American woodcock, short, plump shorebirds with long, thin beaks, are widely known for their bobbing stride and nasally “peentâ€� calls, but not for being aggressive. Yet one April afternoon, when a deer sniffed around a woodcock hen’s ground nest looking for food, the hen lunged at it, scaring it away. 

University of Maine researchers captured what may be the first recorded evidence of nesting birds aggressively driving away deer, revealing an unexpected defense strategy against a little-recognized nest predator. Their findings suggest woodcock can respond to deer in multiple ways, challenging the assumption that these large herbivores pose little threat to nesting birds.

Woodcock typically rely on their cryptic feathers, which act as camouflage, to avoid nest predators. They also deploy a “broken wingâ€� display to lure predators away from their eggs or chicks. 

In six instances during April 2024, however, five nesting woodcock in West Virginia chirped, postured, charged and even flew into approaching deer, 91¸£Àû researchers found. The deer either walked away or fled the area in response.

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“While we only recorded a handful of instances, documenting these behaviors got us thinking more deeply about how birds could respond to deer as nest predators,â€� said Kylie Brunette, lead researcher on the investigation and 91¸£Àû Ph.D. student in wildlife ecology. “That small birds are willing to aggressively defend their nests against something as large as a deer, using different strategies based on the situation, opens a lot of interesting questions about how these unexpected interactions affect wildlife communities.â€� 

Researchers deployed the cameras that captured the footage in 2024 and 2025 as part of the Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative research project. Of the 73 instances in which deer approached a nest, only six — including two involving the same woodcock — resulted in hens actively defending their nests. In the remaining cases, the woodcock did not respond to deer.

“Woodcock incubate their eggs for three weeks which is long for smaller birds. The longer a hen sits, the more dedicated she becomes to defending that nest,â€� said Amber Roth, associate professor of forest wildlife management at 91¸£Àû and collaborator on the investigation. “This study shows that there is more than one way a hen can successfully protect her nest from potential predators like deer. Some hens relied entirely on remaining motionless and their cryptic plumage to hide from the approaching deer while others decided to be more assertive in their response.â€�  

Throughout the study, deer were detected at 68% of nests, but only interacted with nests a fraction of the time. None ate eggs from the nests under surveillance, according to the researchers. 

“Deer populations are sometimes considered over-abundant in many parts of the eastern United States, raising concerns about impacts to other species,� said Erik Blomberg, professor of wildlife population ecology who also worked on the investigation. “This research illustrates that nesting woodcock are resilient, and can use a variety of behaviors to defend their nests in systems where deer are abundant.�

Researchers published their findings in the  

The Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative is an international study co-founded by Blomberg and Roth in 2017 to help conserve a species beloved by hunters, birders and nature lovers. 

Collaboration among dozens of government agencies, nonprofits and universities has generated a dataset with nearly 700 individual woodcock tracked by GPS as they migrated through 32 states and seven Canadian provinces. It has also given graduate students like Brunette real-word research experience and opportunities to publish their findings as they advance through their academic and professional careers. 

The research was conducted through a collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, and was supported by the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station. 

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

Moose are an essential part of Maine’s ecosystems, cultural identity and outdoor economy. As ecosystems rapidly change, moose face an increased risk of infection by parasites and disease. 

Researchers at the University of Maine are researching new ways to study and monitor the parasites that plague Maine’s moose in order to best help and manage the population. 

University of Maine third-year Alden Falardeau of Saco, Maine, 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’s DNA where signs of this parasite can be found.

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

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. “Essentially, we are looking to identify and quantify the parasite eggs and larvae that are present in fecal samples,â€� said Falardeau. Crucially, this approach is not invasive, which is great for the moose. 

This project was made possible by funding from 91¸£Àû’s 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’ve had the opportunity to be involved in meaningful conservation research,� 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 Maine’s moose remain a vital part of the state’s 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

Categories:

Research / School of Food and Agriculture

91¸£Àû Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR) has announced the award winners from the 2026 91¸£Àû Student Symposium for Research and Creative Activity, which drew over 2,400 attendees.

The symposium awards undergraduate and graduate students who displayed outstanding research, presentation and creative ability. Award winners were selected through judging across academic categories, all receiving a medal and a $500 cash prize. There were also several special awards, including the Student Innovation and Commercialization Awards, given to students and faculty. 

Over 350 projects from researchers at 91¸£Àû and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, were submitted to the annual event, co-hosted by CUGR, Student Government and the Graduate Student Government. 

Undergraduate category award winners

• Allied Health: Alyson Shook and Hannah Maker, for their project titled “Strengthening EMS Retention in Maine: A Path to Improved Patient Outcomes.â€� They were advised by Sarah Hanscome.
• Arts: William Fortier, Oliver Rodi and Mikey Arbelo, for their project titled “The Creativity of Mapping.â€� They were advised by Andy Mauery.
• Biomedical Sciences: Hayden Kittell, Diana Goode and Moria Weese-Myers, for their project titled “MHCII Expression in Differential Doses of Chemotherapy Treatment on Mice.â€� They were advised by William Otto.
• Business: Brady Merritt, for the project titled “Can Large Language Models Pass the CFA Exam.â€� Merrit was advised by Sebastian Lobe.
• Education: Carly Philbrook, for her project titled “Comparison of High School Mathematics Textbooks Analyzing Higher Order Thinking Skills in New England.â€� Philbrook was advised by Kamal Chawla.
• Engineering and Information Sciences: Elsa Perez Abella and Ahmed Kandil, for their project titled “Surface Flow Visualization Enhancement Using AI.â€� They were advised by Ahmed Aboelezz.
• Engineering and Information Sciences: Wyatt Fessler, Cadence Kluck, Isabelle Irani and Marc Zoorob, for their project titled “A Tissue-integrating, Resealable Hemodialysis Port for Reducing Complications Associated with Repetitive Vascular Access.â€� They were advised by David Neivandt.
• Interdisciplinary Research: Richard Viveiros, for the project titled “Sublethal PFAS Exposure During Larval Stages of Culex: Consequences for Development, Survivorship, and Tissue Bioacculation of PFOA, PFBA, and PFBS.â€� Viveiros was advised by Allison Gardner.
• Interdisciplinary Research: Luke Connolly, for the project titled “Nano-Pattern Fabrication Using Electron Beam Lithography.â€� Connolly was advised by Dinh Loc Duong.
• Natural Sciences: Josie Aprea, Brendan Dahl, Emma Perry and Ian Bricknell, for their project titled “pH vs. Predator.â€� Bricknell also served as advisor for the project.
• Physical and Mathematical Sciences: Avery Richard, Ziyad ur Rehman, Henry Carfagno and Nuri Emanetoglu, for their project titled “Fabrication and Characterization of Indenofluorene-based Organic Single Crystal Field-effect Transistors.â€� They were advised by Dinh Loc Duong.
• Social Sciences and Humanities: Maya Aylesworth, for the project titled “Robert Johnson, the Crossroad Mythos, and the Lasting Effects of a Legend.â€� Aylesworth was advised by Jennifer Moxley.

Graduate category award winner

• Allied Health: Katherine Brewer, for the project titled “Telehealth and Prenatal Care Utilization in Rural Communities: Addressing Access, Satisfaction, and Health Outcomes.â€� Brewer was advised by Kathryn Robinson.
• Arts: Celena Powell, for the project titled “At the Threshold: Domestic Space as a Site of Contemporary Resistance.â€� Powell was advised by Susan Smith.
• Biomedical Sciences: Chloe Bossow, Lydia McCarthy and Melody Neely, for the project titled “Interactions Between Group B Streptococcus and Candida albicans Are Influenced by Environmental Stress.â€� Neely also served as the advisor for the project.
• Education: Kayla McLagan, Kate Ruskin, Alison Jolley, Karen Pelletreau and Edgelynn Venuti, for their project titled “To What Extent Does a Weekend-long Field Course Influence Students’ Sense of Belonging? A Focus on Influential Course Elements.â€� They were advised by Kate Ruskin.
• Engineering and Information Sciences: Mahbuba Daizy, Yu Zhang, Douglas Bousfield, Jinwu Wang and David Neivandt, for their project titled “Comparison of Stabilization Systems for Soybean Wax Emulsions to Produce Sustainable Water-resistant Paper Based Packaging: Surfactant vs. Pickering.â€� Neivandt also served as the advisor for the project.
• Interdisciplinary Research: Zainab Jafri, for the project titled “Reimagining the Waste Disposal Landscape – Industrial Symbiosis in Maine.â€� Jafri was advised by Reed Miller.
• Natural Sciences: Nabanita Das, Islam Hafez, Colleen Walker, Douglas Bousfield and Mehdi Tajvidi, for their project titled “Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Cellulose Nanfibril Coatings on Molded Fiber Substrates.â€� Tajvidi also served as the advisor for the project.
• Physical and Mathematical Sciences: Hettikankanamge Kalani Samarasekara, for the project titled “Paving the Way for Novel Drug Delivery Systems: Peptoid Nanoparticles.â€� Samarasekara was advised by Alessia Battigelli.
• Social Sciences and Humanities: Catherine Segada, Chyanne Yoder, William Breneman and Gianna DeJoy, for their project titled “ReuseME: Investigating Waste Reduction and Cost Benefits in Coastal Communities Through a Pilot Reusable Food Packaging Program.â€� They were advised by Cynthia Isenhour.
• Social Sciences and Humanities: Cynthia Cushing, Catherine Taylor, Rachel Coleman, MaryLou Ciolfi, Jennifer Crittenden, Len Kaye and Sarah Currie, for their project titled “Building a Workforce Readiness Model for Older Adults: Partner Insights From AmeriCorps Seniors Workforce Development Program.â€� Crittenden also served as advisor for the project.Ìý

Student Innovation and Commercialization Awards

• First Place: Nabanita Das.
• Second Place: Amir Baharvand.
• Third Place: Noro John.

Additional awards

• Dean of Graduate School Undergraduate Mentoring Award: Joshua Hamilton.
• Dean of the Graduate School Faculty Mentor Award: Christine Beitl
• Bruce and Joanne Fournier Award: Gregory Simms, Mikayla Reynolds, Isabelle Irani and David Neivandt.
• Provost’s Innovative and Creative Teaching Award: Jillian Fedarick.
• Susan J. Hunter Undergraduate Award: Madelynn DeBest.
• Susan J. Hunter Graduate Award: Mya Griffith.Ìý

Categories:

Outreach / Research / Student Life

At the University of Maine, 41 faculty members have received tenure and/or promotion or just-cause protection status and promotion effective July 1, 2026, or September 1, 2026. The annual announcement recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching, scholarship and research, and community engagement.

Tenure for 17 of the faculty members was approved by the University of Maine System Board of Trustees on March 16.

“These promotions highlight the excellence of 91¸£Àû’s faculty. Whether in the classroom, in the lab, or the field, their accomplishments are impressive and are a testament to their commitment to student success, discovery, and service to the state. We take great pride in the achievements of these faculty,â€� says Gabriel Paquette, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at 91¸£Àû.

“Each promotion and tenure decision reflects both individual excellence and the strength of our academic community,â€� said 91¸£Àû President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “As a learner-centered R1 university, we advance research that matters while keeping students at the heart of all we do. These faculty exemplify that mission.â€�

University of Maine

Promoted to Professor

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Alicia Cruz-Uribe, Petrology and Mineralogy
  • Adam Daigneault, Forest Policy and Economics
  • Shawn Fraver, Forest Ecology
  • Daniel Hayes, Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing
  • Anil Kizhakkepurakkal, Forest Operations
  • Melissa Maginnis, Microbiology
  • Caroline Noblet, Economics
  • Aaron Putnam, Earth Sciences
  • Kelley Strout, Nursing
  • Timothy Waring, Social-Ecological Systems of Modeling
• College of Education and Human Development
  • Catharine Biddle, Educational Leadership
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Ryan Dippre, English
  • William Gramlich, Chemistry
  • Gregory Zaro, Anthropology and Climate Change
• Maine College of Engineering and Computing
  • Caitlin Howell, Bioengineering
  • Thomas Schwartz, Chemical Engineering

Promoted to Extension Professor

• Cooperative Extension
  • Colt Knight, Extension Livestock Educator

Promoted to Professor with Tenure

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Lisa Kerr, Fisheries Science

Granted Tenure at Current Rank of Professor

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Jonathan Barron, English

Promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Noah Charney, Conservation Biology
  • Katherine Weatherford Darling, Health Science
  • Philip Fanning, Agricultural Entomology
  • Jonathan Malacarne, Agricultural Economics
  • Jane Puhlman, Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Jessica Riccardi, Communication Sciences and Disorders
• College of Education and Human Development
  • Melissa Cuba, Special Education
  • Kathleen Gillon, Higher Education
  • Daniel Puhlman, Family Studies
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Gilbert Moss, Mathematics
  • Neel Patel, Mathematics
  • Franziska Peterson, Mathematics Education
  • Nimesha Ranasinghe, Spatial Informatics
  • Johanna Richlin, Anthropology
  • Jane Wang, Mathematics

Promoted to Associate Extension Professor with Continuing Contract

• Cooperative Extension
  • Sean Birkel, Climate Services
  • Michael Habte-tsion, Fish Nutrition
  • Glenda Pereira Parente, Animal Science/Dairy Specialist

Promoted to Associate Professor

• College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences
  • Christina Murphy, USGS Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Promoted to Senior Lecturer with Just-Cause 

• College of Education and Human Development
  • Maria Frankland, Educational Leadership
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Matthew Bates, Mathematics

University of Maine at Machias

Promoted to Senior Lecturer with Just-Cause 

• University of Maine at Machias
  • Daniel Ellis, English

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

Understanding the source of stress and disease can be difficult, especially if the subject of stress is a fish, or even thousands of fish. 

Detecting and diagnosing stress and disease is a major challenge for aquaculture farms, where keeping fish happy helps them thrive. In fish, stress can be hard to detect before it becomes problematic, and testing for the source of stress usually requires physical examination or biopsy, which are invasive and often lethal.

An international team of researchers led by the University of Maine is trying to change this by developing noninvasive, rapid tests that can detect stress and disease without touching the fish, just the water in which they swim. 

Scientists from 91¸£Àû, Dublin City University (DCU) and Queen’s University Belfast, plan to develop a new testing method that uses environmental RNA (eRNA) so aquaculture farmers can monitor fish health more quickly, efficiently and humanely.

“The goal is to get a window into the physiology of the organisms, their health in particular. By looking at what RNA is being shed from their tissues into the environment, eRNA can give us insights into what the fish are doing as biological machines,â€� said Michael Kinnison, 91¸£Àû professor of evolutionary applications and director of the Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment.

Key to this research is a difference between environmental DNA (eDNA) and RNA. DNA within an organism’s cells does not change over an organism’s life or cell to cell — it is the blueprint of life. In contrast, RNA is what turns a general DNA blueprint into the diverse building blocks and processes that give various cell types and tissues their function. Because of this, the RNAs that an animal produces varies depending on where it is in its lifecycle, what is happening in its environment and what processes are underway in its body, such as stress or disease. When animal cells are naturally shed into the environment, their DNA and RNA become eDNA and eRNA, but the eRNA does not last as long. While this means eRNA is harder to detect, it also has the potential to provide a near real-time window into an animal’s condition. 

A major challenge for researchers is linking particular eRNA signals to specific stressors, but pilot data and recent research by others suggest it is possible. For example, researchers in Japan successfully . 

“This hasn’t been done for salmon yet, and it’s just exciting because it means that if we could use these RNAs, we wouldn’t have to kill fish to biopsy them. We might be able to figure out and treat disease before it gets really bad,â€� said Erin Grey, 91¸£Àû assistant professor of aquatic genetics.

In addition to identifying what eRNA signals are tied to salmon stress and disease, the team will use CRISPR-Cas diagnostic technology to develop rapid tests for those eRNA signals. Similar to a COVID test, these tests could allow someone at an aquaculture farm to sample water and quickly identify issues. Early intervention in salmon farming has the potential to improve treatment of fish, allow for more targeted treatment and avoid economic damages that run into the hundreds of millions annually. 

The project is starting with small controlled systems like tanks, and as research progresses, the team hopes to expand to more open systems like net pens. Fish will be sampled in Maine and Scotland at 91¸£Àû’s Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory and the University of Aberdeen’s Scottish Fish Immunology Centre. The initial focus will be on heat stress and furunculosis, two common challenges experienced by salmon farms. Researchers are working with the salmon aquaculture industry and fish health diagnostics providers to further identify what other pathogens or stressors would be most impactful for further investigation. 

While eRNA technology is in a nascent stage of development, this project brings together the expertise needed to rapidly advance its potential and put it in the hands of food producers. 

“Environmental RNA technology is still at an early stage of development, but its potential is significant. At Queen’s, we will apply advanced genomics and bioinformatics approaches to identify the molecular signatures of stress and disease in salmon,â€� said Paulo Prodöhl, professor of population and evolutionary genetics from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. “By working closely with colleagues at DCU and 91¸£Àû, we aim to ensure that this technology moves from proof-of-concept to practical application for the aquaculture industry.â€�

This research is made possible by ,  a tri-jurisdictional collaboration between the United States, Ireland and Northern Ireland which was officially launched in 2006. Under this program  the international project team receives  funding from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) in Ireland, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland.

“This funding is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research,â€� said DCU School of Biotechnology professor Anne Parle-McDermott. “By combining our molecular expertise with the knowledge and expertise at 91¸£Àû and QUB, we are uniquely positioned to tackle one of aquaculture’s biggest challenges.â€�Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

Categories:

Blue Economy / News / Research

As the May 1 college decision deadline approaches, students are showing increased interest in academic programs with clear career pathways.

At the University of Maine, that trend is evident across disciplines tied to growing sectors of the U.S. economy, including engineering, health care and biomedical sciences, business, natural resources and environmental sciences, agriculture and food systems, communication sciences and disorders, and biotechnology.

University data highlight several indicators of that demand:

• Mechanical engineering enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade, with a 95% student satisfaction rate.
• The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program reports that 95% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school, with 82% working in natural resource fields.
• The Maine Business School, which will enroll 330 first-year students, filled nearly half of those seats before April and reports a 94% positive outcome rate.
• In animal and veterinary sciences, about 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school.
• Health-related fields tied to several majors are projected to see continued jobgrowth over the next decade.

Mechanical engineering

91¸£Àû’s mechanical engineering program, now the university’s largest major, has expanded in response to national demand for engineers in industries including manufacturing, technology and transportation.

Enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade. Graduates are recruited by employers such as Bath Iron Works, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Texas Instruments, GE and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

The curriculum progresses from foundational coursework in math and physics to advanced engineering applications, with an emphasis on analysis, design and problem-solving. Experiential learning is integrated throughout, with students participating in internships, co-ops and a yearlong senior capstone design sequence focused on design, prototyping and testing.

Students may pursue concentrations such as aerospace engineering, along with minors or certificates in robotics, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing. The program reports a 95% positive student sentiment rate.

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Wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology

The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program has more than doubled in enrollment over the past two decades, reflecting sustained interest in conservation and natural resource careers.

The curriculum emphasizes field-based learning. More than half of courses include outdoor labs, and students complete a required immersive field experience in Downeast Maine that is frequently cited as a defining part of their education. More than 80% of undergraduates report that fieldwork influenced their decision to enroll.

Students gain experience through field surveys, internships and research. 91¸£Àû 70% complete field experiences, and more than half participate in faculty-led research. Faculty and students have also produced more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and secured nearly $16 million in research funding during the past five years.

Among graduates, 95% are employed or enrolled in graduate school, and 82% work in natural resource fields.

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Speech, pre-medical and biomedical sciences

91¸£Àû is reporting increased interest in programs that prepare students for careers in health care, research and biotechnology, reflecting broader national workforce trends.

Fields such as speech-language pathology and audiology are projected to experience above-average job growth over the next decade, according to federal labor data. Demand is influenced by factors including an aging population and expanded access to care.

Programs in communication sciences and disorders, biology, biochemistry and microbiology provide preparation for graduate study and professional careers, including speech-language pathology as well as medical, dental and veterinary school.

Students frequently participate in faculty-led research, gaining experience that supports applications to graduate programs or entry into the workforce. Faculty say the programs emphasize both academic preparation and applied learning.

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Business

The Maine Business School is nearing capacity for its incoming class, reflecting strong student demand for business education.

The program will enroll 330 first-year students, and nearly half of those seats were filled before April. Administrators say the pace of enrollment indicates sustained interest throughout the admissions cycle.

Students are drawn to the flexibility of the degree, particularly the general business major, which allows exploration across disciplines before selecting a concentration. Finance and marketing remain among the most popular areas of study.

The school reported a 94% positive outcome rate for the Class of 2024, defined as graduates employed, enrolled in graduate school or participating in service programs within six months. Officials say the program is designed to prepare students for a range of careers across industries.

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Animal and veterinary sciences

Enrollment in 91¸£Àû’s animal and veterinary sciences program has increased since before the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting demand for careers in animal health, veterinary medicine and agriculture.

The program prepares students for careers in veterinary medicine, research and agriculture-related fields. 91¸£Àû 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school, while others enter the workforce directly.

Students gain hands-on experience at the university’s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center, where they work with animals in applied settings and develop practical skills.

All students also participate in research with faculty on topics including animal health, environmental systems and disease. Faculty say the program is structured to support both exploration and career preparation as workforce demand continues to grow.

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

University of Maine ecology professor Brian McGill has been named a 2026 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow, one of the highest honors in the scientific community.

AAAS Fellows are a group of scientists, engineers and innovators recognized for their achievements across disciplines, from research, teaching and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public. 

Other AAAS Fellows from 91¸£Àû have included Susan Brawley, professor emerita of plant biology and marine ecology and 2012 AAAS Fellow; Joyce Longcore, research professor of fungal pathogens and 2012 AAAS Fellow; Daniel Sandweiss, professor of anthropology and climate studies and 2014 AAAS Fellow; and R. Dean Astumian, professor of physics and 2016 AAAS Fellow; and Heather Leslie, professor of marine sciences and 2022 AAAS Fellow.

“I am grateful to have my research recognized by this honorary fellowship. I’ve been lucky to have great collaborators and students throughout. I take this recognition as a challenge to do bolder, more innovative research and teaching to find the solutions so badly needed to enable humans to successfully coexist with nature before irreversible changes happen,â€� McGill said. 

McGill studies biodiversity at large scales of space and time across many species. His 

ideas have a wide-ranging impact in his field of macroecology. 

McGill’s work established the importance of prediction in ecology and identified unifying principles in the field. He also pioneered solutions to conceptual issues in his discipline related to the widely-used and vaguely-defined term biodiversity. He and his colleagues developed a series of scientifically measurable concepts to resolve this long-standing source of ambiguity in the field of ecology and provided concrete tools to better measure and assess biodiversity in management contexts.

Through the blog “Dynamic Ecology,� McGill and two co-authors shape the way research is conducted in labs across the planet and provide mentorship globally on successfully navigating academic cultures. The blog, with as many as 700,000 visits per year, is the most widely read in academic ecology.

In addition to being named a AAAS Fellow, McGill was named one of the most cited researchers in the world in 2019, 2020 and 2021 by Web of Science. His research is also featured in textbooks from high school to the graduate level. 

McGill is a lifetime honorary fellow of the Ecological Society of America, which is bestowed to approximately 250 of the organization’s 9,000 members. In 2023, he was awarded the Humboldt Research Award, one of the most prestigious scientific honors in Germany. He also received the  91¸£Àû Presidential Research and Creative Achievement award in 2024, 2020 Outstanding Faculty Research Award from what is today 91¸£Àû’s College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. 

McGill, whose lab is part of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, has been a faculty member in the School of Biology and Ecology since 2010. He also holds a joint appointment in the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions and a cooperating appointment in the Climate Change Institute. He served until recently as editor-in-chief of Global Ecology and Biogeography and formerly as associate editor of Frontiers of Ecology and Environment, American Naturalist, and Global Ecology and Biogeography. 

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

A group of chemicals known as PFAS have become a growing concern for human health, agriculture and the environment. Because they resist breaking down, these “forever chemicals� can accumulate in soil, water and food systems and expose people to a range of adverse health conditions.

From nonstick cookware and disposable tableware to everyday items like toothbrushes, these oil- and water-repellent chemicals became widespread in the late 20th century. Today, communities across the country are grappling with the residue they’ve left behind.

Maine has emerged as a national leader in responding to PFAS contamination, advancing policies aimed at protecting farms, ecosystems and public health. Researchers at the University of Maine are working to understand how PFAS moves through soil, crops and livestock; develop technologies to break it down; and design sustainable materials that could replace it in everyday products.

On this episode of “The Maine Questionâ€� podcast, host Ron Lisnet speaks with 91¸£Àû researchers Jean MacRae, Christina Murphy, Caroline Noblet and Rachel Schattman about how their work, spanning engineering, economics, agriculture and conservation biology, is helping communities confront PFAS and chart a cleaner path forward.

Listen to the podcast on , , , , or “The Maine Questionâ€� website. 

What topics would you like to learn more about? What questions do you have for 91¸£Àû experts? Email them to mainequestion@maine.edu.

Categories:

PFAS / Research / School of Food and Agriculture

More than 70% of Maine’s fishing value comes from American lobster. The fishery has delivered prosperity for decades, but it also leaves coastal communities exposed if lobster populations falter, ocean conditions shift or markets change.

That pattern is not unique to Maine. For more than 20 years, University of Maine professor of marine sciences Heather Leslie has collaborated with an international group of researchers  studying how coastal communities respond to environmental, economic and political pressures in northwest Mexico. 

Leslie’s research program, based at 91¸£Àû’s Darling Marine Center, examines how marine ecosystems and the people who are part of them are responding and adapting to environmental and socioeconomic changes.

Supported by the National Science Foundation and other funders, Leslie and her colleagues have shared data, resources and fieldwork across regions, producing a series of co-authored studies examining how the ecological and social characteristics of fisheries and fishing communities shape their vulnerability and adaptability to change, particularly in northwest Mexico.

Together, the research points to a commonality across coastlines, even those as distant as Maine and northwest Mexico: when fishing communities lose variety, in species or in business structure, their resilience declines.

Leslie recently spoke with 91¸£Àû News about what the team’s research reveals about risk, resilience and the future of coastal livelihoods. Her comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Is having fewer species a hardship for fishing communities?

To focus on the analogy with New England, it used to be that 25 or 30 years ago fishermen in coastal Maine were not just fishing for lobster. They were fishing for finfish and shrimp in the winter time and lobster in the summer. Now more than 70% of fished value on the coast of Maine comes from one single species: the American lobster.

While that’s been a really lucrative and biologically productive fishery over the last couple of decades, we’re also seeing that it can really constrain people’s opportunities to rely so heavily on one species.  

There are a lot of similarities between the communities you study in Mexico and the ones here in Maine, but what are the differences?

One thing that’s different between the two regions is the biological variety. As we move toward the tropics, we tend to see a greater variety of animals and other organisms. Think coral reefs. The poles don’t necessarily have that wide array of species, and we see that when we look at what people fish in Maine versus Mexico. In Maine, particularly now, we have a fairly small set of species that are harvested commercially and recreationally, whereas in Mexico in some places, folks are catching tens of different species each year.

However, we have observed that for better or worse, Mexico, in many places, is starting to look like Maine. And what I mean by that is the number of targeted species is declining, and where and how people can fish is becoming more constrained.

The group’s recent research references the organization of fisheries and how that plays a role in their success. Can you explain the different ways fishermen organize?

In some instances — and this is true in Maine, as well as northwest Mexico — fishing businesses and people are organized as cooperatives and share decisions, expenses and revenues. Another typical way that people organize themselves to fish is through privately held businesses, where one person is leading and financing the operation and hiring other people to fish. 

There also are smaller cooperatives that aren’t as well resourced as the larger ones. And then there are folks who fish and sell their fish on their own; this owner-operator model is the one that most people think of when they think of the coast of Maine and lobsters.

How people organize themselves to fish can play a big role in how they’re able to respond to disturbances in the fishery. We were able to document through close work with communities in different parts of Baja California Sur that individuals who are part of fishing cooperatives have different sources of resilience to change than individuals who are working for private businesses or on their own.

Is one type of organization better than another?

There are financial and logistical advantages to being part of a cooperative, and that’s why they are so prevalent in regions we’ve studied. But there’s also liabilities that cooperatives face that people working in these other organizational structures are not exposed to. One of those liabilities is that large cooperatives tend to have a smaller set of species that they’re focused on, in part because they receive concessions, or exclusive access to specific fishing places, for high value species like lobster.

When conditions change and those species become less accessible to fishermen, cooperatives may be more economically exposed and have fewer options to switch to than other types of fishing organizations.

This , a 91¸£Àû alum and University of Rhode Island professor, makes a strong case that it’s not that one of these forms is better than the other, it’s that there are changes that people encounter in the business of fishing, whether it’s economic or environmental or political, where one or the other of these organizational forms tends to be advantageous.

What would you say is different about this collaborative group now compared to a few years ago?

We’ve been working for a long time to understand both the human and environmental dimensions of small-scale fisheries in northwest Mexico and to generate knowledge that can be used to support management and conservation in that region and in coastal places all around the world. I’m really proud of . It’s a great example of how we’ve been able to work together as a team, including people from lots of different disciplines. It also spans a really important time period, the global pandemic, and also a time of big political and economic change in Mexico.

What’s new is our ability to capture these big changes, socio-economically and politically, as well as environmentally, and to work together in a way that really reflects the richness and diversity of expertise that members of our team have.

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

Whether it’s conducting cutting-edge research, commenting on current events or receiving that diploma, University of Maine faculty, students and leaders made headlines locally, nationally and internationally in 2025.

From research labs and classrooms to commencement stages and championship arenas, 91¸£Àû was featured in more than 18,000 stories published from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. In addition, our faculty, students and leaders were quoted or referenced 25,000 times in outlets based in every U.S. state and over 40 countries. 

Below is a sampling of 91¸£Àû media placements in 2025.

Portland Press Herald — ‘Think of 91¸£Àû as the R&D department of Maine itself’

In an op-ed published in the , 91¸£Àû President Joan Ferrini-Mundy encouraged Mainers to think of the university as the state’s research and development department. 

“While all research universities provide value to their home states, 91¸£Àû is invaluable to Maine,â€� wrote Ferrini-Mundy, who also serves as vice chancellor for research and innovation for the University of Maine System. “With an economy almost entirely reliant on small businesses that typically lack in-house expertise and facilities necessary to develop and improve products and processes, our university is Maine’s Research & Development (R&D) Department.â€�

Bangor Daily News — Showcasing campus capital projects, 2026 look-ahead 

In December, the touted the many capital projects which will move the university and the state forward in the coming years. The BDN interviewed Ferrini-Mundy, Interim Vice President for Research Giovanna Guidoboni, and many others.

The BDN highlighted upcoming facilities like the GEM Factory of the Future and Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce and Innovation Center.

“I think we can see how our faculty, staff and students have helped to make all of these things attractive and possible. We have the talent here on this campus to warrant these kinds of facilities, and so it’s appropriate that they happen,� Ferrini-Mundy said.

People Magazine — Two senior citizens’ road to graduation

At age 88, Joan Alexander likely became the oldest undergraduate degree recipient in 91¸£Àû’s 160-year history, concluding a journey she began in the 1960s. Local and national news organizations, including magazine, told Alexander’s story, and how she was acknowledged during one of 91¸£Àû’s undergraduate ceremonies in May

also featured Jules Hathaway of Veazie, Maine, who graduated with a master’s degree in student development in higher education from 91¸£Àû at age 73.

Bangor Daily News — Multi-story graduation celebration

When hundreds of students were awarded diplomas amid cheers from family and friends at the Cross Insurance Center, the BDN celebrated alongside them with not one, but four stories on 91¸£Àû’s 2025 commencement ceremonies. The package included a , , and . 

“I myself realized that we are all blessed by an immeasurable amount of families,� said valedictorian Meg Caron during her speech, as quoted by the BDN. “From the sports teams I’ve been a part of, the labs I’ve researched in, the teachers and classmates I’ve grown close to, and the roommates I’ve had in Maine, Michigan, France, Costa Rica and Canada, I’ve formed familial relationships with a thousand souls, and they’ve each gifted me a part of themselves.�

The New York Times — ‘How healthy are potatoes?’ 

When exploring the nutritional benefits of potatoes before Thanksgiving, the tapped an expert from the home of the popular Caribou Russet. 

Mary Ellen Camire, professor of food science and human nutrition at 91¸£Àû, spoke to the Times about how potatoes contain a modest amount of vitamin B6, which is needed for cardiovascular, immune and mental health. Purple and red potatoes have pigments called anthocyanins that promote cardiovascular health, slow starch digestion and help stave off cognitive problems, she said.

The Boston Globe — Hockey East champions 

The 91¸£Àû men’s hockey team secured its sixth Hockey East Tournament title with a 5-2 win over UConn at Boston’s TD Garden. and were among the dozens of media outlets that reported on the Black Bears’ first conference championship since 2004.

And they did it before a sellout crowd of over 17,000, most of them making the trip south from Maine.

“I’m extremely proud of them, and happy for the guys in the room, happy for the school, and really the whole state of Maine, because it felt like the whole state was there,� coach Ben Barr said after the game.

Scientific American — The dire wolf debate 

As memes and social media chatter spread worldwide about Colossal Biosciences’ genetic modification of gray wolf pups to resemble the dire wolf, publications like got the rundown from the experts. 91¸£Àû’s Jacquelyn Gill, professor of terrestrial paleoecology, spoke to the inability of such extinct species to exist the same as they once did. 

“[The pups] don’t have any traits that would allow us to understand the dire wolf any better than we did yesterday,� Gill said, adding that understanding ice age organisms isn’t just a matter of knowing what they looked like or what they ate — but also about knowing what they did in those ancient ecosystems. “Some of those things are coded genetically; some of those are cultural.�

The New York Times — Struggles of rural children

The struggles of children in rural America and why they are dealing with increasing barriers to support services was explored in a op-ed published in November. 91¸£Àû’s Catharine Biddle, associate professor of education, discussed the challenges rural districts face when trying to provide food, health care and counseling services to students who can’t access them elsewhere.

The op-ed notes that “In , where she spoke to over 100 educators in rural Maine about how they dealt with children with adverse childhood experiences, a teacher mentioned that the school nurse is on site just once a month, and that teachers feel as if they are acting as ad hoc social workers on a daily basis.�

WABI-TV (CBS) — Seeking a universal flu treatment 

91¸£Àû students are using physics to fight the flu, and joined them in the lab to showcase their work. 

A group of undergraduate and graduate students, led by physics professor Sam Hess, has been doing single molecule microscopy combined with molecular simulations to learn about how influenza viruses mutate and hijack the cells of their host. Their discoveries could lead to the creation of a universal flu treatment with potential applications for other viruses, offering more effective treatment options to defend against cold and flu season. 

“The idea is, can we come up with something more universal. So that way we’re not playing this guessing game every year,â€� said David Winski, a graduate student at 91¸£Àû working on his PhD in Biophysics.

CNN — ‘How do we identify hazing?’ 

Following a staged kidnapping at a high school in Syracuse, New York, interviewed 91¸£Àû’s Elizabeth Allan, professor of higher education leadership, about the culture of hazing, its relevancy in schools and prevention methods. 

“It’s not really focused on ‘thou shall not haze,’ it’s more, how do we think about the groups we’re in and the relationships we have with our teammates or with our fraternity brothers or with our band mates?� she said.

Allan is a national expert on hazing, founder of and director of 91¸£Àû’s Hazing Prevention Lab. 

HISTORY — Life during the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the British Army captured and held many major cities like New York and Boston for months, if not years. In an interview with , Liam Riordan, a 91¸£Àû professor and chair of the history department, presented a picture of what the war was like beyond battlegrounds and street protests, as Americans lived under British occupation. 

“No matter your political allegiance, most people are just hunkering down and trying to survive the war without sacrificing their families,� he said.

FOX Bangor/ABC 7 News — Training with cutting-edge robotics for manufacturing 

joined the grand opening of 91¸£Àû’s B.O.T. Loft, a new robotics and automation training facility inside the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC). The facility is committed to “building, optimizing and trainingâ€� the manufacturing workforce in Maine and beyond. This in-demand workforce needs to know how to operate new and efficient industrial technology for everything from wood products to composite materials.

“A lot of manufacturers are hesitant to put in technology and automation unless they have a workforce that’s really trained in it,� said John Belding, director of the AMC. “Our goal is to help upscale that workforce and help train their existing workforce so that they are comfortable using robotics and automation in the workplace.�

Good Morning America — Printing affordable homes 

During Earth Week, featured BioHome3D, the first 100% bio-based 3D-printed home in the world. Made from local wood fiber and other recyclable materials, BioHome3D was developed by the 91¸£Àû Advanced Structures and Composites Center to address labor shortages, supply chains issues and affordable housing shortage. 

“In Maine, we produce about a million tons of wood waste every year in our sawmills. So we thought, ‘How do we take that waste, and make it into something valuable?’â€� said ASCC executive director Habib Dagher during the interview. 

Nautilus — ‘Has culture surpassed genes?’ 

reported that human evolution may no longer be driven primarily by genetics, according to a new theory by 91¸£Àû researchers. 

Timothy Waring and Zachary Wood argue that cultural systems are now shaping the way humans survive, adapt and reproduce. “Cultural evolution eats genetic evolution for breakfast,� Wood said. “It’s not even close.�

Maine Public — Exploring cosmic phenomena with Neil DeGrasse Tyson 

Before a total lunar eclipse illuminated the night sky with an eerie red glow in Mid-March, Maine Public hosted famous astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson for a segment of its “â€� radio show on the latest astronomy news. Joining them on the call was 91¸£Àû’s own Shawn Laatsch, director of the Versant Power Astronomy Center on campus. 

NPR — Origins of the word ‘broadcasting’

What is the connection between broadcasting and agriculture? 91¸£Àû’s Michael Socolow, professor of communication and journalism, got to the bottom of it with for a report that explored the origins of the word “broadcasting.â€� 

What began as a word describing a method of spreading plant seed expanded its meaning in the early 20th century as radios became the most common way for people to receive news, starting with the election of President Warren G. Harding in 1920. 

“By the end of the 1930s, when you used the word ‘broadcasting,’ Americans all knew it meant radio broadcasting,� Socolow said.

Gizmodo — Tiny technology advancing nuclear generation 

praised the tiny, but powerful sensor created by 91¸£Àû researchers to enhance monitoring capabilities and safety for next-gen nuclear reactors. These microelectronic sensors are capable of withstanding extreme environments — temperatures up to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit and intense radiation. 

Mauricio Pereira da Cunha, the Roger Clapp Castle and Virginia Averill Castle Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was the principal investigator on the project. The breakthrough positions 91¸£Àû at the forefront of high-temperature, radiation-resistant materials innovation. 

CBS News — New tick species for Maine 

In August, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) confirmed the presence of a new species of tick for the state: the invasive Asian longhorned tick. The news of its detection for the first time in Maine garnered headlines nationwide, including on .

“This discovery underscores the critical importance of continued tick surveillance in Maine,â€� said Griffin Dill, director of the 91¸£Àû Cooperative Extension: Tick Lab. “While this appears to be an isolated case, we are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with state and federal partners.â€�

News Center Maine — Providing meals for those in need 

joined hundreds of students and other volunteers as they packaged 52,920 meals to donate to people experiencing food insecurity for the Maine Day Meal Packout on April 30 at the Memorial Gym.  

The event was organized by Honors College faculty, staff and students, who raised over $19,400 to purchase the meals, which were given to over two dozen food banks and pantries in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo and Washington counties. 

“It’s really wonderful to now be on this side and now see the full circle of how we get these meals to communities in need,â€� said Jasper Makowski, 91¸£Àû student and outreach coordinator for the Maine Day Meal Packout. 

U.S. News & World Report — Growing the blue economy workforce 

A story from highlighted 91¸£Àû degrees that help prepare students for careers in the blue economy. Those include the bachelor’s degree in marine science with options to specialize in aquaculture, marine biology or physical science, MaineMBA that offers a blue economy concentration.

U.S. News interviewed Jason Harkins, executive dean of the Maine Business School, and Diane Rowland, dean of the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences, and director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

Mainebiz — Reynolds gym revitalization 

In April, students, regional and state leaders and other guests celebrated the reopening of the newly renovated Reynolds Gymnasium on the University of Maine at Machias campus. 

highlighted facility updates, which include new, NCAA-compliant hardwood floor, new bleachers, upgraded scoreboards, a new sound system and other enhancements to support student and community events. 

“This project represents more than just a new floor and bleachers — it represents a revitalized space for our students, faculty, staff and the wider Downeast community,â€� said Megan Walsh, 91¸£Àû Machias’ dean and campus director. 

Associated Press — Energy and environmental cost of AI 

With the use of artificial intelligence growing rapidly nationwide and the emergence of many data centers designed to support it, the examined the impacts of the technology on our energy and the environment. 

Jon Ippolito, professor of new media at 91¸£Àû, spoke to AP on the potential impact of AI and showcased his that explores the environmental footprint of using it for different digital tasks. Ippolito said tech companies are constantly working to make chips and data centers more efficient, but that does not mean AI’s environmental impact will shrink. This story was shared in about 200 news outlets across the globe.

WMTW (ABC) — Little insect and its big threat for Maine woods

Spruce budworms are among the most destructive native forest pests in North America. Outbreaks kill trees, rendering the timber useless, increasing the risk of wildfire and causing a series of ecological effects.

In February, Angela Mech, director of 91¸£Àû’s Spruce Budworm Lab, spoke with about their destructive impact on Maine woods and efforts to curtail their damage. 

“It’s normally here all the time, but in very low densities, we can’t normally find it. But about every 40 years, it explodes,â€� Mech said. 

Newsweek &²Ô²ú²õ±è;— Tackling prescription drug costs with science

Researchers discovered a sustainable method to produce the key ingredient in a broad range of pharmaceuticals, which could help address high prescription drug costs in the U.S. 

Thomas Schwartz, project lead and associate director of 91¸£Àû’s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, and Philip Kersten, research collaborator from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, spoke with about their work. They explored a new, cost-reducing pathway to produce one of these crucial building blocks, (S)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone (HBL), from glucose at high concentrations and yields. 

“Initial economic analysis suggests our process can be used to produce HBL much less expensively than the current process, which opens the door to producing new consumer products as well as more affordable pharmaceuticals,� Schwartz and Kersten explained.

WGME (CBS) — Improving cancer detection with AI

A research team led by two 91¸£Àû Ph.D students developed an artificial intelligence system that could make it easier and faster for doctors to identify signs of breast cancer in tissue samples, possibly preventing delays and saving lives.

Jeremy Juybari and Josh Hamilton spoke with (Channel 13 in Portland) about this new tool, which introduces a deep learning architecture designed to interpret microscopic images of tissue with greater precision than conventional AI models.

“We have one part of the model that looks at a detailed resolution of an image, you can see down to the cell level,� Juybari said. “It’s not just the detailed tissue region that matters, it’s the surrounding tissue structure that also contains a lot of information that’s important for the model to figure out if this detailed region has cancer or not.�

The Independent — Safely enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers

Many people enjoy eating Thanksgiving leftovers, but without proper storage, they can lead to foodborne illness. In an article warning readers against leaving leftovers out too long, shared tips from Extension’s Gulsun Akdemir Evrendilek on how to safely enjoy Thanksgiving for a second time. In particular, the publication noted Evrendilek’s tips on reheating food and reboiling gravy. 

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