School of Biology and Ecology

ORONO, Maine — Males and females of many different species are often visibly different from one another. Scientists call these differences ‘sexual dimorphism‘ and it has been studied extensively by evolutionary biologists all of the way back to Charles Darwin. But what is not yet clearly understood is how these differences impact an entire ecosystem. Researchers […]

On Saturday, October 3rd, Professor Emerita Christa Schwintzer will be leading a fall plant walk along the boardwalk in Orono, located in the Rolland F. Perry City Forest. Throughout the walk participants will observe changes that plants undergo during the fall, allowing them to survive the winter and then quickly resume growth in the spring. […]

Frank Drummond, an entomology specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and a UMaine professor of insect ecology, was quoted in the NPR report, “Asian countries have Nordic berry fever, and Finland can’t keep up.” Every day, about 7,000 Thai workers search the woods of Finland and Sweden for bilberries, lingonberries and cloudberries. Using […]

The School of Biology & Ecology is pleased to present this years Friday Seminar Series schedule for fall 2015. The purpose of these seminars is to highlight an array of leading research fields and interests from professors and researches located all over the country. Seminars will be held on Fridays at 3:00 pm in 107 […]

Click on the links below to view the schedule Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology The School of Forest Resources

What: A weekly seminar-style, semi-formal gathering of ecologists (broadly defined). Students can take the class for credit (EES 590), but everyone — students, staff, faculty, and postdocs — are welcome to attend. We discuss papers, share data, do stats throwdowns, practice talks, etc. Who: Hosted by Jacquelyn Gill, Brian Olsen (SBE), Brian McGill (SBE), Tim […]

School of Biology and Ecology professor, Michelle Smith, is featured in the Spring/Summer 2015 issue of UMaine Today. Smith’s work on active learning in large enrollment courses is at the forefront of current science education research. Read the full article here.

School of Biology and Ecology professor, Jacquelyn Gill, is featured on the PBS series, First Peoples. The series premieres June 24th at 9pm. More information can be found here.

Alison Dibble, Lois Stack, Megan Leech, and Frank Drummond are featured in a UMaine News story about their efforts to plant pollinator demonstration gardens that will be used for educating farmers and the communities. Read the full story here.

Edith Patch, head of the University of Maine entomology in the early 1900s, was profiled recently by the UMaine News. Jennifer Lund, a recipient of the School of Biology and Ecology 2015 Edith Patch Award, was interviewed for the article. “I am so very honored to win an award that is named after such a […]

School of Biology and Ecology professor Jacquelyn Gill led a team from the University of Maine on a hunt for fossils in Wind Cave National Park. See the full story here.

Congratulations to Dr. Frank Drummond, professor of Insect Ecology and Insect Pest Management, on receiving the UMaine Cooperative Extension Faculty Research Award. Drummond is recognized for over 25 years of applied research in agriculture and natural resource management and 15 years with a Cooperative Extension appointment.  His integration of teaching, service and research has created […]

Amandeep Kaur, a visiting scholar from India, is currently performing research in Dr. Benildo de los Reyos’ functional genomics lab.  Kaur is pursuing her Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics.  She arrived at the University of Maine on Dec. 15 and will be performing research for one year. Her research, titled “Allele mining for phospholipase […]

Graduate students from all disciplines presented their work and competed for thousands of dollars at the 2015 Grad-Expo on April 2nd & 3rd in the University of Maine’s Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center (IMRC).Many graduate students from The School of Biology & Ecology participated in the event and emerged as winners. Maureen Correll, a […]

The School of Biology & Ecology recognized distinguished undergraduate and graduate students at the Seventh Annual Recognition Ceremony on April 22 in Murray Hall.  Congratulations to all award winners!   School of Biology & Ecology Student Awards, Prizes, and Scholarships 2015   SBE Academic Awards Highest GPA in a major within the School First Year […]

The public recently gathered in Stodder Hall to attend the Graduate Student Research Awards Competition, where selected graduate students from different majors at the University of Maine in the School of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture presented their own research on topics varying from the role of zooplankton in the biological carbon pump to eco-friendly […]

Seanna Annis, associate professor of mycology, has been awarded the 2015 Outstanding Public Service Award from the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture. Her research laboratory examines the genetic diversity, physiology and molecular biology of various fungal pathogens and applied aspects of control of fungi that attack low-bush blueberry plants. Annis maintains a network […]

Congratulations to  School of Biology and Ecology faculty members that have been approved by the University of Maine System Board of Trustees for promotion and/or tenure.  The faculty were nominated by President Susan J. Hunter based on a peer and administrative review of their teaching, research and public service.   Brian J. McGill has been […]

The University of Maine Neuroscience community celebrated Brain Awareness Week this Thursday, an international celebration of brain research, by tabling in the student union distributing educational pamphlets, stickers, pencils and other materials to anyone who wished to learn more about the brain. Brain Awareness Week is a global campaign, which aims to increase public awareness […]