University of Maine Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Home
United States
Orono, ME
University of Maine Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Ecology and Environmental Sciences at UMaine provides interdisciplinary, in-depth undergraduate and graduate programs of study. Learn more about EES here!

An official page of the University of Maine.

06/05/2026

Tomorrow, June 6, is National Trails Day! This is a day to connect with nature, your community, and give back to your favorite local hiking trails. Join the American Hiking Society and outdoor enthusiasts nationwide in celebrating this annual day of action. Whether it is by yourself or with a group, take this day to leave the trails better than you found them.

Share your favorite hiking trails, both in and out of Maine, in the comments below so EES students across the country can look into new experiences! And if you plan on hiking tomorrow, make sure to tag us in your posts so we can celebrate together!

06/01/2026

EES students travel all across the world to engage in important environmental education and research. Kate is one of our students who spent the spring semester in Iceland!

What was your program?
I was studying abroad through SIT, and my program is called Climate Change and the Arctic. Every single day looked different. Some days we spent in a classroom, with lectures from Icelandic experts on everything from energy to glaciers to forestry. Some days we were out in the field - I have measured trees to calculate carbon sequestration, hiked on a glacier, and visited a tomato greenhouse. Some days, we work on our independent research projects. We moved all throughout the country - Reykjavík, Selfoss, Stykkishólmur, Ísafjörður, Akureyri, and Húsavík, to name just a few places. As part of this program, we will all conduct an independent research project. I am interested in the impact of climate change on Icelandic farming.

What deciding factors played into your decision to study abroad?
I always knew I wanted to study abroad, but it was hearing about other students' experiences that really convinced me that it was possible. I also wanted my study abroad experience to relate to my major. That's why I chose Iceland, a place where I can see glaciers and hear a different perspective on climate change.

What was your favorite experience you had while abroad?
I had way too many magical experiences to pick a favorite. But here's one example. It was our last night in Ísafjörður, and I had heard a rumor that the Northern Lights would be out. So I walked down to the edge of the water with some friends and just stared out over the fjord. It took a few hours, but I saw the most amazing sky - purples and greens just dancing over the mountains. I couldn't stop jumping for joy.

Interested in learning more about study abroad opportunities for EES students? Check out our website or reach out to us with questions at [email protected].

05/09/2026

Congratulations to our graduating EES undergrads! Your hard work and dedication in the classroom and the field never cease to amaze us!

We look forward to hearing about the great work you'll continue post-grad!

05/08/2026

Congratulations to our graduating EES grad students! We look forward to hearing about the great work you'll continue post-grad!

04/27/2026

Congratulations to Madie deBest for being awarded the Dr. Susan J. Hunter Presidential Research Impact Award. This is the second year in a row an EES student has won this prestigious award, and we couldn't be more proud!

04/23/2026

Congratulations Bem! His hard work in and out of EES never fails to amaze us!

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day, EES! Take a little extra time today to care for the planet that's given us such an amazing field of study. Without the forests, coastlines, and ecosystems we have here in Maine, there would be no EES program to major in (or any other program!). Earth Day is an amazing time to pause and honor the place that continuously guides our learning.

04/20/2026

EES undergrad Eddie Nachamie's Honors Thesis is focused on working with Maine schools on their handling of PFAS. Read more on his work below!

What is your thesis work focused on?
"My thesis research is a participatory action research project which seeks to investigate the sources of PFAS contamination in schools throughout Maine. I am working with researchers at the MDI Biological Laboratory to investigate floor cleaning and waxing products as a potential source of contamination in water systems throughout the state as well as utilizing data from the Maine CDC Drinking Water Program."

What methods are you using?
"Through geospatial analysis, a qualitative survey for facilities staff, and data analysis using R and Excel, I have assembled planning recommendations for schools to reduce potential sources of PFAS contamination in school drinking water supplies."

Why did you choose to research this subject?
"I chose to research this topic because PFAS contamination is an issue throughout the country, and in my hometown of North Andover. I remember visiting my hometown's wastewater treatment plant while in high school and finding out that they produced PFAS-laden garden fertilizer (which is still sold in stores across the country!)."

What impact do you hope to have?
"I hope that my research contributes to a reduction in PFAS contamination and an increased awareness of the public health and environmental risks of these compounds."

04/15/2026

UMaine’s Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions has a mission to link knowledge with action to build a better world. Universities are constantly generating research, prompting the Center to explore ways that knowledge can be used to create real, actionable plans for Maine. Their work brings together scientists, social engineers, Indigenous knowledge, farmers, policymakers, and students to tackle real challenges impacting Maine. These issues include PFAS, flooding, drought, food insecurity, fisheries, affordable housing, and more. The Mitchell Center works to create a space that extends the diversity within UMaine to the entire state, prioritizing a safe environment for people to share ideas and solutions.

With major NSF support and dozens of pilot projects, the Mitchell Center focuses their work locally, building partnerships across Maine and bridging scientific and Indigenous and local knowledge systems. Students are also a part of this work, with the Center funding interdisciplinary teams, hiring students for community-driven projects, and hosting weekly talks and statewide gatherings like the Maine Sustainability & Water Conference.

By rethinking the old ‘ivory tower’ model of higher education, the idea that universities sit above society instead of working alongside it, the Mitchell Center is trying to finally put the backlog of Maine research to use on real problems within the state and our communities.

To learn more about the Mitchell Center, check out their website, along with David Hart and Linda Silka's paper, 'Rebuilding the Ivory Tower A Bottom-Up Experiment in Aligning Research With Societal Needs' linked in our bio, and Instagram story highlights under ‘Helpful Links’,

Photo by Mac White

04/13/2026

EES student Ella Allan-Rahill's Honors Thesis work has been on on Quantifying Water Content, Density, and Structure Changes of Snowpack on the Juneau Icefield Through Ground Penetrating Radar and Educating High School and College Students on Geoscience.

Glaciers are a large reservoir of fresh water, and their ongoing melt threatens Earth's water resources, impacts the economy, human health, and environmental processes. Understanding and quantifying their melt is necessary to mitigate hazards, plan, and protect ecosystems. This understanding can be achieved through field methods such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

For their thesis, Ella Allan-Rahill worked with a team to conduct Ground Penetrating Radar surveys on the Juneau Icefield in Southeast Alaska in July, 2025. Since then, Ella has been processing and analyzing this data to calculate various snowpack properties and understand where, how, and for how long meltwater is stored in the sub-surface snow. Their work also focuses on comparing the results of this method with those of other methods to assess the accuracy of this technology.

Additionally, for their thesis, Ella has been teaching classes for high school and college students on the importance of glaciers and methods for understanding glacial change. Ella hopes to contribute to advancing methods for better understanding glacial water content and storage, and to inspire other students to pursue education and careers in geoscience.

Address

Orono, ME
04473

Website

http://www.umaine.edu/ecologyandenvironmentalsciences/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when University of Maine Ecology and Environmental Sciences posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to University of Maine Ecology and Environmental Sciences:

Shortcuts

Want your university to be the top-listed University in Orono?