News

SBE Student Performs Heimlich Maneuver on Coworker

Helen Call, a School of Biology and Ecology student and attendant on UMaine’s University Volunteer Ambulance Corps (UVAC), recently rescued a dining hall coworker from choking. Helen completed her first year at UMaine as a recipient of the SBE Academic Award and the Dr. Joseph W. Warren Scholarship, both awarded for high academic standing. Read […]

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Bird Migration Research in SBE Soars to New Heights

Researchers in SBE as well as the Engineering Department are taking advantage of radio-controlled planes to solve the mysteries of bird migration. Brian Barainca, a mechanical engineering student, has been building radio-controlled (RC) planes ever since he was in high school. When SBE Professor Rebecca Holberton saw him flying his RC planes on campus, she […]

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SBE Professor Adria Elskus Published New USGS Fungicide Report

Adria Elskus works for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) whose purpose is to provide scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. In its surveys, the USGS found fungicides in US surface waters that could affect valuable native fungi as well as other aquatic organisms. However, there is little information on the effects […]

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A Glimpse into Brian Olsen’s Avian Biology Course

It is not often you get to watch your passion fly above your head on a daily basis.  But for Brian Olsen, SBE Avian Biology professor, this is precisely the case.  On many occasion, fellow colleagues can find Brian standing in the middle of the Deering parking lot, eyes fixed on the sky waiting for […]

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SBE Students Receive Outstanding Women in Science Awards

Congratulations to Minna Mathiasson and Sara Bushmann who were recently presented the Outstanding Women in Science awards! The awards ceremony took place at Fogler Library on April 21,2013.  For the undergraduate category, Minna gave a presentation entitled “Impact of Invasive Plant Species on Maine Native Plant-Pollinator Interactions.” For the PhD category, Sara gave a presentation […]

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School of Biology & Ecology Sixth Annual Recognition Ceremony

On April 17th, The School of Biology & Ecology held their sixth annual recognition Ceremony in 102 Murray Hall, which recognized undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty for their hard work and commitment to their academic studies.  During the ceremony, Ellie Groden, director of the School of Biology & Ecology, and Christa Schwintzer, […]

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Health Professions Career Day 2013

On April 5, 2013 the University of Maine Career Center hosted the 4th annual Health Professions Career Day, which highlighted a variety of different professionals in the medical field.  This event gave students the opportunity to learn about their prospective career and how the pre-med concentration at Umaine can prepare students for their future.  “Most […]

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Graduate Student Jenny Shrum Studies Sugar Maple Sap Flow in Northeast

Graduate student Jenny Shrum is as excited as ever to start her new project on maple trees this spring. She is interested in the role of sugar maples in the Northeast and is examining how climate change may shape this role. The first part of her study explores the plausibility of using traits expressed at […]

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SBE Video Contest Winners Announced

The winners of the SBE video contest have been announced. The following students will be making videos that highlight various aspects of the School of Biology and Ecology: Zachary Batz Kimberly Dao Matthew Jones Hillary Morin Alexandra Perry Jenny Shrum Winners will work in collaboration with the BioMediaLab to create the 2-3 minute videos, which […]

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The UMaine Herbarium—A Valuable Resource

The University of Maine Herbarium is the most comprehensive collection of plants, fungi, lichens, and mosses in Maine. Records concerning the establishment of the herbarium are unclear, but it is likely that it began when UMaine was created as the Maine College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts. One of the earliest contributors of specimens […]

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Where Are They Now: Michelle Goody

Michelle Goody graduated from SBE in 2007 and is now conducting post-doctoral research in the Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Department here at UMaine under Dr. Carol Kim. She obtained a Ph.D from the UMaine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in August 2012 and studied under SBE professor Clarissa Henry. Most of Goody’s current research involves […]

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SBE Students Receive CUGR Fellowship Awards

Congratulations to the four students working in the School of Biology and Ecology who have been awarded CUGR Fellowship Awards! In addition to a stipend, they will receive funds to purchase equipment and supplies to conduct their research. Rafael Garcia has received $1000. His project involves looking for mycotoxins in contaminated maple syrup. Specifically he uses […]

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New Seminar in Ecology, Evolution, & Complex Systems

This spring, faculty from Biology & Ecology, Economics, and Wildlife Ecology will offer a weekly seminar open to all who are interested that will meet every week. The course will cover three potential themes across both non-human and human systems: Ecology, Evolution and Complex Adaptive Systems. Broadly, meetings will alternate between themes one and two, with potential sporadic offerings in […]

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SBE 2012 Newsletter

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL SBE 2012 NEWSLETTER The School of Biology and Ecology (SBE) had an exciting year as we continue to balance our mission to provide an excellent educational experience to each of our students, conduct a broad array of significant research, and serve the needs of Maine’s natural-resource-based economy. We welcomed […]

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Welcome to the New Professionals at SBE

This semester we are privileged to welcome several new professionals that have joined us at SBE. Elissa Ballman—Entomology Elissa Ballman received her Master of Science in entomology from the University of California-Riverside. Before working here, she was living in the Midwest and working for North Dakota State University studying parasitoids of soybean aphids. Now, she […]

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Joyce Longcore Wins American Association for the Advancement of Science Award

Congratulations to SBE Research Professor Joyce Longcore for being selected as a 2012 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Longcore has been hugely influential in the field of chytrid research, her lab containing hundreds of chytrid isolates from all over the world. She was the first to describe the amphibian pathogenic […]

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SBE’s Maureen Correll Named Graduate Student of the Month

SBE graduate student Maureen Correll was named University of Maine graduate student of the month. The University of Maine Graduate School chooses students based on their academic work as well as their involvement with the graduate community. She is currently the president of Graduate Student Government, which operates on a separate budget from the University and […]

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Scientists Collaborate with Residents to Research Winter Moth

SBE graduate student Kaitlyn O’Donnell, along with University of Massachusetts Entomologist Joe Elkinton, are working to assess the impact of winter moth (Operophtera brumata) on host trees. Winter moth is native to Europe and is now outbreaking in parts of New England. O’Donnell and Elkinton are investigating the invasive moth problem in several properties in […]

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