UMaine Research

Suzanne Ishaq, associate professor of microbiomes in the UMaine School of Food and Agriculture and founder of the Microbes and Social Equity Working Group, studies how microbes contribute to their host’s health or disease. “Microbes are everywhere, they are in our intestinal tract, in our mouth, on our skin, in this office, in the air,” Ishaq said. “We almost never think of them unless they are causing us trouble, but they are critical for life on this planet.” Ishaq has been studying how bacterial enzymes turn glucoraphanin in broccoli sprouts into an anti-inflammatory to treat inflammatory bowel diseases

UMaine School of Nursing received a $1.96 million grant from Health Resources and Services Administration’s Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program. Now in the second year, the grant continues to provide financial assistance for family nurse practitioner students who will help provide access to care in rural and underserved areas in Maine. “UMaine Nursing is excited about the opportunities presented by this grant and remains committed to improving health equity and access to quality health care for all Mainers,” said school Director Kelley Strout.

The UMaine Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) fosters innovation in research and development in sustainable aquaculture. ARI collaborates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS), industry and other research institutions. The institute offers programs such as the AquEOUS Program, an USDA funded Research and Extension Experience for Undergraduates (REEU). ARI is preparing to break ground for the Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce and Innovation Center (SAWIC) in Orono in August.

Researchers at UMaine are seeking clean energy solutions that do not release carbon into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Hydrogen Fuel, caused by splitting the bonds that hold oxygen to hydrogen in water molecules, is a potential alternative to fossil fuels. Charitha Perera earned a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry from UMaine’s Department of Chemistry and focused her dissertation on new methods of hydrogen fuel. Perera pursued zinc oxide as a more cost effective catalyst for water splitting than titanium dioxide by using Quantum Mechanical Density Functional Theory. Perera’s work is supported by the National Science Foundation and her findings were published by the American Chemical Society last year.

UMaine’s Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center advances research on newer, more sustainable materials that lower carbon emissions including lightweight, corrosion-resistant alternatives to concrete and steel girders; 3D-printed diffusers for the rehabilitation of highway culverts; reusable 3D printed formwork for the placement of concrete ballast retainers; and analysis of rail and highway structures using unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The center is a U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Center based within the UMaine Advanced Structures & Composites Center and includes a consortium of six New England universities including the University of Connecticut, the University of Vermont, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Western New England University, and the University of Rhode Island in collaboration with the Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in six New England states. Funding was secured through a six-year grant awarded by the U.S. DOT following a New England-wide competition among university consortiums. Image description: Installation of TIDC codeveloped FRP Composite Girders on U.S. Route 1A in Hampden, Maine. The girders are designed to be lighter, lower maintenance and longer lasting than traditional highway bridge construction and replacement girders. They also have a smaller carbon footprint.

The Council on Undergraduate Research showcased UMaine’s Experimental Programs Innovative Central (EPIC), a four-course certificate program that teaches students project management, business communications, and research/problem-solving skills during their annual meeting. “At the University of Maine, we believe in empowering our students with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to excel in the outside world,” said Kody Varahramyan, UMaine’s vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School. “The EPIC program is a key cornerstone of this commitment, providing a platform for students from diverse disciplines to excel in their educational objectives, while collaborating on innovative solutions to real-world problems.”

Genetics, drought and a multitude of other factors influence the growth of Wild Blueberries. Rachel Schattman, UMaine assistant professor of sustainable agriculture, and Bruce Hall, director of agroecology at Jasper Wyman & Son, spoke with NEWS CENTER Maine about how they've teamed up to study Maine's state fruit with unprecedented precision.

Watch the launch of University of Maine's MESAT1 live stream starts at 11:35 pm tonight (Monday, July 1, 2024) 30 minutes before launch! From Firefly SLC-2, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA

A week ago today we had a wonderful Maine AI Conference. Thanks again to all who came. For more information about future events and our next AI Conference sign up to receive information at https://ai.umaine.edu/

A partnership between University of Maine's RiSE Center and Belfast-area teachers is creating research experiences for Maine's next generation of innovators and problem solvers. High school students in Belfast built their own aquaponic and hydroponic systems; conducted studies on periwinkles, coral reefs and soil; and took on ambitious engineering projects that could help tackle real-world problems. At Belfast Area High School, science teacher David Thomas tasked students with designing underwater sea gliders and floating buoys equipped with sensors for data collection, as well as collecting and sharing water quality information data with Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition. As a part of their project, the students toured UMaine research facilities and showcased their work during the project's Community Dine and Discuss event. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e_sxnsSa Keep up with UMaine News by subscribing to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3KF2EI7 #UMaine #STEM