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Dear Graduate Students,

Please read the attached letter from University of Maine Provost Susan J. Hunter. I would also like to recognize your excellence and add my deep appreciation for all you do to benefit the University, the State, and beyond.

Best wishes,

Dan Sandweiss

The College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture has made the following graduate student awards:

George F. Dow Graduate Scholarship Fund — Yucheng Peng, Ph.D. candidate, Forest Resources, School of Forest Resources

Fred Griffee Memorial Award — Stefano Vendrame, Ph.D. candidate, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition

Norris Charles Clements Graduate Student Award — Matthew Jones, M.S. candidate, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, School of Biology and Ecology

Research Excellence Award — Nathan Briggs, Ph.D. candidate, Oceanography, School of Marine Sciences

Outstanding Service Award — Spencer Meyer, Ph.D. candidate, Forest Resources, School of Forest Resources

Outstanding Ph.D. Award — Alper Kiziltas, Ph.D. candidate, Forest Resources, School of Forest Resources

Outstanding Masters Award — Alisha Autio, M.S. candidate, Forest Resources, School of Forest Resources

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Maine Harvest for Hunger has been awarded a two-year, $45,000 grant from The Betterment Fund. Harvest for Hunger is a statewide initiative that collects donations of fresh produce from home gardeners, farmers, businesses, civic organizations and schools in the state to feed Maine people in need. Since 2000, hundreds of volunteers have donated more than 600 tons of fresh produce to feed hungry Mainers. A portion of the grant funding will support creation of a new program, Eat Well Volunteers, focused on providing cooking demonstrations and recipe sampling at food pantries in an effort to promote UMaine Extension’s Eat Well Nutrition Education Program.

The Portland Press Herald spoke with James Dill, a pest management specialist with the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension, for an article about the use of pesticides on medicinal marijuana. Dill said he has been asked for tips on how to control pests in marijuana growing operations and says he can’t recommend more than spraying them with water because he is concerned about pesticides’ potential effects on smokers’ lungs.

Mainebiz spoke with Tanna Clews, executive director of Educate Maine, about Project>Login, the nonprofit’s collaboration with the University of Maine that aims to attract students to computer technology-related majors and support them throughout their studies. Clews said the initiative to double Maine’s computer science and IT graduates in four years could serve as a model for workforce development in other areas.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published an article about its 2013 red tide forecasting project for the Gulf of Maine. The University of Maine is part of a large group of collaborators working with NOAA to provide forecasts that are updated on a weekly basis on the “Current Status” page of Northeast PSP website.

The University of Alabama’s UA News published an article on research that found clamshells used in ancient funeral ceremonies offer more evidence as to how climate change may have contributed to the gradual collapse of the Moche, an early South-American civilization. The research, which was recently published in the scientific journal Geology, was conducted by University of Alabama scientists as well as representatives from the University of Maine, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility, the University of Arizona, the University of Trujillo in Peru and Harvard University. The researchers found El Nino and an intertwined ocean phenomenon likely contributed to the Moche’s downfall.

Vice president for research candidates will be on campus in April and members of the University of Maine community are invited to their presentations on the topic “Vision of Research in a 21st Century Land Grant University.” The candidates’ vitae are online. Their campus presentation schedules: Satyendra Kumar, associate vice president for research and sponsored programs, physics professor, Kent State University, 1:30–2:30 p.m., April 2, Arthur St. John Hill Auditorium, 165 Barrows Hall; James Rice, professor and head of chemistry and biochemistry and executive director of the South Dakota EPSCoR Program, South Dakota State University, 1:30–2:30 p.m., April 16, Bangor Room, Memorial Union; David Conover, director, Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation professor, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, 1:30–2:30 p.m., April 18, Minsky Recital Hall, Class of 1944 Hall; Morris Foster, associate vice president for strategic planning (Norman and Health Sciences Center campuses), associate vice president for research (Norman campus), deputy director for prevention and control, OU Cancer Institute, anthropology professor, University of Oklahoma, 1:30–2:30 p.m., April 29, 130 Little Hall. For more information, contact Dianne Avery, 207.581.1595.

Boston.com, MPBN, WGME (Channel 13), WABI (Channel 5), Portland Press Herald and WLBZ (Channel 2) were among several news organizations that carried an Associated Press report on University of Maine Professor Robert Steneck’s latest research. Steneck, who works at UMaine’s Darling Marine Center, led a study that found when Maine fishermen harvested millions of pounds of sea urchins in the 1990s for the Japanese market they depleted the creatures, turning the ecosystem upside-down and creating an ideal habitat for the Jonah crab, an urchin predator. Steneck warns the urchin population might not recover unless fishery managers find ways to increase the number of fish that prey on Jonah crabs.

WABI (Channel 5) reported that in May, a group of University of Maine students will deliver medical supplies to Guatemala clinics. The UMaine chapter of Partners for World Health will spend two weeks in Guatemala.

The Bangor Daily News reported University of Maine ice hockey players Brittany Ott and Mark Nemec were given the 2013 “M” Club Award on Monday. The award is given every year to UMaine’s top male and female student-athletes who display academic and athletic achievement as well as give back to the community.

Seacoast Online mentioned the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in its article about winter gardening and preparing for the spring gardening season.  The article says the UMaine Cooperative Extension offers gardening information and programs, and can also do soil tests for gardeners who would like to send in a soil sample to determine the best treatment for a garden.

Missouri’s News Tribune spoke to University of Maine researchers about the importance of keeping produce clean and the steps involved in storing and preparing food. In the article, “A little retraining: How to use your refrigerator properly,” the UMaine researchers emphasize the importance of healthy food preparation and sanitation.

The Sun Journal wrote an article about the work of several college students who volunteered for the L-A (Lewiston-Auburn) CA$H Coalition and AARP to help low-income families through the tax process. In “College students pitch in with free tax help,” University of Maine student, Eugene Field, speaks about his positive experience doing volunteer work and how he found out about the opportunity.

UWire The College Network published an article about the screening of two Maine documentary films at the Collins Center for the Arts. The screening was co-sponsored by The Camden International Film Festival and the University of Maine’s Continuing Education Division. Both films, “Downeast” and “Betting the Farm” are a preview for UMaine’s Camden International Film Festival course, which will be offered in the fall 2013 semester.

The Columbus Dispatch of Columbus, Ohio printed an Associated Press article that included advice from University of Maine’s Donna Coffin, “Bushels of advice available for rookie gardeners.” Coffin, who works for the Maine Agricultural Center in general agriculture, home horticulture and horses, spoke about how to determine “what’s eating” plants in gardens and options that gardeners have to do so.

Walter Echo-Hawk, a Pawnee lawyer, professor, activist and author, will lead a teach-in and give a keynote address March 28 on campus, sponsored by the Wabanaki Center and the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission. From 3–5 p.m., in the Bangor Room, Memorial Union, Echo-Hawk and Wabanaki scholars will offer “Wabanaki Treaties, Petitions & Interpretations: A Teach-In,” examining 17th to 21st century treaties and petitions, and their interpretations and significance to indigenous people today. At 7 p.m., in Minsky Recital Hall, Eco-Hawk will give a keynote address, followed by a panel of Wabanaki respondents: Jill Shibles (Penobscot), president of the National American Indian Court Judges Association; Hugh Akagi (Passamaquoddy), chief of the Schoodic Band of Passamaquoddy Indians; Andrea Bear Nicholas (Maliseet), chair of Native Studies, St. Thomas University; and Vera Francis (Passamaquoddy), storyteller and environmental activist. For more information or to request disability accommodations, contact Maria Girouard, 207.581.1414.

The University Credit Union’s sixth annual Healthy High 5/10K and 1-Mile Fun Run begins at 4:20 p.m., April 20 at the New Balance Student Recreation Center. The goal of the annual event is to promote health and wellness for both the university and surrounding community. A Wellness Fair also will be held noon–4 p.m. featuring information booths.

Early registration fees for the 5k and 10k are $15; $5 for students. The 1-mile walk/run is free. Early registration deadline is 5 p.m., April 19. Day-of registration fees are $20; $10 for students.

Race proceeds benefit the Heroes, Hope and Healing Campaign to fund EMMC’s Raish Peavey Haskell Children’s Cancer and Treatment Center. Also, old shoes collected at the race will be donated to Soles4Souls.

For registration information or to request disability accommodations, contact Ian Jesse, 207.581.1423. Registration is available online.

Posted March 25, 2013

Daniela Veliz, a doctoral candidate in Higher Education, is leading a new network of Chilean researchers. Working with colleague Dr. Paulina Perez Mejias, Veliz will be holding the first meeting of the Network of Chilean Education Researchers (RIECH) at the annual American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference in San Francisco, California. AERA is the most prominent international professional association with the primary goal of advancing educational research and its practical application. RIECH was born from the initiative of scholars and graduate students -mainly in the United States- who share an interest in contributing to the advancement of knowledge about Chile’s education. The idea behind the network is to connect with other scholars doing research about Chile and to showcase their study results. Veliz says, “We think this network will serve also as a way to share resources and information among its members and to provide opportunities for collaboration.” So far the group has more than 50 members (including graduate students and professors from US and other universities) and every day more express interest in participating. More information about RIECH can be found here. El Mercurio, Chile’s leading newspaper, quoted Veliz in a March 4 story about Chileans forming networks abroad.

Veliz, originally from Chile, is also a Research Assistant for the ADVANCE Rising Tide Center on campus, and is currently working on her dissertation regarding socialization of international women faculty working at research universities.
 

WABI (Channel 5) reported on the Islamic Center of Maine’s open house on Saturday. The open house was part of UMaine’s Islam Awareness Weekend. Part of the open house was a talk on the psychology of a terrorist by Yassir Fazaga, the religious leader of the Orange County Islamic Foundation in Mission Viejo, Calif. Abdulraheem Sbayi, vice president of the UMaine Muslim Students Association, told WABI the topic is provocative and moves away from the cliche of Islam.