College News

Umaine spruce tips forest tree

A taste of the Maine woods is brewing in Orono

Orono, Maine — The University of Maine’s forestry faculty have teamed up with Black Bear Brewing Company and Marsh Island Brewing to serve up Green Growth, a spruce tip pale ale, this July. The idea was originally conceived by Daniel Hayes and Aaron Weiskittel of UMaine’s School of Forest Resources. They were planning to host […]

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Rising sea level a growing threat to coral

Many coral reefs will be unable to grow fast enough to keep up with rising sea levels, exposing tropical coastlines to increased risk of erosion and flooding, according to new research by an international team of scientists. The research team, led by scientists from the University of Exeter and including University of Maine oceanographer Robert […]

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UMaine Geology Club explores glacial deposits, volcanic rocks in Iceland

In May, 19 University of Maine Geology Club members and two faculty took a 10-day field trip to Iceland. The focus of the student-planned trip was on glacial deposits and volcanic rocks in the south of Iceland. The group toured Thingvellir National Park, site of Iceland’s first government and the center of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge […]

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umaine invention Maine Innovation, Research and Technology Accelerator (MIRTA)

First five MIRTA teams showcase their discoveries

Five discoveries, including one designed to monitor the health of beehives using radar, were showcased by University of Maine faculty-led teams from the Maine Innovation, Research and Technology Accelerator (MIRTA) May 30 at the Foster Center for Student Innovation on campus. The five MIRTA projects are: A high-value, low-cost geoinformatics system to better compile broad-scale […]

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umaine rob wheeler lab research

Wheeler probes how potentially lethal fungal infection eludes body’s defenses

Rob Wheeler is engrossed with a generally harmless fungus that naturally lives in and on people, but also can cause disease and death. For 16 years, the University of Maine associate professor of microbiology has been unraveling the mysteries of the fungus Candida albicans. The National Institutes of Health recently awarded Wheeler a three-year $428,429 […]

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uamine lab julie gosse faculty

Biochemist, physicist team to see antibacterial TCS deform mitochondria

Grocery shopping can be an illuminating chore for a toxicologist. Julie Gosse, a University of Maine associate professor of molecular and biomedical sciences, has scanned the supermarket aisles for products that contain triclosan (TCS), a synthetic antibacterial agent. Since the ’90s, TCS has been in a slew of consumer products, including facial cleansers, toothpaste, mouthwash […]

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umaine potato variety pinto gold

UMaine develops new potato variety for gourmet, specialty markets

The University of Maine has released a new gourmet potato variety, Pinto Gold. The potato was tested with the research identification number AF4659-12 and has been available in seed catalogs under that name since 2015. The potato is a high-yielding, yellow-fleshed specialty variety with excellent roasting and eating quality, according to Gregory Porter, who leads […]

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umaine gill fossil

NSF CAREER Award to fund unique research project

Explaining the dynamics of an ice age landscape to a classroom of middle-schoolers can be a daunting challenge for teachers. Researchers in the lab examine evidence such as pollen and other tiny fossils, and particulate matter contained in sediment core samples to “see” what the ancient landscape once was. But how can this data be […]

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