measuring tree trunk width, the presence of different species and any diseases. We’re trying to get as much forest health data as we can,” said Dhiman. 

While this research is still in the preliminary stages, Dhiman and Kiani are hopeful that these advances in UAV technology will allow for a more streamlined process in capturing forest data. Beyond the forest sector, Dhiman believes that AI-guided UAVs can be applied to many other scenarios. 

“For example, emergency responders could utilize drones when it’s unsafe for them to go inside a building, like in the case of a fire or earthquake. With algorithms for obstacle avoidance and multi-drone collaboration, the research we are doing is fundamental in terms of drone navigation and exploration autonomously with as little human input as possible,” said Dhiman. 

This research was made possible through funding from the NSF EPSCoR RII E-CORE Maine-FOREST award.

Story by Heather Johnson, Graduate Assistant

Q: How did you become involved with Maine-TREE?
A: After graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a land trust steward on trails in southeastern Massachusetts. During that time, I had a phone call with a professor in the School of Forest Resources that changed the trajectory of my career. I hadn’t previously considered this path, but that conversation led me to pursue a master’s degree in forestry. While completing my degree, I worked with the Maine Tree Farm Program, where I was first exposed to Maine TREE. I later continued contract work with Maine TREE through its Forest Ecology Research Network and now serve as the full-time Executive Director.

Q: What has your work been like with Maine-TREE?
A: Historically, the Maine TREE Foundation has offered a wide range of programming, from long-term ecological research to its Certified Logging Professionals program, which provides safety and skills training. The organization primarily focuses on K-12 engagement through educator professional development and student programming. Over the past few years, we’ve worked to develop a central theme across our programs: preparing people for careers in Maine’s forests. For students, that means introducing them to career opportunities in forestry and related fields. We also engage the broader community, highlighting the range of careers connected to Maine’s forest economy. Our overall goal is to support the long-term, sustainable stewardship of Maine’s forests. 

Q: How have you connected your work to Maine-FOREST?
A: Getting involved with Maine-FOREST was a watershed moment in my career. With support from the grant, we’ve expanded the Forest Ecology Research Network, which gives students the opportunity to collect data from forests near their schools, develop research questions, and track changes over time. There has long been a strong interest from educators and the broader community, but funding constraints have limited the program’s growth. Maine-FOREST has allowed us to create new resources and pathways that better support educators and students in monitoring forest change. This aligns closely with the mission of EPSCoR by engaging communities in ongoing research.

Q: What are your future goals with Maine-TREE with the support of Maine-FOREST?
A: Through Maine-FOREST, we are continuing to expand the Forest Ecology Research Network and build a platform for student data analysis. Our goal is to help students interpret and analyze data collected across the state and visualize trends in forest change. Organizationally, we are also developing a forest technician curriculum to increase educational pathways and workforce development in the forest products sector. There is currently a gap between formal education and on-the-ground forestry work. We are working with career and technical education centers to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to work in the woods after graduation. Ultimately, this will evolve into a credential that bridges that gap and provides clear value to employers.