Research Resources

The discovery, synthesis, and dissemination of knowledge are the goals of graduate level study. The University provides varied sources of organized research and learning opportunities through which students are introduced to the concepts of independent thinking in order to reach these goals.

In the past few years, funding for sponsored research, teaching, and public service activities of the faculty has increased to nearly $17 million. These activities include research in areas as diverse as wildlife populations, marine resources, surface science technology, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Canadian-maritime history, language development in children, and counselor education.

The University Libraries. The Raymond H. Fogler Library, Maine’s largest research library contains more than 1,160,635 volumes, 16,988 current serials, subscriptions and continuations, 1.67 million microforms, and access to more than 51,000 online serials and 200 online databases. Fogler Library is the regional depository for federal government publications and houses approximately 2.36 million U.S. Federal, Maine State and Canadian federal and provincial documents. It is Maine’s only U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library. It is also the Science, Technology and Business Research Library for the State of Maine and serves as the resource for meeting the science, technology and business information needs of the citizens of state.

The Darling Marine Center Library, located in Walpole, Maine, is part of Fogler’s Science and Engineering Center and has a collection of more than 14,800 volumes focused on marine studies.

Through URSUS, the online union catalog of the University of Maine System libraries and other participating libraries - the Maine State Library, the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, and the Bangor Public Library - faculty and students have access to over two million volumes. URSUS indexes the majority of the print and non-print materials for the libraries, including books, serials, microforms, sound recordings, maps, government documents and other audiovisual formats. In addition to a bibliographic description of each item, URSUS provides location and status information. Fogler Library also participates in the MaineCat catalog. MaineCat is the statewide catalog that includes URSUS along with all of the other library collections in the state.

Fogler Library provides access to electronic resources available to the university community. The electronic resources include indexes, databases, electronic reserves, electronic journals, electronic books, websites, and other material selected or created by librarians. The library also provides for online reference service through Ask-a- Librarian at http://maine.cb.docutek.com/um/vrl_entry.asp  and also allows patrons to view their own record and renew their books through URSUS at http://ursus.maine.edu/patroninfo/.

The Reference Department is the contact point for general reference assistance. The Department provides research assistance, database searching, and conducts instruction in the social sciences, humanities, business, and education. Individual research assistance is available by appointment. The Department is also the service point for Federal and Canadian documents.

The Science and Engineering Center serves the scientific reference, instruction, and research needs of the University Community and public. The Center houses Maine’s only Patent and Trademark Depository Library.

The Special Collections Department contains an extensive collection of published bibliographical, historical, and descriptive works on Maine, as well as literary titles by its authors. These books, pamphlets, and state documents provide extensive important insights into Maine cities, towns, counties, people, and institutions. A substantial body of original source materials complements them. The department also houses rare books and university publications and records. Since 1998 it has been the home of the William S. Cohen Archives.

Students and faculty may borrow books from any of the UM campus libraries using the online requestor function and through MaineCat, which allows online borrowing among the member libraries. Other materials may be requested from Fogler’s Interlibrary Loan Department, which provides desktop delivery for many requests.

Additional information about materials and services can be found at the Fogler Library website http://library.umaine.edu. Please use the web site to access URSUS, the online indexes and databases, electronic resources, and other collections. The website also gives detailed information on the library departments, collections, services, and contacts. The general telephone number for the library is 207-581-1666. Please call 581-1664 for Library hours.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs has broad responsibilities for fostering and encouraging research and other scholarly activities throughout the campus. The office provides support services to faculty and staff seeking extramural funding for research, teaching, or public service projects, and to those who direct extramurally funded projects. On behalf of the University, the office oversees the submission of proposals and shares with the Principal Investigator or Project Director responsibility for the management of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

The Office of the Vice President for Research provides administrative oversight for the research risk committees (i.e., human subjects, animal welfare, and biosafety) and the Faculty Research Funds Program. It is also responsible for developing policies for research and related activities. The Vice President for Research is the University designated Scientific Misconduct Officer.

Information Technology Services. A service of the University of Maine System, Information Technology Services maintains an integrated program of information systems, technologies and services for UMS.  ITS provides technology and infrastructure support services for academic, research and administrative computing, distance education, intercampus communication services, telecommunications, telephony, and Internet services, network and systems services, and security to all System campuses, centers and sites. To learn more about Information Technology Services, see http://www.maine.edu/systems/its.

Information Technologies provides high quality technological resources for use in the teaching/learning/research environment, including telecommunications, networking resources, computing services, and support and training to all members of the academic and administrative community.

Information Technologies’ main office is on the second floor of the Telecom Building (attached to Neville Hall), but many of its services are in the other buildings on the campus. Visit our web page at: www.umaine.edu/it/

See our list of services below:

The IT Help Center (17 Shibles Hall) provides telephone, walk-in, chat and email assistance for the FirstClass email/conferencing system, UMaineNet (residence hall network), UMS accounts (PeopleSoft, Wireless access, WebCT, BlackBoard), software applications and all operating systems. The Help Center is an excellent resource for the detection and removal of computer viruses and malware and for assistance with data backup. The Help Center provides free remote support for software configuration problems, software installations, network connectivity and UMaineNet setup. On site support is available for a fee. Phone (207) 581-2506 or email help_center@umit.maine.edu. Visit our website at http://www.umaine.edu/it/helpcenter.

Public Computer Clusters - Mac’s and PC’s are available in the computer cluster in the basement of the Memorial Union 24 hours a day. The library has PC’s available for use during normal operating hours. Laser printing is available in both locations. Faculty, staff, and students are granted $16.00 in free print funds on your Mainecard per semester for use in the public computer clusters. Instructions for printing from a non-cluster machine are available on our IT website at http://www.umaine.edu/it/helpcenter/printingwireless.php.

Collaborative Media Lab - The CML was designed to provide space specifically for high end graphic, video and audio production for the University of Maine community. This lab contains some of the best equipment and programs needed for Multimedia, Web and Graphic Design. A conference room equipped with teleconferencing capability is available. Printing services include an HP Banner 5500ps color laser jet printer, used for large format printing in color (posters and presentations), in addition to an HP Color Laserjet 5550DN color printer. Please visit the CML website at http://www.umaine.edu/it/helpcenter/cml/ or call 581-4641 for more information or reservations.

Computer Repair, York Village, Bldg. 6, #67, services all university-owned computer equipment, as well as computer equipment owned by staff members and students affiliated with The University of Maine. It provides warranty service for Apple, Dell, and IBM computers. Computer Repair also works on most Hewlett-Packard Laserjet-series printers. Extended warranty AppleCare contracts are also available. For more information call (207) 581-2512.

UMaineNet provides students living in all UMaine residence halls with high-speed Internet connection. For information and/or assistance, phone (207) 581-2506 or email help_center@umit.maine.edu. 

FirstClass is UMaine’s official communications system which provides our users with the ability to effectively communicate and share valuable resources and information via email, conferencing (public, private or courses), directories, individual and shared calendars and online chats. Users also have the ability to build their own web pages, whether personal or course related, and to share documents and files. For information and/or assistance, phone (207) 581-2506 or email help_center@umit.maine.edu.

Computer Connection, Inside the Bookstore - Memorial Union, is a store for The University of Maine community offering personal computers, printers, computer peripherals, iPods, iPads, digital cameras, memory, supplies and software (including student licenses) at discounted educational prices. More technology products are available through our web page at http://www.umaine.edu/computerconnection or visit our showroom in the Memorial Union. Phone (207) 581-2580 or (800) 261-5543 for a general catalog or for information about financing. You can also reach us by email at computerconnection@umit.maine.edu.

The Faculty Development Center provides instructors, including teaching graduate students, with the highest level of technical support and access to state-of-the-art technology at no charge. We help create multimedia projects and teach relevant software by providing a wide area of support that ranges from individual consulting to regularly scheduled group workshops. We also establish a liaison between faculty and networking or other technology administrators. The Faculty Development Center is fully equipped with the latest in multimedia technology to assist in all your needs. Faculty technology stipends and other incentives are available on a regular basis to faculty members. We are open weekdays 8:00 a.m - 4:30 p.m. Contact us at (207) 581-1925 or stop by 149 Memorial Union. Also, visit our web site at http://www.umaine.edu/fdc/.

Instructional Workshops are offered in a hands-on computer classroom using Microsoft Office 2007 on Windows 7 computers. Schedules and registration information are posted at our website, http://www.umaine.edu/it/forms/workshops.php. We support faculty and graduate assistants in integrating Personal Response Systems (PRS, or “clickers”) into their curriculum. Faculty Development Center, IT, also provides test scoring services, using an optical scanner to collect data from test sheets, evaluation forms and surveys. We generate reports on the data collected, and we will supply the raw data, if desired. Workshops are also announced in the Provost/Acad Staff folder on FirstClass. For additional information, email andrei@umit.maine.edu.

Phone Service - Each residence hall room is equipped with a working telephone jack. However, students must provide their own touch-tone phone. Students living in the residence halls also have access to voice mail.

Video Services, Room 220 Alumni Hall- Provides use of a television studio and production suite for programming on the campus cable student access channel. Media duplication services with equipment for DVD, VCD, CD, VHS, S-VHS, and mini-DV formats. We also provide conversion of PAL and SECAM VHS tapes. New services include installation and technical support of room based videoconference systems. For more information call (207) 581-2577.

Audio Visual Services, Room 28 Shibles Hall - Provides A.V. equipment (color TV monitors, video tape players, computer/video projection devices, overhead projectors, slide projectors, and public address systems, etc.) for classroom and department use on the UMaine campus as well as providing support for high-tech classrooms. For a complete list of equipment that can be scheduled, please call (207) 581-2500. 

The Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology (LASST) is an interdisciplinary research unit within The University of Maine comprised of faculty, staff, post-docs, graduate students and undergraduates from the departments of Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Chemical & Biological Engineering, and Electrical & Computer Engineering. LASST engages in research, public service, and educational activities providing a focus for training students and carrying out research in high technology areas related to surfaces, interfaces, thin films, and nanotechnology. Research of advanced materials spans the spectrum from basic science to applied technology in areas related to industries both within and outside the State of Maine. Current projects include development of chemical and biological sensors, synthesis of ceramic films and coatings, studies of friction, wear, and lubrication of surfaces, interfaces in composite materials, surface science of paper coatings, surface adhesion of polymers, catalytic reactions, acoustic wave devices, microsystems, MEMS, microelectronic materials, and biomedical devices. The research effort benefits from a full-time support staff of technical and administrative personnel, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and funding from a mix of university, state, federal, and industrial sources. More than thirty five graduate students are carrying out thesis projects at LASST pursuing advanced degrees in Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. LASST awards research assistantships to carry out graduate research and also participates in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program. Well-equipped facilities are available for synthesis, analysis and characterization, and processing of surfaces, interfaces, thin films, sensors, microsystems and electronic devices. These facilities include several instruments including ion beam and plasma-assisted thin film deposition sources, reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), nanotribometer for friction and wear measurements, pin-on-disk tester, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GCMS), and focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy. LASST also maintains a class 1,000 clean room for fabrication and testing of sensors, microsystems, MEMS, and microelectronic devices including photolithographic patterning, metallization, etching, and packaging equipment, high temperature furnaces, computer-controlled gas delivery systems, a Hall effect apparatus, and microwave test equipment. For additional information, see http://www.umaine.edu/lasst/.

The Climate Change Institute (CCI) is an interdisciplinary research unit organized to conduct research and graduate education focused on variability of the earth’s climate, ecosystems, and other environmental systems and on the interaction between humans and the natural world. Institute investigations cover the Quaternary Period, a time of numerous glacial/interglacial cycles and abrupt changes in climate, ranging in time from the present to nearly 2 million years ago. Research activities include field, laboratory, and modeling studies that focus on the timing, causes, and mechanisms of natural and anthropogenically forced climate change, and on the effects of past climate changes on the physical, biological, chemical, social, and economic conditions of the earth. CCI research is supported by grants from a variety of sources including the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an endowment from the Bingham Trust, and private gifts such as the Dan and Betty Churchill Exploration Fund.

To accomplish its goal of better understanding climate change and its impact on humans and ecosystems the Institute includes faculty, staff, and students from the departments of Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, History, and Marine Sciences. Facilities include the Stable-Isotope Laboratory, the Ice Core Microparticle and Tephrochronology Laboratory; the Ion Chromatography and Glaciochemistry Laboratory; the Marine Geology/Geophysics and Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, the Micropaleontology Laboratory, the Laboratory for Paleoecology and Paleohydrology; the Zooarchaeology Laborarory; the Laborarory for Northeastern Prehistory; and the Andean Archaeology Laboratory.

Institute research is of international scope and significance, and includes projects in the United States, Antarctica, Asia, Canada, Europe, Greenland, New Zealand, South America, and selected regions of the world’s oceans. The Institute maintains a strong program of international collaboration with a variety of organizations such as: Stockholm Univerisity, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Government of Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (Nepal), the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Canadian Geological Survey and has a tradition of honorary members including Thor Heyerdahl.

Field, laboratory and modeling aspects of the Institute’s research routinely involve graduate and undergraduate students.

The Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research. The mission of the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research is to solve challenging environmental and sustainability problems in Maine, New England, and beyond. To achieve lasting success, our efforts focus simultaneously on the intersecting societal needs for strong economies, robust communities, and a clean environment.

Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative, a program of the Mitchell Center, seeks to transform Maine’s capacity for addressing sustainability science challenges. The program of research will also help Maine increase economic activity and technological innovation in ways that sustain the State’s remarkable “quality of place”. The Initiative offers unprecedented opportunities for students to experience a truly integrative learning experience. Students will participate in collaborative research experiences with interdisciplinary faculty teams and will gain a deeper understanding of what it takes for teams to work effectively. All research teams include experts in the social, economic, and ecological dimensions of sustainability challenges as well as researchers skilled in linking knowledge to action (e.g., experts in communication, political science, public policy). Our faculty are committed to working towards integration and interdisciplinarity in order to transform our capacity for conducting sustainability science.

The Initiative’s focus on Knowledge to Action research opens up new connections between researchers and stakeholders to maximize the relevance and potential value of research for decision-making. Building strong stakeholder relationships based on a foundation of mutual respect, open communication, and a belief in the value of diverse ideas and experiences is key to this process. Students will interact with people from a wide cross-section of organizations including state and federal agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.

Research teams use Maine as a “laboratory” for the emerging field of sustainability science. While Maine faces some serious environmental challenges, its ecosystems generally have not reached crisis points, making Maine a valuable model system for exploring more proactive, cost-effective approaches to sustainable development. This “laboratory” provides students with a unique environment to learn skills that are highly transferable to other regions.

Additional information on Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative is available at www.umaine.edu/sustainabilitysolutions/.

The Mitchell Center is also home to Maine’s congressionally-authorized Water Resources Research Institute and, as such, is involved in state-wide water resources research. The WRRI program funds a competitive grant program for faculty. Funded projects include graduate research training components. A list of principal investigators and currently funded WRRI projects is available on the Mitchell Center Web site. The Web site also includes a listing of UMaine faculty undertaking water-related research. Graduate students interested in water resources research should contact the Mitchell Center for additional information.

For additional information, visit the Mitchell Center Web site at www.umaine.edu/WaterResearch/
 

The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station. For more than 120 years, the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station has undertaken research for Maine and its people. Originally devoted to research for Maine’s farm community, the Experiment Station is now Maine’s most important center for research in agriculture, forestry and wood products, marine fisheries and aquaculture, wildlife, rural economic development, and tourism. The Experiment Station maintains its offices and principal research laboratories in Orono. Additional research facilities include Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle, the Jacob Shur Research Facility in Crystal, Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, Blueberry Hill Farm in Jonesboro, J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center in Old Town and Stillwater, the Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden and the Roger Clapp  Greenhouses in Orono, and the Dwight B. Demeritt Forest in Old Town and Orono. 

The Experiment Station’s research programs improve the quality of life for Maine people by enhancing the profitability and sustainability of Maine’s natural-resource-based industries and by protecting Maine’s environment and the health of its citizens. Station scientists use cutting-edge tools to address current challenges for Maine’s natural resource-based industry and provide the new knowledge that fuels innovation. Discoveries are translated into new production methods, new pest-management and disease treatments, new value-added products, and new programs to improve the nutrition of Maine citizens.  http://www.umaine.edu/mafes/.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension  

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s community presence creates unparalleled opportunities for innovative work-study, internships, and assistantships. We support the University’s public education and service role by delivering research-based outreach programs in every Maine county. At work in Orono, 16 county offices, and five farms of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Research Station, UMaine Extension comprises over 200 staff and thousands of volunteers who provide community-based education in nutrition, agriculture, community development, parenting, natural resources, and marine science, as well as youth development through Extension’s Maine 4-H program, including two outdoor environmental education camps in Lincolnville and Bryant Pond. 

We are part of a nationwide system, supported by a three-way partnership among the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the land-grant colleges and universities, and county governments. We convey community issues, problems, and opportunities to the University to inform Research & Development. Our reach is amplified via partnerships with Maine Sea Grant, the Maine Agricultural Center, and the Maine Agricultural & Forest Experiment Station.

UMaine Extension engages over 200 students annually in a variety of roles. Our students have achieved success and helped us move forward in such diverse areas as marketing communications, Native American connections, and 4-H program development, working collaboratively with faculty and developing partnerships with community groups. In addition, UMaine Extension has had students involved in personnel management, publications sales, and new media development who have gone on to rewarding careers based on their experience.

For more information please visit www.extension.umaine.edu or contact John Rebar, Executive Director, at (207) 581-2811 or john.rebar@maine.edu.

The Department of Industrial Cooperation. ORED’s Department of Industrial Cooperation (DIC) provides access to the people, skills, equipment, and facilities necessary for problem solving and research and development to more than 150 companies each year in many different industries. DIC helps UMaine achieve its goals of research and public service, while avoiding conflicts of interest with the private sector and ensuring that the University is compensated for private use of its state-supported resources.

The Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) is advancing Maines economy by facilitating the creation of new ideas and products through research and development, the growth of new companies, and support for existing companies. We accomplish this mission by: 

• Helping faculty and staff find and obtain sources of research funding
• Connecting businesses, research organizations, economic developers and individuals with the expertise and resources of the University of Maine
• Supporting the commercialization of University of Maine research through intellectual property protection, technology transfer, entrepreneurship training, new venture formation, business incubation, and economic development activities

AEWC Advanced Structures and Composites Center (www.aewc.umaine.edu). The Advanced Structures and Composites Center is an interdisciplinary research center focusing on the underlying science, engineering, manufacturing technologies, and commercialization of low-cost, high-performance composite materials. Research and development emphases include: the development of deepwater offshore wind energy; fiber reinforced polymer building, bridge and ship structures; advanced engineered wood composite materials for building construction applications; development of materials for force protection including inflatable composite bridge arches, ballistic tent inserts, and rapidly deployable buildings; wood decay and wood composites protection such as the durability of FRP-wood interfaces; extrusion of fiber/polymer-composite construction materials; structural reliability of FRP composites in ship assemblies; wind-hazards resistant advanced wood construction; development of advanced composite ship structures.

The Center is an ISO 17025 accredited 87,000ft2 state-of-the-art “one stop shop” for integrated composite materials research, development and testing. The Center’s laboratories provide capacities for the development of composite materials and structures from the conceptual stage through research, manufacturing prototypes, and subsequent testing and evaluation. Laboratory capacities include: structural, mechanical, and environmental testing; nanocomposites R&D, robotic manufacturing, resin infusion, microscopy, polymer and interface science, and materials characterization; and 2 pilot lines for strand composites manufacturing and for composites extrusion.

The Center’s faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate student researchers come from a variety of disciplines including civil and environmental engineering, wood science & technology, construction management, business, mechanical engineering and resource economics. The Center carries out multi-year funded research from federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Federal Highway Administration, the Office of Naval Research, the US Army, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the United States Department of Agriculture, as well as product development and testing for hundreds of industrial clients worldwide.

Over 100 outstanding graduate and undergraduate students are selected every year to work at the Center on research that takes their educational experience beyond the classroom, while they pursue a degree in their “home” department. Graduate students have an opportunity to use the facilities, equipment and resources available at the Center. They have opportunities to gain experience in project management and supervision. Another important component of the student experience is the emphasis on commercial development and transfer of technology to industrial partners.

The Center’s Graduate Certificate in Advanced Engineered Wood Composites is a 16 credit program integrating civil engineering, composite technologies, wood science, and adhesives technology. Students in this program (1) acquire knowledge of wood-polymer and fiber-reinforced hybrid composites; (2) conduct and analyze material property characterization of hybrid composites; and (3) develop skills in assessing technology for product development of low-cost, high- performance hybrid composites.
 

The Pulp and Paper Foundation. Supported by private funding from more than 70 companies located in 20 states as well as several hundred individual donations and endowment gifts, the foundation encourages a strong teaching and research program in Chemical Engineering, with a significant undergraduate scholarship program available to qualified students throughout the College of Engineering and the School of Engineering Technology.

The School of Marine Sciences (SMS) is a large unit of the University residing in the College of Natural Sciences Forestry and Agriculture. SMS is the focal home of both graduate and undergraduate academic programs, research, and public service activities related to scientific policy and resource topics of marine and coastal zone environments. At present, approximately 57 faculty are affiliated with SMS including full-time, part-time, and cooperating appointments. SMS, by its very nature, is an interdisciplinary unit dedicated to research, education and public service. Current areas of expertise and research include oceanography, aquaculture, marine biology, marine geology, seafloor ecology, fish and fisheries biology, fish pathology, seaweed biology, marine resource development and policy, and ocean engineering.

The School of Marine Sciences offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of M.S. and Ph.D. in Oceanography, M.S. and Ph.D. in Marine Biology, and M.S. in Marine Policy. An M.S. in Aquaculture may be developed in the near future.

Faculty of SMS provide leadership in research programs with emphasis on the Gulf of Maine, its related coastal zone, and in other cold-water and global systems. SMS faculty are headquartered at both the University’s Orono campus and its coastal marine laboratory campus, the Ira C. Darling Center (see below).

The School also develops and maintains relationships with other marine research institutions within the region. Examples include Maine Maritime Academy, the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Bigelow Laboratory, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and the Maine Geological Survey.

The Ira C. Darling Center, the University’s coastal marine laboratory, is located on the Damariscotta River estuary, approximately 100 miles south of the Orono campus in mid-coast Maine. Approximately 60 faculty, postdoctoral associates, graduate students, and support staff live in residence and conduct research encompassing the disciplines of benthic ecology and invertebrate life histories, macroalgal ecology, physiological ecology, microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, invertebrate nutritional physiology, aquaculture, and marine archaeology. The Center has 100,000 sq. ft. of laboratory space and a wide variety of modern analytical research instrumentation. The Center has housing for 120 people and is equipped with a wide spectrum of laboratory and office space, a modern telecommunications system, a new Conference Center containing housing and a dining hall, a research library, three classrooms equipped with running seawater which are available for faculty and students, as well as a modern flowing seawater laboratory equipped with ambient, heated, and chilled seawater for the culture of marine organisms. A small boat fleet (19’ to 42’) enables researchers to access a wide variety of near and offshore marine and estuarine habitats.

The Maine Sea Grant College Program www.seagrant.umaine.edu is a nonprofit program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration based at the University of Maine. This federal-state-university partnership supports marine science research, outreach, and education. In addition to graduate research assistantships, Sea Grant coordinates the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, Coastal Management Fellowship, Graduate Fellowship Program in Population Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics, and the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship. Students interested in graduate study in marine-related fields should contact the School of Marine Sciences.

Students interested in graduate study in marine-related fields should write to the School of Marine Sciences.

The Lobster Institute, a cooperative program of research and education with the lobster industry, generates information about the Maine lobster which is used to help conserve and enhance the resource and ensure the continuance of this strong and healthy industry in Maine and adjacent areas including Canada. The Institute works with representatives of the industry to identify practical problems and help solve them.

The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) is a research center focusing on a broad spectrum of investigations in geographic information science. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and many other Federal agencies, the Center draws a large number of graduate students and long-term visitors. NCGIA collaborates with several geographic information system and mapping companies in Maine and outside Maine. NCGIA also collaborates with spin-off companies in the off-campus Target Technology Center. NCGIA is considered one of the world-leading research centers in GI science. The President of the world-wide leader in GIS software products stressed the importance of this area in the information systems age, highlighting the lack of qualified people, and requesting that “the nation needs a program ten times the size of the one at Orono.”

NCGIA supports graduate research assistants at the Ph.D. and Master’s levels and enables the participation in cutting-edge research projects in geographic information science, including an NSF IGERT program in sensor informatics.

The College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, specializes in programs related to understanding and responsible management of the world’s natural resources. It consists of six departments and five schools, which offer academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. The college offers a diversity of programs taught by a faculty that represents the largest assemblage of scientific expertise in Maine. The college has extensive teaching and research facilities, plus some of the most sophisticated research equipment available. In addition to modern laboratories on the Orono campus, the college maintains field sites throughout the state including Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle, Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, Blueberry Hill Farm in Jonesboro, Rogers Farm in Old Town, Witter Teaching and Research Center in Orono, the Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden and the Clapp Greenhouse at Orono, the Demeritt Forest in Orono, the Penobscot Experimental Forest in Bradley, the Shur facility in Crystal, and the Darling Marine Center in Walpole. www.nsfa.umaine.edu

The School of Forest Resources Forest Products Laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility for modern wood science and industrial forest products teaching and research. The 5,500 square foot facility contains equipment for the protection and preservation treatment of wood and biotechnology facilities for fiber processing and bioremediation, including a spectrophotometer, laminar flow hood, centrifuge, and gas chromatograph. Laboratory equipment includes an experimental-size dry kiln for wood drying research and a variety of wood drying and conditioning chambers. A full-sized conditioning room is maintained at standard conditions for testing wood and wood-based materials. The lab is equipped with a 200-ton position controlled hydraulic press, and support for the preparation of laminates and reconstituted board materials. Computer facilities include data acquisition stations, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) devices, image analysis, and Silicon Graphics work stations.

The School of Forest Resources also maintains laboratories for image analysis and information management. The Maine Image Analysis Laboratory is a research facility for the application of satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems to natural resource management. The laboratory maintains facilities for image processing, geographic information analysis and photointerpretation. Research programs focus on the integration of satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems, forest mapping, tropical landcover/land use change analysis, conservation easement monitoring, wildlife habitat analysis, and landscape ecology.

The School of Forest Resources supports an array of research facilities and equipment. Well-equipped laboratories are available for research in physiology, structural microscopy, tissue culture, and tree-ring analysis/dendrochronology. Physiological instrumentation includes a state-of-the-art portable photosynthesis system, programmable growth chambers, spectrophotometer, foliar image analysis system, and sterile transfer hoods. A full range of field instrumentation includes a TDR soil moisture system, water potential meter, hemispheric canopy analyzer, laser plotting system, GPS receivers and base station, and automatic dataloggers with sensors for light, temperature, humidity, wind, etc. Greenhouse space with environmental control is available, and the college has access to computer clusters with statistical analysis and image scanning capabilities.

The Department of Wildlife Ecology has a Geographical Information System laboratory for use in research on interpreting wildlife habitat selection and assessing value of habitats for conservation. Additional research resources available to graduate students are provided through the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

The Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, administratively part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and functionally an integral part of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, is one of approximately 40 such units across the country. The nationwide Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit program was established in 1935 to meet the growing need for trained wildlife professionals and technical information for natural resource management. It is a cooperative effort of the USGS, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the University of Maine, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Maine has one of the oldest such units in the country with the wildlife component established in 1936, fisheries in 1962, and in 1985 the two were combined into the present-day Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

Most of the research projects conducted by the Maine Unit are identified and funded by the major cooperators, such as the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, USGS Biological Resources Discipline, Wildlife Management Institute, and The University of Maine. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the original administrative home of the Unit Program, also supports projects at the MCFWRU.

More information on the MCFWRU and a list of personnel, can be found at: http://www.wle.umaine.edu/Coop_Unit/Coop_Unit.html.

The Canadian-American Center.  Founded in 1968, the Canadian-American Center is one of the leading institutes in the United States for studying Canada.  Designated a National Resource Center on Canada by the U.S. Department of Education in 1979, the Center coordinates all Canadian Studies activities at The University of Maine. The Center organizes international conferences, promotes student and faculty exchanges with Canadian universities, coordinates outreach activities in schools and in the community, and supports graduate research on Canadian-American topics.

The principal graduate programs in Canadian Studies are in the Department of Modern Languages, which offers an M.A. in North American French studies, and in the Department of History, which has a Canadian concentration at both the master’s and doctoral levels. Individualized graduate programs are also available in many departments. The Canadian collection at the Fogler Library is outstanding. Holdings include numerous journals, newspapers, the pre-1900 Canadian series, government documents, dissertations, and the Mason Wade collection.

Students interested in graduate study on Canada or a Canadian-related field may write to the Canadian-American Center, 154 College Avenue, or contact Canadian Studies faculty in Anthropology, Economics, English, Modern Languages, Forest Resources, Geology, History, and the Climate Change Institute.

Intensive English Institute (IEI) of The University of Maine is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It prepares international students and non-native speakers of English for university study or for professional activities where English is the medium of communication. Intensive English is offered year-round. Contract courses are also provided. In addition to a full-time course of study, the IEI offers academic advising, cross-cultural counseling, tutorials and self-study opportunities in a variety of content and skill areas. The Institute administers the TOEFL every semester. Students may also participate in the Conversation Partners Program.

Full-time study consists of twenty hours per week. The IEI also offers a TOEFL workshop series for students and a TESOL Certificate Program for Teachers.

Students are charged a set fee for each IEI course. Matriculated students may take a combination of language study courses and degree courses. For more information please contact the IEI by telephone (207) 581-3821, e-mail ieium@umit.maine.edu, or the world wide web www.umaine.edu/iei/.

The Maine Folklife Center is a unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Staff at the center teach courses in folklore and oral history and often serve on graduate committees. The Center houses the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History, a research facility and repository for audio recordings, transcripts of tapes and related photographs and manuscript materials relevant to the customs, traditions, and history of Maine and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Presently it contains nearly 4,000 separate accessions accessible through the Fogler library’s URSUS search program, more than 4,000 hours of recorded interviews, more than 60,000 manuscript pages, and more than 10,000 images. The collection features regional folklore including folksongs of Maine and the Maritimes, traditions of the Maine lumberwoods, Native American legends and beliefs, traditional medicine, women in the Depression and W.W.II, occupational lore, vernacular architecture, coastal and marine occupations and folk arts. The Maine Folklife Center publishes the annual monograph, Northeast Folklore, co-produces the American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront, occasionally prepares exhibits, and workshops. A graduate assistantships is usually available; students should contact the center in January of the year before they want the assistantship. The Center is located in South Stevens and is open by appointment. For further information, email: folklife@maine.edu, telephone 581-1891 or visit our website: www.umaine.edu/folklife.

The National Poetry Foundation is a center for research on modern poetry, in particular modern American poetry. NPF publishes a scholarly journal, Paideuma, which is devoted to scholarship on modernist and postmodernist poetry. NPF also publishes books of poetry and scholarly books devoted to modern poetry. Recent books of poetry have included volumes devoted to the poetry of Helen Adam, Joanne Kyger, Evelyn Scott, Ted Enslin, Armand Schwerner, and Constance Hunting.  NPF also publishes the Modern Poets Series, which consists of substantial volumes of biographical and critical commentary on such poets as Louis Zukofsky, George Oppen, Basil Bunting, William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore, H.D., T.S. Eliot, Hugh MacDiarmid, Mina Loy, and many others. To date, fifteen volumes have been published in this series, the newest on Ronald Johnson. Graduate students have regularly found opportunities to provide editorial assistance in the development of books in this series. NPF also regularly organizes conferences that bring to UMaine major figures in contemporary poetry and contemporary criticism. Recent conferences have included “American Poetry in the 1960s” (2000) and “Poetries of the 1940s, American and International” (2004), and  “The Poetry of the 1970s” (2008). Participants have included Allen Ginsburg, Carl Rakosi, Lewis Simpson, Ruth Stone, Hugh Kenner, Marjorie Perloff, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, Joan Retallack, Charles Bernstein, and many other distinguished poets and critics.UMaine graduate students regularly participate in these conferences. For more information, go to the NPF website: http://www.nationalpoetryfoundation.org.

The Department of Psychology. Facilities for experimental and clinical research include laboratories for the study of human and animal behavior, cognition, perceptions, and emotion. Among departmental research foci are depression and anxiety disorders, peer relations, developmental psychopathology, cognitive aging, and socio-cognitive factors influencing health and well-being. There are rooms designed for observation and audio-visual recording of behavior, as well as electrically shielded rooms for psychophysiological recordings. The department also operates a pre-school (Child Study Center) and psychology clinic (Psychological Services Center) for instructional and research purposes. Through faculty affiliation with Eastern Maine Healthcare, research opportunities are also provided at Eastern Maine Medical Center and at the Maine Institute for Human Genetics and Health. 

The Psychological Services Center, maintained and administered by the Department of Psychology, has three interrelated functions. It is a community mental health clinic which serves central Maine residents of all ages through the provision of psychotherapy, and psychological assessment on site. Referrals are accepted from area physicians, family members, other mental health agencies/professionals, and from clients themselves. Graduate students in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program serve as clinic staff under direct supervision of licensed psychologists. Facilities for direct observation of treatment and audio-video recording are available. The clinic also provides mental health consultation services to community agencies. These services may involve consultation to agency staff on mental health matters, provision of direct services to individuals served by various agencies, and the provision of workshops and training seminars for residents and staff. The third function of the clinic is to serve as a clinical research facility. From time to time specialized treatment/research programs may be offered to the community free of charge. These programs aim to identify particular client populations and provide new and innovative approaches to the treatment of specific disorders.

The Child Study Center, of the Psychology Department, offers a developmentally-based, individualized curriculum of activities in art, dramatic play, science, language, motor, cognitive and social skills. Children three to five years of age are provided with opportunities to be successful at tasks geared to their own developmental levels. The philosophy of the program involves a developmentally supportive approach to working with young children, with an emphasis on developing social competence in interaction with same-age peers and adults. The Center provides the Psychology department with a naturalistic laboratory for the systematic study of children’s affect, cognition and behavior through research.

The Child Development Learning Center, in the College of Education and Human Development, offers observational facilities and a setting in which to work with young children. Individuals have an opportunity to be involved in teacher training programs, curriculum development, and research focused on topics related to child and family development. Research may be interdisciplinary with other departments such as Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychology. Graduate assistantships are available and assistants become part of the Center staff.

The Madelyn E. and Albert D. Conley Speech Language and Hearing Center, located in Dunn Hall, is a center for clinical education and research as well as a facility for comprehensive state-of-the-art speech, language and hearing services. Both the Speech-Language Clinic and the Audiology Clinic provide services for individuals across the lifespan. The Speech-Language Clinic offers both evaluation and treatment services as well as outreach services to preschools, public/private schools and group homes. The Audiology Clinic offers comprehensive services including hearing testing, hearing aid evaluations and hearing aid fittings. Graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders complete supervised clinical practicum experiences in both Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at the Conley Center. Additionally, graduate students complete clinical placements in hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes and community speech and hearing centers. The graduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders is accredited in the area of Speech-Language Pathology by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and offers the only M.A. program in Communication Sciences and Disorders in the state.

The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, established in 1989, is a nonpartisan, independent research and public service unit of the University of Maine.

The Center’s mission is to improve and promote the quality of public dialogue about state, regional, and national policy issues through applied policy research and community development. Our tradition is one of independent and objective inquiry- in the spirit of the respected Maine Senator for whom we are named.

Our research is interdisciplinary in that it cuts across departmental lines and brings together faculty and external policy experts to address issues confronting the state and nation. 

Graduate students from several academic disciplines serve as research assistants and are encouraged to participate fully in the Center.

Primary areas of activity include economic and community development, environmental and natural resources policy, civic values and institutions, and health and social policy.

For more information contact the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, 5784 York Complex #4, 581-1648, or website: www.umaine.edu/mcsc

The Bureau of Labor Education (BLE). The Bureau of Labor Education is a department within the University of Maine’s Division of Lifelong Learning. This office conducts educational programs, presentations, courses, and research on labor issues of interest to workers, students, educators, leaders and staff of union organizations, and public policy makers. General topics include employment law, labor history, occupational health and safety, labor relations, labor and the economy, and leadership development. The Bureau also has developed the following three credit undergraduate courses, which are structured to be taught on line. Those interested in taking one or both of these courses should check with the BLE regarding when they will be offered and how to register. Course descriptions are available at: http://dll.umaine.edu/ble.

• LST 101 Introduction to labor Studies
• LST 201 Work and labor in a Global Environment

The Women’s Resource Center (WRC), located at 102 Fernald Hall, was established in the Fall of 1991 to promote and maintain an inclusive, positive, and supportive climate conducive to women’s personal and professional development at The University of Maine. The Center, which comes under the Division of Lifelong Learning, serves as a resource for individuals and organizations, offering information and referrals for women’s programs and services on and off campus, providing advocacy and collaboration to help women with special needs and concerns, and bringing together women with similar values and goals.

The Women’s Resource Center focuses on educational and economic equity for women and girls, reproductive rights, and violence prevention.

The Women’s Resource Center is the lead organization in Maine for the National Girls Collaborative Project. This program, funded by the National Science Foundation, provides funding and support to girl-serving organizations that encourage girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Women’s Resource Center employs a graduate student who assumes responsibility for this and other WRC projects under the supervision of the director.

The Safe Campus Project (SCP) is a program of the Women’s Resource Center. Its mission is to stop interpersonal violence by working together to promote safe and healthy relationships. Safe Campus offers support and information about sexual assault, relationship abuse, stalking, and harassment. It offers workshops, presentations, and trainings on safety in relationships. The Safe Campus Project oversees the policy and protocol development and implementation for The University of Maine. In addition to advocacy and education, Safe Campus refers to campus and community partners for a wide range of services, including legal services.

The WRC and SCP employ undergraduate work-study, work-merit students and academic interns who contribute to the work of the office as well as develop projects that reflect their interests and skills.

The staff and students of the WRC work closely with the Student Women’s Association, a student run organization that advocates women’s rights, sponsors educational programs, and provides a positive and supportive environment conducive to personal expression.

The WRC promotes a closer relationship between the women on The University of Maine campus and women in the larger Maine community, reaching out to women’s programs and initiatives and providing support and guidance, including mentoring opportunities with women activists and programs for girls in public school. In addition to an extensive collection of books, periodicals, and videos of interest to women, the Center offers programs, provides meeting space, and promotes within the University community a broader understanding of the diverse experiences of all women.

For additional information, contact the Women’s Resource Center at 102 Fernald Hall, 581-1508.
 

The Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies  is an interdisciplinary research unit that incorporates the principles of universal access, disability as diversity, inclusion, and social justice into a broad range of initiatives related to improving the quality of life for individuals with developmental and other disabilities. CCIDS conducts research, evaluation, and policy analysis in the areas of education and early intervention, child care, health, employment, housing, and other aspects of community living for individuals with disabilities and their families. As Maine’s federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, CCIDS is part of a national network and collaborates with other universities and research centers throughout the country and internationally to address critical areas in disability-related research, practice, and public policy. Graduate and undergraduate students in Disability Studies and other interested students from any discipline may become involved in the Center’s research activities through coursework, independent studies, projects, and graduate assistantships. For additional information, please contact the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, 114 Corbett Hall, Phone (V/TTY) 207/581-1084 or 800/203-6957, or website: www.ccids.umaine.edu.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Endeavors at The University of Maine

The University of Maine is firmly and deeply committed to the expansion of knowledge and understanding by encouraging various forms of interdisciplinary academic endeavor. Such activities have become the hallmark of academic excellence and a clear indicator of the intellectual vitality of modern institutions of higher learning. The University of Maine accordingly boasts a vibrant array of interdisciplinary activities that provide an exceptionally wide range of opportunities for all members of the University community - undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, staff members, administrators - to participate in scholarly undertakings that involve multiple academic disciplines. The following list covers opportunities currently available to graduate students at the University of Maine; other endeavors may be in the planning stages, and the University actively fosters the expansion of this critical aspect of its overall mission of teaching, research, and public service.

I. Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs

Composite Studies (Graduate Certificate in Advanced Engineered Wood Composites)
Disability Studies (graduate core)
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Financial Economics
Food and Nutrition Sciences (Ph.D. program)
Forestry (MFY {non-thesis}, M.S., Ph.D.)
Health Care Administration (graduate certificate)
Interdisciplinary Ph.D. (various concentrations available, e.g., Functional Genomics)
Landscape Horticulture emphasis within the M.S. degree program in Horticulture
Marine Bio-Resources
Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
Master of Science in Teaching (concentrations in Physics, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, or Generalist Option)
Plant Science (Ph.D. program; multi-departmental)
Quaternary and Climate Studies
Marine Policy (M.S.)
Marine Sciences and Marine Policy Dual Degree Program (3 years: with an M.A. in Policy and and M.S. in one of the marine sciences)
Water Resources (graduate concentration)
Women’s Studies (graduate concentration)

II. Other Interdisciplinary Endeavors

Academy of Public Service (joint endeavor of UM Dept. of Public Administration; M.C. Smith Center, and the Muskie Institute of USM)
Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center
Canadian-American Center
Center for Community Inclusion
Cooperative Extension
Division of Lifelong Learning
Franco-American Center
Climate Change Institute
ITHCRA (Interdisciplinary Training for Health Care for Rural Areas Project)
Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology
Maine Folklife Center
Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy
Pulp and Paper Process Development Center
Research Collaborative on Violence Against Women
Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research
Solar Vehicle Team (College of Engineering)
University of Maine Center on Aging
Wabanaki Center
William Cohen Center for Public Policy and Commerce

Cooperative Research Relationships

The University of Maine maintains active cooperative research relationships, formally and informally, with a variety of institutions and agencies in Maine, the United States and other countries. A partial listing follows:

Augusta Mental Health Institute
Bangor Counseling Center
Bangor Mental Health Institute
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Center for Learning Disabilities
Eastern Maine Medical Center
Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada
Jackson Laboratory
Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Maine Geological Survey
Maine Medical Center
Maine Municipal Association
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
The U.S. Geological Survey
Veterans Administration Hospital, Togus