Written by Luke O’Neil, UMaine Center for Undergraduate Research Student Administrative Aide Meet Evalynn Schlett, a senior Earth, Life, and Health Sciences student participating in a research project at the historic home of Edith Marion Patch, known as Braeside, located in Orono on College Ave. Schlett’s research project focuses on creating a botanical garden, intended […]
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Marina McManus initially got involved with research simply to add a line to her resume, but after working in a lab, she soon realized it was the path she wanted to take. As a Maine Top Scholar, she says “from day one, I have been encouraged to find a research mentor that will fit my […]
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Josh Adell’s appreciation of both philosophy and the sport of volleyball led him to the research he now focuses on today. “I took a Philosophy of Games course with my advisor, Dr. Robby Finley, in which we read many texts relating to Philosophy of Sport and Philosophy of games. What drew me in were the […]
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While doing his own research into plant ecology, Joe Zeno discovered alpine plant work and was immediately enthralled with the subject. He then took a class with his now research mentor, and met one of her graduate students, who works on alpine research. “I joined the lab and have been working with both of them […]
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Oyku Goktug’s exposure to molecular research was sparked at a young age, watching her parents work as medical doctors, and losing her grandmother to illness. Nowadays, she works in mentor Clarissa Henry’s lab, where she “investigates the role of the DPM3 gene in muscular dystrophies, specifically dystroglycanopathies, using a zebrafish model.” Goktug explains that “by […]
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Madison McCarthy arrived at UMaine knowing she wanted to get involved with research. “Whenever I heard on the news about the latest scientific breakthrough, I always thought to myself, ‘I want to be that scientist!” She didn’t want to jump into the first opportunity, however, and waited until the right one came along in the […]
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Richard Viveiros discovered a love of research back in high school. “I enjoyed working in labs for class, and I wanted to contribute to knowledge in my field.” Shortly after arriving at UMaine, he viewed a lab presentation from Dr. Victor Ortega-Jimenez and reached out for more information. During a tour of the lab, Ortega-Jimenez […]
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Brenna Jones discovered her path in research after volunteering with the Greater Bangor Houseless Collective (GBHC) in July 2021. “During this time, Dr. Pitman and I were actively reading literature on homelessness, drawing connections between abstract ideas and the current conditions in Bangor.” Jones has continued working with GBHC over the past few years and […]
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More than a year ago, Ellie Walker decided she wanted to pursue Speech-Language Pathology as a career path. While looking for a summer job, she looked for positions that were focused on research, and was selected for the MaineHealth Institute for Research’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program. During the summer of 2023, she “worked alongside a […]
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While volunteering as an EMT during high school, Rachel Coombs was exposed to a variety of medical devices and equipment. After viewing a presentation in class from Dr. Caitlin Howell, regarding the project she was currently working on, Coombs began working with her on “antifouling coatings to prevent catheter associated urinary tract infections.” That project […]
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A class taken in high school set Jamie Fogg on her path to studying marine biology, after having an opportunity to conduct her own research project on Mount Desert Rock (MDR), in Maine. “My project assessed wound rates of gray and harbor seals on MDR. My goal was to understand harm infliction for a remote […]
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After talking with a faculty member in a different department, Arthur Smallidge quickly identified a problem that needed solving and began working to find that solution. That faculty member “had mentioned a project involving automated irrigation, but there were not any small scale automated irrigation systems currently on the market.” Smallidge explains that there are […]
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One could say that Sadie Waterman’s research journey began at birth. “I have always been interested in human congenital diseases because my life began with a surgery to correct one.” After gaining a strong STEM background during high school, she decided to major in biology and upon arriving at UMaine, she “immediately became involved in […]
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Timber Mattson has always been fascinated by cellular processes and how a single mutation can negatively affect an entire organism. “I am interested in learning about the effects of toxins, stress, and diet on mitochondrial function, and how that altered mitochondrial function can affect human health.” “Mitochondrial activity is a determining factor in the aging […]
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Sairah Damboise has “always been interested in the fabrication of vaccinations and medicine.” That interest made it easy for her when it was time to choose a major. While looking for opportunities to work in a lab on campus, Damboise was offered the chance to work in Dr. Michael Mason’s lab. Damboise says Dr. Mason […]
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Emilie Casey came to UMaine planning to focus on geology, but after connecting with one of their professors, glaciology is becoming a much larger part of their academic life. “I came to UMaine with a bright passion for Earth Sciences, eager to use my resources and apply myself. I think my professor picked up on […]
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In her freshman year at UMaine, Lauren Cusson took a Phage Genome Discovery course, and suddenly her path to research became clear. “I then joined a virology research lab on campus my sophomore year and have learned so much from it.” She loves “being able to actually apply what I have learned and think outside […]
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Though she had always been good at science and interested in the natural world, it was a long while before Hanna Brooks thought of herself as a scientist. It wasn’t until a casual conversation during her sophomore year at Virginia Tech that led to her studying rock samples in Greece, that she first owned the […]
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“Always research something that really grabs your interest. Don’t skip topics just because they’re obscure or maybe not as well-known. Your love for a topic will really fuel your eagerness to learn and discover.” Recent UMaine graduate Laura Curioli has been involved with research since her freshman year and has taken her own advice to […]
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For Seth Ashby, his chosen field of research was most interesting to him due to its unique nature. “The idea that we can work backwards to see what isn’t needed, to figure out what is essential, is fascinating.” Ashby is working alongside Dr. Suzanne Angeli, assistant professor in the Molecular and Biomedical Department, to study […]
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While looking for a job on campus during her freshman year, Ainslie Allen happened to listen to a presentation given by Dr. Caitlin Howell and the rest, as they say, is history. Allen has been working in Dr. Howell’s lab ever since and has “enjoyed every minute of it.” Allen says “working with Dr. Howell […]
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For undergraduate Madeline Howorth, research is in her blood. The Center for Undergraduate Research AY2223 fellowship award winner remembers watching her mother study, do homework and perform research. “Growing up in Pennsylvania as my mom pursued her PhD studies full-time, I was constantly surrounded by eager education faculty, used textbooks, and an endless supply of […]
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Trujillo explores intersection of art and climate change through CUGR fellowship
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