On the afternoon of June 19, University of Maine senior Eily Buchanan spotted something peculiar through the narrow window of a wooden shelter while quietly monitoring and photographing seabirds on a midcoast Maine island: a razorbill with a fish in its hatchet-like beak. 

Razorbills, black-and-white seabirds, were common sightings during her hours-long data collection sessions on Eastern Egg Rock island, but their beaks were usually empty. After snapping a couple of photos of the bird as it flew past the blind, she saw that it was holding a sand lance, a small, slender silver fish, in its bill. It was the first sign of a major discovery: the first documented razorbills breeding on Eastern Egg Rock. 

Working as a summer research assistant with the National Audubon Society Seabird Institute’s Project Puffin, Buchanan learned that birds circling the island with fish in their beaks indicated that a chick had hatched. Project Puffin focuses on seabird restoration in the Gulf of Maine.

Throughout her three-hour stint of photographing and taking notes, with the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and salty air filtering into the shelter, Buchanan wondered if the same applied to razorbills and waited to return to the cabin and confirm her theory with her colleagues. Researchers had not yet documented a razorbill chick on the island.

Buchanan said that when she displayed the photo of the razorbill holding the fish and her colleague, Sydney Kuipers, confirmed she had seen the bird too, her supervisor, wildlife biologist Alison Ballard, lit up and declared that a razorbill chick had hatched on the island. It marked the southernmost documented nesting site for the species, extending its breeding range approximately 35 miles south.

“Confirming the razorbill chick and the location of the burrow was a very exciting moment and a collective team effort from everyone on the Egg Rock crew,” Buchanan said. “With climate change and warming waters pushing many species north, the fact that this pair moved south shows how resilient razorbills are to climate change.”

Founded by Stephen W. Kress, Project Puffin has a 53-year legacy rooted in Eastern Egg Rock — the site of the world’s first restored seabird colony. That restoration required years of dedication and research.

During her three months on Eastern Egg Rock, Buchanan’s work followed a weather-dependent routine. Her duties included checking data on rainy days and monitoring the feeding of Common, Roseate and Arctic Tern chicks, which involved tracking how often chicks were fed, which parent fed them and what species of fish the parents brought.

Each day began with a 6 a.m. bird count from the cabin roof. The crew also recorded weather conditions three times daily, measuring wind speed, sea surface and air temperatures, wave conditions and cloud cover.

Puffin research was particularly intensive, requiring hours of resighting puffins — sitting in the wooden shelter with a scope to read band numbers — to track each bird’s history and movements. The team used these sessions to identify adult puffins with worn bands, then prioritized trapping those birds to replace the bands. After being released, the birds could be accurately identified for years to come.

The Eastern Egg Rock crew also conducted puffin grubbing, reaching into burrows where puffins had brought fish to safely retrieve, weigh, measure and band the chicks.

“Puffin grubbing on Egg was particularly hard because there were so many crevices and small places where the chicks could hide in the rocks that were extremely hard to reach,” Buchanan said. “It was dark under the rocks so we’d be shining flashlights down into these crevices looking for nesting material or the chick, using our phones if we couldn’t see around a corner.”

Buchanan and her colleagues occasionally hosted visitors from the mainland, including volunteers, postgraduate researchers and donors, giving them tours of the island while her supervisor explained the work being done during the season.

“If I could sum up working with Eily, it’s like working with the puffin that’s bringing in all the fish. Charismatic, fun and on top of her game,” Ballard said.

Buchanan began her college career at 91���� as an undecided major in the Honors College. Studying native and invasive crab species as part of a 91���� program on Hurricane Island helped her decide to pursue ecology and environmental sciences.

“I’d always been interested in wildlife and birds, but I think the experience on Hurricane Island really solidified that interest and made me realize that I wanted to major in ecology and environmental science,” Buchanan said. “It also made me realize that I want to make a difference and contribute to conservation, especially as climate change accelerates and puts a lot of species at risk.”

After graduating from 91����, Buchanan said she hopes to return to Project Puffin to help conserve seabirds and build on the project’s legacy for future researchers.

“This field experience has definitely made me want to continue building a career in conservation, research and fieldwork,” she said.

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, student news writer. 

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

The paper, “Research Priorities for Robust Climate Assessments in the United States,” is the first contribution to the U.S. Climate Collection informing Assessment of Risks and Solutions, a joint special collection of the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society. The collection will feature climate assessment science and research synthesis papers to inform future national and sub-national assessments.

Daigle contributed by highlighting certain vulnerabilities facing Indigenous Peoples and demonstrating and explaining how their connections to the place and value systems can strengthen adaptation and resilience.

“Climate change impacts the relationships between people and nature, particularly for Indigenous Peoples and other communities with strong place-based cultural ties. Changes in timing of biological events, range shifts of plants and animals, and function can disrupt cultural

practices, subsistence activities and identity,” said Daigle. “At the same time, Indigenous Knowledges and relational worldviews offer valuable insights for adaptation and stewardship.”

The paper identifies research priorities, including how greenhouse gas emissions and laws compound the effects of extreme weather; how social systems shape planning; how climate-related weather risks threaten infrastructure and institutions; and how well existing intervention, mitigation, adaptation and disaster management efforts work. 

“Future assessments will be more useful if they go beyond species inventories to focus on dynamic processes, adaptive capacity, integrated system-level responses, and social and ecological feedbacks,” Daigle said. By synthesizing insights from ecological, cultural, and governance domains, the scientific community can better anticipate, manage, and leverage ecological transformation as climate change accelerates.”

Fernandez was selected for more than four decades of research on the biogeochemistry of Maine’s forests and his contributions to climate science and policy in the state. His research has focused on how forests and forested watersheds respond to climate change, air pollution and forest management.

Fernandez is a member of 91����’s Climate Change Institute and serves as director and principal investigator of the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange. He was appointed to the Maine Climate Council in 2019 and serves as co-chair of its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. He also has served on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board committees.

His previous honors include being named a 91���� Distinguished Maine Professor in 2007 and Maine Professor of the Year in 2008. He was named a fellow of the Soil Science Society of America in 2010 and received 91����’s Presidential Public Service Achievement Award in 2018.

The Maine Science Awards recognize scientists, innovators, researchers and advocates advancing science across the state. Fernandez and four other inaugural honorees will be recognized Oct. 15 at Hollywood Casino Bangor.

The cohort is implementing ReuseME, a pilot program in partnership with the coastal towns of Bar Harbor, Bath and South Portland. Participating eateries include Cafe This Way and Coffee Matter/Mother’s Kitchen in Bar Harbor, Solo Pane in Bath, and Second Rodeo Coffee and Verbena in South Portland.

By testing the viability of reusable takeout packaging in participating restaurants, students are at the forefront of developing a model that reduces waste, prevents plastic pollution and saves local businesses and municipalities money on the purchase and disposal of single-use food and beverage packaging.

Throughout this project, 91���� student researchers are working directly with these businesses to track results and analyze usage patterns to refine the returnable model.

“The driver for this project has been a focus on wanting to maintain and protect Maine’s coastal environment because it’s a very important part of the state’s culture,” said Ryan Kennedy, a University of Maine senior in the Department of Anthropology.

Kennedy, an undergraduate research assistant on the project, has been involved since the initial baseline surveys last June. They noted that the team met with restaurant owners to discuss their establishments’ capabilities and customer habits.

“I want to help bring cost savings to the frontline because that drives most business decisions,” Kennedy said. “On the commercial side, choosing between the wallet and the planet can be difficult. With the cost of everything going up, people want to know if a change will save them money. By providing hard data to businesses and a simple message to its customers, we can show that sustainable swaps don’t have to be a complicated transition.”

These five local eateries now offer diners the option of having their food and/or beverage packaged in returnable stainless steel containers. Customers can check out these containers by signing up for a free account in the Recirclable app. After enjoying their takeout meals, customers can return the containers to any of the participating establishments.

“I think we’re starting to see people realize how easy it is to make more sustainable swaps,” Kennedy said. 

In just a little over a month since the Reuse Maine pilot project launched, more than 100 customers across the state have borrowed nearly 500 reusable containers. 

Other student researchers involved in the project include Chyanne Yoder, Catherine Segada, Gianna DeJoy, William Brenneman and Alejandro Snell. They are joined by project advisor Cindy Isenhour, a professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Climate Change Institute.

As part of an extensive, interdisciplinary effort to mitigate marine pollution, the project is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Maine Sea Grant and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The support allows the team to tackle environmental challenges while providing student researchers with the resources needed to develop scalable, real-world solutions.

“I think the hard data and transparency between the businesses, their customers and our team is what’s really driving the success and the happiness with this project,” Kennedy said. “It helps people feel like they’re making a difference without having to go out of their way. It’s just a part of their routine when they pick up a coffee or grab lunch.”

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

Contact: Marcus Wolf, marcus.wolf@maine.edu; Cindy Isenhour, cynthia.isenhour@maine.edu

The visit was part of a 10-day trip across Iceland in May 2025 that brought students not only to a volcano but also a geyser, a glacier, mountains, and the rugged coastline. They even trekked through a lava tube created by an eruption through a fissure in the surface, their hard hats with headlamps lighting up the dark cavern shaped by jagged walls of hardened lava. 

“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Hall said. 

The experience is a central component of an upper-level travel study course called “ERS410: Sea-to-Sky Experience,” in which students explore dynamic landscapes and conduct real-world research on the oceanic, geologic, atmospheric and ecological processes that shaped them.

In Iceland, students drilled ice cores, obtained water samples, conducted isotope and radiocarbon dating and used ground-and ice-penetrating radar to gather a wide range of data. 

The faculty also coordinated opportunities for students to meet and interview local residents affected by the natural processes they were studying for qualitative data and personal context.   

“I have been quite interested in natural disaster sciences and mitigation since I began my undergraduate career and seeing the ways that the recent volcanic events have impacted both the landscape and the surrounding communities was extremely interesting,” Hall said. “Having the opportunity to connect with people who were affected first hand by these tragedies was eye-opening and gave me a further sense of direction in my career planning.”

Unlike similar programs at other universities, “Sea-to-Sky” also trains students to become effective science communicators by teaching them how to translate complex research into more accessible formats for a general audience, including drawings, paintings and creative writing. 

Karl Kreutz, course instructor and director of the School of Earth and Climate Sciences, said what sets the program apart is the internationally recognized researchers who teach it —  Seth Campbell, associate professor of glaciology, and Aaron Putnam, George H. Denton Professor of Earth Sciences; Daniel Dixon, director of 91����’s Sustainability Office; and renown environmental artist and alumna ’15, ’18G.

“Our students are exposed to real-world problems that they help solve, and they work with some of the best scientists in the world,” Kreutz said.  

“Sea-to-Sky” has been offered four times over the past decade — once in Iceland and three times in Alaska. The idea took shape while Kreutz and Campbell were stranded on a glacier mountain during a five-day storm, where they began brainstorming a program that would immerse students in real-world field experiences in unique environments. 

Open to students in earth and climate sciences, environmental science, engineering or other programs, “Sea-to-Sky” prepares participants to become future scientists by engaging them in independent research projects and faculty-led work in the field. 

As a capstone course for Earth and climate science students, “Sea-to-Sky” requires participants to present their findings through presentations or posters at public events like the 91���� Student Symposium. By contributing to faculty research, students may also receive credit in peer-reviewed journal publications, helping launch their professional scientific careers. 

The next “Sea-to-Sky” experience is scheduled for May, when faculty will once again bring students to Iceland for continued research. The program is supported by a gift endowment from the Golden family in honor of Nicholas Golden, an Earth and climate science student who passed away.

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

The two-day symposium, sponsored by the Maine International Trade Center, the University of Maine’s School of Policy and International Affairs and the World Affairs Council of Maine, will highlight how Maine contributes to Arctic research, economic development, diplomacy and security cooperation. Through panel discussions and networking sessions, participants will explore topics such as North Atlantic geopolitics, maritime and port operations, trade and supply chains, climate, the environment, emergency management and partnerships with Indigenous and circumpolar communities.

The event will feature a keynote address by Svanhildur Holm Valsdottir, ambassador of Iceland to the United States. Speakers will include representatives from 91����’s Climate Change Institute, Bowdoin College’s John & Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies and the University of New England’s Center for North Atlantic Studies, as well as leaders from Maine’s economic development, policy and security communities.

Biguita Hernandez-Smith, economic development officer for the city of Bangor, will moderate a panel on economic opportunities connected to Arctic activity.

The symposium is open to both high school and college students, faculty, policymakers, practitioners and members of the public interested in Arctic issues. Registration is $50, and students presenting research posters may attend at no cost.

The deadline for students to submit abstracts is March 22 and April 10 for final posters. 

For additional information, contact Tyler Lissy, a graduate student at 91����’s School of Policy and International Affairs, at tyler.lissy@maine.edu.

“Our work follows the rhythm of the weather,” said Lisa Hanscom, co-owner and manager at Welch Farm in Roque Bluffs. “The Jonesboro station helps us know the right time to tend our wild blueberries, and with the Maine Mesonet, we’ll have the real-time data we need to protect our crop and keep our farm thriving.”

The project stems from a 2020 needs assessment led by Extension wild blueberry specialist Lily Calderwood. Only 34% of surveyed growers reported using weather-based decision tools at the time, but 86% said they wanted to in the future. Existing networks, like Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) for aviation, NOAA’s Cooperative Observer Program, Maine Forest Service fire weather sites and various personal stations, offer valuable data. However, maintenance can be uneven, access and quality of the data vary and most lack soil temperature, moisture sensors or the ability to detect temperature inversions, measurements that are critical for crop management.

“The right data at the right moment turns guesswork into good decisions,” said Calderwood, who is co-leading the project along with Maine State Climatologist Sean Birkel. “A farm-level network will help growers decide when to irrigate, when a spray is justified and when to protect against frost. That improves yields, decreases inputs and saves time during the most stressful parts of the season.”

The Maine Mesonet project is installing a total of 26 ten- and three-meter stations across all 16 counties, prioritizing agricultural hubs. Three stations are planned each for Washington (wild blueberry) and Aroostook (potato) counties and other areas of high agricultural production, especially where gaps in weather data exist. Sites are also planned for University of Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) farms and cooperating private and public lands.

Detailed weather and environmental data from the network will be accessible on the Maine Climate Office website, overseen by co-principal investigator and Maine State Climatologist Sean Birkel. The network’s localized measurements are expected to improve short-term forecasting, enhance Integrated Pest Management (IPM) decision models, guide irrigation and frost protection, and sharpen the timing of pesticide applications. Project leaders expect the wild blueberry and potato sectors to see measurable benefits within two growing seasons of deployment.

“Maine is seeing warmer temperatures, and in the past decade the state has also been variously impacted by drought,” said Birkel. “A Mesonet gives us high-resolution, real-time observations to track these shifts in the field throughout each season. Additional observations can improve local forecasts, making them more useful to farmers. These observations will also help statewide drought monitoring and planning.”

The effort also supports statewide priorities to expand outreach and enhance weather monitoring. Soil-moisture data from the network will be used by the Maine Drought Task Force and the U.S. Drought Monitor. The information will also be distributed to national companies that use weather data to predict larger trends in weather and storms, resulting in more accurate models.

The budget for the project is $3.5 million, which includes funding for 26 stations and software, plus one full-time technician to install, maintain and manage the system and decision-support tools. Funding for the Maine Mesonet was secured for the University of Maine System in Fiscal Year 2024 through the Congressionally Directed Spending process by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, now chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, with support from U.S. Sen. Angus King.

Maine is collaborating with the New York State Mesonet, operated by the University at Albany, to manage the large amount of data generated by the 26 stations. New York specialists will ensure the quality and accuracy of the data before sending it back to Maine. This collaboration highlights the growing trend of mesonet networks across the country working together to share knowledge, standardize practices and deliver better weather information to the public.

“We’re excited to launch this first-of-its-kind partnership between two statewide mesonet networks,” said New York State Mesonet Director June Wang. “Our team is proud to demonstrate how we can make sharing data easier, more efficient and more valuable for end users. We look forward to extending these services to additional weather networks in the future.”

For Maine farmers facing meteorological volatility, the Mesonet promises something simple but powerful: timely, trustworthy, farm-level weather intelligence.

Contact: Lily Calderwood, lily.calderwood@maine.edu