Three academic programs at the University of Maine at Presque Isle will host the next Science Lunchtime Seminar Series this spring to provide more exciting ways for the community to explore the world of science in northern Maine. The Environmental Science and Sustainability, Biology, and Agricultural Science programs present their 12th semi-annual lunchtime seminar series, providing a forum to present scientific research conducted by UMPI students and faculty, and local and regional scientists, as well as topics in management, medicine and applied science. All are invited to attend.
The series, now in its sixth year, fosters greater collaboration and more informative communication between UMPI—especially its students—and the greater northern Maine region. The purpose of the series is to bring the University, working professionals, and community members together by collaborating on ideas and experiments through scientific discoveries.
There are seven seminars this spring from February to May. The series is held on Tuesdays or Thursdays in Folsom 201, UMPI’s GIS Lab, unless otherwise noted. People should plan to arrive by 12:15 p.m. for the meet and greet. The seminars usually start at 12:30 p.m. and end around 1:30 p.m.
The series kicks off on Tuesday, Feb. 26 with a presentation by Peter Nelson, Assistant Professor at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. His talk is titled Is that rock pile breathing? Climates, vegetation community composition and population genetics in low-elevation alpine plant communities of replicated relict rock glaciers exhibiting chimney ventilation in northern Maine.
The following week, on Thursday, March 7, John Jemison, Extension Professor with the University of Maine, will present Building soil quality in an intensively tilled production system.
The series continues on Tuesday, March 26 with the presentation The heart of Presque Isle: Kennedy Brook & Mantle Lake by Kathy Hoppe with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
On Thursday, April 4, Li Zuo, Assistant Professor at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, will deliver a talk titled ROS and bystander effects in radiotherapy.
The series will take an international turn on Tuesday, April 16, when Scarion Rupia, a Community Development and Agricultural consultant in Tanzania, delivers a presentation titled Agricultural transformation and environmental conservation in the era of climate change.
On Thursday, April 25, Don Hoy, Senior Vice President for Exploration with the Wolfden Resources Corporation, delivers a presentation titled Exploring the high-grade Pickett Mountain Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag-Au Deposit, Penobscot County, Maine, U.S.A.
The series culminates on Thursday, May 2 with two senior thesis presentations. Elise Gudde, UMPI Environmental Science and Sustainability major (research advisor: Jason Johnston), will deliver her presentation Diet of boreal forest songbirds using DNA barcoding. Alex Kimball, UMPI Biology major (research advisor: Judith Roe), will deliver his presentation Genetics of Maine’s freshwater snails.
For more information about the Science Lunchtime Seminar Series, please contact Dr. Jason Johnston at 207-768-9652 or jason.johnston@maine.edu. To learn more about the Academic programs hosting this series, visit https://www.umpi.edu/academics/academic_programs/environmental-science/, https://www.umpi.edu/academics/academic_programs/biology/, and https://www.umpi.edu/academics/academic_programs/agricultural-science/.