University of Maine
AC-10: Support for Research

In 2018, the Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Collaborative launched its inaugural grant program funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School and the UMS Research Reinvestment Fund (RRF). Funded projects involve teams of two or more faculty members from different disciplines with primarily undergraduate researchers working in areas of UMaine’s Signature and Emerging Areas of Excellence. The Signature and Emerging Areas of Excellence include Sustainability Solutions and Technologies, Climate Change, Forestry and the Environment, Marine Sciences, and Advanced Materials for Infrastructure and Energy, all of which have a large sustainability-focused research component. Some examples of awarded projects include: 1. “Making Maine’s local food system sustainable: Opportunities to address hunger and reduce waste” Principal Investigator: Deborah Saber, Nursing Partners: Jean MacRae, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Cindy Isenhour, Anthropology; Balu Nayak, Food and Agriculture; Travis Blackmer, Economics; Linda Silka, Mitchell Center Sector: Environment, Food 2. “Planning for uncertainty: The role of schools and community institutions in preparing the next generation for a new economy” Principal Investigator: Catharine Biddle, Education and Human Development Partners: Mindy Crandall, Forest Resources; Kathleen Bell, Economics Sector: Socioeconomics, Education 3. “Track III: Coastal ecosystem science for Maine’s marine economy and coastal communities” Principal Investigator: Heather Leslie, Darling Marine Center Partners: University of Maine at Machias, University of Southern Maine Sector: Marine Sciences (source: https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2018/04/13/inaugural-grant-program-awards-245000-interdisciplinary-undergraduate-research/)

In 2018, the Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Collaborative launched its inaugural grant program funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School and the UMS Research Reinvestment Fund (RRF). Funded projects involve teams of two or more faculty members from different disciplines with primarily undergraduate researchers working in areas of UMaine’s Signature and Emerging Areas of Excellence. The Signature and Emerging Areas of Excellence include Sustainability Solutions and Technologies, Climate Change, Forestry and the Environment, Marine Sciences, and Advanced Materials for Infrastructure and Energy, all of which have a large sustainability-focused research component. Some examples of awarded projects include: 1. “Making Maine’s local food system sustainable: Opportunities to address hunger and reduce waste” Principal Investigator: Deborah Saber, Nursing Partners: Jean MacRae, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Cindy Isenhour, Anthropology; Balu Nayak, Food and Agriculture; Travis Blackmer, Economics; Linda Silka, Mitchell Center Sector: Environment, Food 2. “Planning for uncertainty: The role of schools and community institutions in preparing the next generation for a new economy” Principal Investigator: Catharine Biddle, Education and Human Development Partners: Mindy Crandall, Forest Resources; Kathleen Bell, Economics Sector: Socioeconomics, Education 3. “Track III: Coastal ecosystem science for Maine’s marine economy and coastal communities” Principal Investigator: Heather Leslie, Darling Marine Center Partners: University of Maine at Machias, University of Southern Maine Sector: Marine Sciences (source: https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2018/04/13/inaugural-grant-program-awards-245000-interdisciplinary-undergraduate-research/)

The Folger library at UMaine maintains many research guides that promote sustainability research on campus. These include the Energy and Sustainability research guide (http://libguides.library.umaine.edu/sustainability), Climate Studies research guide (http://libguides.library.umaine.edu/climateweather), Peace and Reconciliation Studies research guide (http://libguides.library.umaine.edu/peacestudies), Earth and Climate Sciences research guide (http://libguides.library.umaine.edu/ecs), and Anthropology: Human Dimensions of Climate Change research guide (http://libguides.library.umaine.edu/ant/climate).