School of Biology and Ecology

During SBE’s “From the Ocean to Orono” experience, you will:

• Form friendships that will last through your whole time at UMaine 
• Get to know some SBE faculty before stepping foot into a classroom
• Learn how to succeed in your first semester at UMaine
• Explore campus and the research opportunities found in our laboratories and field sites
• Begin your biological training with a two-night trip to the Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park

The “From the Ocean to Orono” is part of the School of Biology and Ecology orientation and a research learning experience (RLE) that helps you explore different aspects of biological sciences. All first-year students in Biology, Botany, and Zoology majors participate in the week-before-semester event, which is split evenly between activities on campus in Orono and at the Schoodic Institute, part of Acadia National Park, located on the Maine coast. Students then continue their RLE in the fall semester ELH 117 course, where they will conduct research with an SBE faculty member throughout the semester. This course also introduces you to your major and lets you know about important campus resources available to support you.

The week will be spent in various organized activities, including: 

• Research Workshops with faculty, 
• Field Trips to local areas of interest, 
• Information Sessions to prepare you for your first semester, and 
• Social Events to get to know students in your major and across campus

See below for some additional information on some of these activities, and stay tuned for more detailed information on all of them!  Note that all costs associated with these activities, as well as room and board during the pre-semester week, are included in the ELH 117 course fee.

RESEARCH WORKSHOPS

During SBE’s “Ocean to Orono” experience, incoming students become familiar with many of their professors before they even walk into their first class.  Part of this will happen at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park, where students spend time in small groups with SBE faculty members in a number of outdoor workshops. Whether it is catching and surveying a wide array of insects, using microscopes to inspect marine organisms along the craggy rocks of Schoodic Point, or meandering along the forest paths on a fungal foray, there are many engaging workshops for students to choose from.

FIELD TRIPS

SOCIAL EVENTS

There will be many opportunities to make friends during the Ocean to Orono experience before the semester starts.  You’ll know someone you can sit next to on your first day of classes!  This cohort building happens in a lot of ways, including half-day adventures where you experience the natural beauty of Maine, evening fun and games on the campus mall and around the campfire, and a variety of other events.  These activities vary from year to year, and more information will be provided later this summer..  You will have some options to choose from that align with your interests.