The Maine Question

Improving student retention and success is a key priority at the University of Maine and University of Maine System. To support this goal, the Harold Alfond Foundation earmarked $20 million of its transformative $240 million gift to the System for new efforts to keep students enrolled and support their academic growth. One of these new initiatives involves getting students involved in discovery an...

Sports have significant value for many people for various reasons. It serves as entertainment for some, a passion for others and a $1.3 trillion international industry for entrepreneurs. College students studying business will find many career opportunities in sports management upon graduation. The Maine Business School at UMaine capitalized on the demand for college graduates with business degree...

Oceans serve as the dominant feature of the Earth. They sustain life, which began in their salty waters, and influence weather and climate. Despite the significance of Earth’s oceans, much of their history remains a mystery. Katherine Allen, and assistant professor from the School of Earth and Climate Sciences at the University of Maine, looks to literally dig up that history, which can be found i...

Numerous medical professionals, biologists and other experts have been combating COVID-19 and the havoc it has wrought since the pandemic began. Physicists have also joined the fray, including one from the University of Maine. The invention of a new microscope allows Sam Hess, a professor of physics at UMaine, to obtain new insight into the structure of the virus that causes COVID-19 — SARS-COV-2...

Many people nationwide are experiencing a decline in their mental health. Rates of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse are rising, more so in rural areas. Ten out of 16 Maine counties have a shortage of mental health professionals. Only about half of the state population receives the services they need. At UMaine, a major effort is underway to recruit more mental health care providers to serv...

The invasive browntail moth exploded in Maine this summer. It damages and kills trees and causes rashes and respiratory problems in humans. The moth, however, is only one of many invasive species that plague Maine forests. University of Maine entomologist Angela Mech helps combat these unwanted visitors from the front lines, and she and her team may have a solution for dealing with browntail moths...

The Maine Question podcast from the University of Maine returns with season five kicking off Sept. 23, 2021. Researchers, innovators and problem-solvers from UMaine will once again discuss their latest scientific inquiries and creative activities. We’ll also learn what drives their work and how it affects the Pine Tree State and beyond.

Springtime in Maine can mean turning on the heat in the morning and the air conditioner in the afternoon. Spring also is when people flock to vegetable gardens, patios, flower beds and orchards. Gardening, which has been particularly popular during the pandemic, has a number of benefits — from reducing stress to increasing property values. In this semester’s final episode of “The Maine Question,”...

Refrigerators tell us when we're out of juice. Digital assistants schedule appointments and alert us to the weather forecast. Driverless cars slide into tight parallel parking spaces. Today, many of us increasingly rely on devices, apps and artificial intelligence in our daily lives. How can technology be designed to do the most good? How can scientists make it easy to use and put people, rather t...

Manufacturing — making products and adding value to raw materials — plays a crucial role in Maine’s economic well-being, but the industry is changing. Pulp and paper production has declined over the years as several mills have shuttered. Emerging firms are smaller than they once were, and many now use high-tech, precision manufacturing. Despite its alterations, however, the manufacturing economy i...

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 acade...

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 Sympos...

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 e...

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, Ro...

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...

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...

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 L...

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 resea...

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...

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 rai...

Incessant torrential rain and cold air over Europe from 1914 to 1919 likely increased the number of people who died during World War I (22 million) and the Spanish flu pandemic (50 million). Alex More and Paul Mayewski from the Climate Change Institute connected data from climate science, history and public health to make the discovery. The colleagues say the once-in-a-century climate anomaly may...

There’s an adage that people don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Mollie Ruben, assistant professor of psychology, examines how face masks affect people’s first impressions of others during the COVID-19 outbreak. Do people appear more or less smart to others, depending on whether they’re wearing or not wearing a mask? More or less friendly? Learn about this research project conduc...

Some may imagine that people who major in and pursue careers in philosophy are relegated to poring through old dusty books about Plato and Socrates. In reality, philosophy majors work in all kinds of fields, including the legal profession and entertainment. One place you might not expect to find a philosopher is in the hospital helping to make decisions about medical care, but that is what bioethi...

The death of George Floyd is just one of several incidents that put issues of race, diversity and justice to the front burner in 2020. At the University of Maine, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy created a new council to examine where UMaine stands in relation to these issues and what can be done to foster a more inclusive and equitable campus. The Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion began its...

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many changes that were already underway in how and where education is delivered these days. From Pre-K to Ph. D., online curricula offered through digital platforms like Zoom and Brightspace are now a key component of virtually every student's instruction. What are the advantages of using these technologies? Will they replace or merely supplement in-class, face-to...