The Maine Question

Last week’s episode of “The Maine Question” explored the value of undergraduate research at UMaine, but graduate students also support the university and economy through their work.

With the 2021 UMaine Student Symposium April 16 approaching, we shine a spotlight on the role and value of graduate education and research.

The university welcomed a record 2,400 graduate students for the 2020–21 academic year. Research and enterprise from master’s and Ph.D. candidates show no signs of slowing down. They continue to grow and evolve.

We delve into some of the studies and projects occurring at UMaine, much of which will be on display at this year’s symposium. Three graduate students discuss their work, and Scott Delcourt, associate vice president of graduate studies and senior associate dean of the Graduate School, describes how graduate research and creative work add to Maine's economy and pool of talented, young professionals.

Thousands of University of Maine undergraduates engage in research and creative activities that prepare them for careers and support the university and public.

They uncover knowledge, technology and products for a growing, modern economy. Their work, which molds them into problem-solving citizens, exemplifies UMaine’s role as the state’s public research university.

The annual UMaine Student Symposium, the culminating event for Maine Impact Week, showcases much of that work. This year's event will be held virtually April 16.

Three undergraduates who will present at the 2021 symposium share their stories on this episode of “The Maine Question.” Melissa Maginnis, an associate professor of microbiology and associate director of the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR), also joins the conversation to paint the big-picture of how their work and others support the university community and beyond, and how the symposium benefits students and Maine.

Mark Brewer has been particularly busy the last few years. In addition to his research and courses, the University of Maine political science professor is a respected go-to source for reporters seeking context about political events and the political climate.

Recently, Brewer found time to talk with podcast host Ron Lisnet about the role of politics in our lives. In Episode 5 of Season 4, Brewer explains ranked choice voting, the Electoral College, and the filibuster, and he shares how he teaches politics without getting political.

Everyone loves food. It fills our stomachs, tantalizes our taste buds, sustains us through times of strife and prosperity, fuels multiple industries and helps define cultures. How best to obtain, consume, preserve, distribute and regulate food drives aspects of health care, science and politics. As food science innovation coordinator for the University of Maine’s School of Food and Agriculture, Rob Dumas brings a unique perspective on food to the table. Managing the food science pilot plant at the school, conducting research, and working with food companies has given Dumas morsels of insight into the future of Maine’s food system.

In this episode of “The Maine Question,” Dumas discusses the latest food trends, the “Made in Maine” brand, food insecurity, the state of the food economy in Maine and more. The veteran chef and food innovator also speaks about his previous work as a chef on a nuclear submarine for the U.S. Navy and for the White House, where he cooked for former President Barack Obama and his family, politicians and leaders from around the world.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, sounds like a futuristic concept from science fiction movies, but is very much with us in the present day. We interact with this emerging technology on a daily basis when we apply for jobs, order groceries, access our bank accounts, apply for a loan and scroll through social media. In Episode 3 of Season 4 of “The Maine Question,” we examine AI, how it improves our lives and how it can cause problems. Penny Rheingans, director of the University of Maine's School of Computing and Information Science, and Roy Turner, a UMaine associate professor of computer science, help us unravel the fascinating and complicated story of AI.

Maine is the most forested state in the country, and its residents interact with forests regularly in many different ways. They provide supplies for various products, which fuels industry and job creation, and space for outdoor recreation. These interactions, which help define Maine’s identity, are the subject of Jessica Leahy's research. As a professor in UMaine's School of Forest Resources, she studies the human dimensions of forestry and other natural resources. In this episode of “The Maine Question,” Leahy discusses her work, the ways forests impact our lives and how our actions affect them.

While University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s roots are in agriculture, the 106-year-old organization helps all Mainers thrive with its relevant research-based programs that promote child development, nutrition, robotics, entrepreneurship and more. Recently, “more” has included providing communities with much-needed resources during the pandemic.

In this initial podcast of Season 4, host Ron Lisnet discusses Cooperative Extension’s past, present and future with UMaine and University of Maine at Machias President Joan Ferrini-Mundy and Cooperative Extension Dean Hannah Carter, who says the trusted organization can be like Google for Mainers seeking information.

Lobsters are synonymous with Maine, defining it alongside lighthouses, forests, rocky coasts, blueberries and potatoes. Beyond its reputation as a delicious meal, this iconic crustacean propels a major industry, draws tourists from around the world and serves as a bellwether for climate change and environmental health.

Few people know this creature from all angles better than Rick Wahle. The research professor and director of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine has made it his life's work to study this renowned shellfish. In this episode of “The Maine Question” he takes us to the bottom of the ocean where lobsters live and shares his research about the health and abundance of Maine's lobster resource.

The coronavirus has disrupted just about every facet of academia, especially music education. Like concerts and jam sessions, teaching music is a shared community experience, but the pandemic has prompted several educators to switch instruction from in-person to remote. How can a teacher help a student improve when they can't be in the same room or even play together? Philip Edelman, an assistant professor of music education at UMaine, tried to make the best of a less than ideal situation. He and Shianne Priest, director of music at Leonard Middle School in Old Town, developed a pilot program that gives music education students at UMaine the opportunity to provide remote lessons to middle school students via Zoom. The program has yielded some surprising outcomes that may improve music education in the future.

When people think of coral reefs, they might imagine snorkeling in warm Caribbean waters. But corals also live in the Gulf of Maine and in some of the most extreme environments on Earth, including the Arctic and Antarctic.

Rhian Waller, associate professor of marine sciences and a National Geographic Explorer, dives deep in near-freezing water around the world to learn about what she calls the rainforests of the ocean. She examines how climate change, fishing and oil exploration affect their ecology and reproduction. And she studies the effects that their altered life cycle might have on the marine ecosystem and the planet.