Higher Education Commons^™

S3e10: How Are Lobsters Doing?, Ron Lisnet, Rick Wahle

The Maine Question

Lobsters are synonymous with Maine, defining it alongside lighthouses, forests, rocky coasts, blueberries and potatoes. Beyond its reputation as a delicious meal, this iconic crustacean propels a major industry, draws tourists from around the world and serves as a bellwether for climate change and environmental health.

Few people know this creature from all angles better than Rick Wahle. The research professor and director of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine has made it his life’s work to study this renowned shellfish. In this episode of “The Maine Question” he takes us to the bottom of the ocean where …

S3e9: How Do You Teach Music During A Pandemic?, Ron Lisnet, Philip Edelman, Shianne Priest

The Maine Question

The coronavirus has disrupted just about every facet of academia, especially music education. Like concerts and jam sessions, teaching music is a shared community experience, but the pandemic has prompted several educators to switch instruction from in-person to remote. How can a teacher help a student improve when they can’t be in the same room or even play together? Philip Edelman, an assistant professor of music education at UMaine, tried to make the best of a less than ideal situation. He and Shianne Priest, director of music at Leonard Middle School in Old Town, developed a pilot program that gives …

S3e8: What’S So Cool About Cold-Water Corals?, Ron Lisnet, Rhian Waller

The Maine Question

When people think of coral reefs, they might imagine snorkeling in warm Caribbean waters. But corals also live in the Gulf of Maine and in some of the most extreme environments on Earth, including the Arctic and Antarctic.

Rhian Waller, associate professor of marine sciences and a National Geographic Explorer, dives deep in near-freezing water around the world to learn about what she calls the rainforests of the ocean. She examines how climate change, fishing and oil exploration affect their ecology and reproduction. And she studies the effects that their altered life cycle might have on the marine ecosystem and …

S3e7: Did Climate Impact Wwi, Spanish Flu Casualties?, Ron Lisnet, Paul A. Mayewski, Alex More

The Maine Question

Incessant torrential rain and cold air over Europe from 1914 to 1919 likely increased the number of people who died during World War I (22 million) and the Spanish flu pandemic (50 million). Alex More and Paul Mayewski from the Climate Change Institute connected data from climate science, history and public health to make the discovery. The colleagues say the once-in-a-century climate anomaly may have been caused by dust and explosives from the war that impacted the local atmosphere. As we anticipate another wave of COVID-19, More says we should be mindful of the interconnectedness of human-caused climate change, environmental …

S3e6: How Do Face Masks Affect First Impressions?, Ron Lisnet, Mollie Ruben

The Maine Question

There’s an adage that people don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Mollie Ruben, assistant professor of psychology, examines how face masks affect people’s first impressions of others during the COVID-19 outbreak. Do people appear more or less smart to others, depending on whether they’re wearing or not wearing a mask? More or less friendly? Learn about this research project conducted by Ruben, who directs the Emotion, Pain, and Interpersonal Communication (EPIC) Lab at the University of Maine.

S3e5: How Can Philosophy Help Deliver The Best Medical Care?, Ron Lisnet, Jessica Miller

The Maine Question

Some may imagine that people who major in and pursue careers in philosophy are relegated to poring through old dusty books about Plato and Socrates. In reality, philosophy majors work in all kinds of fields, including the legal profession and entertainment. One place you might not expect to find a philosopher is in the hospital helping to make decisions about medical care, but that is what bioethicists do. Jessica Miller, a professor of philosophy at UMaine, also is a bioethicist. She uses her expertise to help medical professionals make decisions about care. We speak with Miller about bioethics and how …

S3e4: How Does Diversity Strengthen Education And Community?, Ron Lisnet, Kimberly Whitehead, Susan Mckay

The Maine Question

The death of George Floyd is just one of several incidents that pushed issues of race, diversity and justice to the front burner in 2020. At the University of Maine, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy created a new council to examine where UMaine stands in relation to these issues and what can be done to foster a more inclusive and equitable campus atmosphere. The Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion began its work this fall. We speak with council co-chairs Kimberly Whitehead, vice president and chief of staff to the president, and Susan McKay, a professor of physics and director of the …

S3e3: How Are Technology And Online Classes Changing Education?, Ron Lisnet, Peter Schilling

The Maine Question

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many changes that were already underway in how and where education is delivered these days. From Pre-K to Ph.D., online curricula offered through digital platforms like Zoom and Brightspace are now a key component of virtually every student’s instruction. What are the advantages of using these technologies? Will they replace or merely supplement in-class, face-to-face learning? We talk with Peter Schilling from UMaine’s Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning about the future of online education.

S3e2: What Does The Future Look Like For Maine’S Wild Blueberries?, Ron Lisnet, Lily Calderwood

The Maine Question

Along with lobsters and lighthouses, wild blueberries are an iconic product from the state of Maine. While the industry has struggled of late, promising developments exist for wild blueberries and the people who grow and make products out of them. UMaine's wild blueberry expert Lily Calderwood shares her thoughts on the work being done at the university to grow the industry and what the past, present and future holds for this delicious, native crop.

S3: The Maine Question Podcast Season 3 Trailer, Ron Lisnet

The Maine Question

The Maine Question Podcast from the University of Maine is back for season three, kicking off in Fall 2020. We'll continue exploring the research and creative activity taking place at UMaine, the new ground it breaks and the positive difference that it makes. We'll also get to know the people behind those stories.

S3e1: How Have Maine Schools Dealt With The Pandemic?, Ron Lisnet, Catherine Biddle, Maria Frankland

The Maine Question

Last spring, when the Coronavirus caused major shifts in how schools educated children, Catherine Biddle, Maria Frankland, and students from the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development did some research. They explored how schools were managing and communicating decisions to families. One of the researchers’ goals was to identify best practices for educators to use during the pandemic, or any other large disruption.

S2e16: What Can We Learn From Ums Experts About Coronavirus?, Ron Lisnet

The Maine Question

How does the University of Maine System stay up to date with breaking COVID-19 developments involving testing, treatments, transmission mitigation, contact tracing and vaccine development? It turns to its experts on the UMS Scientific Advisory Board.

S2e15: Why Do We Toss 33% Of Food We Produce When People Are Hungry?, Ron Lisnet, Susanne Lee, Peter O'Brien

The Maine Question

Almost a billion people in the world are food insecure, and each year we throw away about one-third of the food we produce. Susanne Lee, executive-in-residence at the Maine Business School, and Peter O’Brien, a senior majoring in economics, examined the issue of food waste and have some possible solutions.

S2e14: How Does Interdisciplinary Research Make A Positive Difference?, Ron Lisnet, David Hart, Linda Silka

The Maine Question

The world needs help. David Hart and Linda Silka join host Ron Lisnet to talk about how interdisciplinary, results-driven researchers at the University of Maine work to address complex needs of society.

S2e13: What Impact Is Covid-19 Having On Tourism, And The Economy?, Ron Lisnet, Andrew Crawley

The Maine Question

Maine, also called Vacationland, is a favorite destination for visitors. But what impact will the pandemic have on tourism, tax revenue and the overall economy? Those are topics on this week’s “The Maine Question” podcast. Andrew Crawley, a University of Maine assistant professor of regional economic development, is developing forecasts to evaluate possible financial fallout, as well as examine prospects for recovery.

S2e12: What Role Does Undergraduate Research Play?, Ron Lisnet, Ali Abedi

The Maine Question

Research conducted at the University of Maine is vital to the state’s economy and workforce. And mentoring undergraduate students to be effective researchers is a major focus. But how do students develop their research chops? Professor Ali Abedi explains in this episode of “The Maine Question.”

S2e11: What’S The Tick Situation In Maine?, Ron Lisnet, Allison Gardner, Elissa Ballman

The Maine Question

Tick-borne diseases, some of which are debilitating, are on the rise. Allison Gardner investigates environmental factors that could limit the geographic spread of blacklegged ticks. And Elissa Ballman coordinates a tick surveillance citizen scientist program to learn more about which tick species are where and what pathogens they carry.

S2e10: What Can Businesses Learn From The Military About Making Good Decisions?, Ron Lisnet

The Maine Question

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the fast pace of the business world required companies to make good decisions quickly in order to survive and thrive. Two UMaine business professors have done research on the decision-making process and how the business world can follow the example of the military to make that process faster and better.

S2e9: What Can We Learn From This Unfortunate Experiment?, Ron Lisnet, Sean Birkel

The Maine Question

Beyond the devastating health threat caused by the coronavirus, the world’s economy has been slowed to a crawl for months now. That pause in economic output has brought about some profound changes, including significant reductions in soot, particles in the air and many other sources of pollution. In this episode of The Maine Question, Sean Birkel, Maine State Climatologist and a research assistant professor at the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, examines the changes that this unfortunate experiment has created.

S2e8: What Is Bioengineering?, Ron Lisnet, Karissa Tilbury

The Maine Question

It’s one of the fastest growing and changing fields in the world of engineering. Bioengineering, or biomedical engineering, is changing the way we do everything from producing fuel and paper to unlocking new ways to improve animal and human health. It’s a growing field — particularly for young women aspiring to be engineers. Karissa Tilbury, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at UMaine, helps us explore this relative newcomer to the world of engineering.

S2e7: Why Do Viruses Go Viral?, Ron Lisnet, Melissa Maginnis

The Maine Question

The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has led to a pandemic that swept the globe, halted economies and upended life as we know it. How and why infections like this occur is something that Melissa Maginnis, an assistant professor of microbiology at UMaine, thinks about every day. How do viruses work? How and why do they go viral? What is the best way to stop their spread and how might scientists learn from this ordeal? That and more on this episode of The Maine Question

S2e5: How Has Maine Changed In Its First 200 Years?, Ron Lisnet, Liam Roirdan

The Maine Question

Maine marks its 200th birthday March 15, 2020. So for this episode of “The Maine Question,” host Ron Lisnet talks with University of Maine history professor Liam Riordan about some of the key people involved in the drive to statehood, what life was like 200 years ago, and what themes from those early days are still recognizable today.

S2e6: What Color Is Your Fat?, Ron Lisnet, Kristy Townsend

The Maine Question

The word fat evokes a certain reaction in our culture. For associate professor of neurobiology Kristy Townsend and her students it’s the subject of research on many levels. Fat communicates with the brain, it battles disease, it plays a role in the aging process. It also comes in a variety of colors with differing functions. Townsend talks about her work on this connection and how it relates to obesity and diabetes — diseases that are becoming pandemics. She also talks about the role of basic research and the growing biotech industry in Maine.

S2e4: Can Studying Extinct Species Prepare Us For The Future?, Ron Lisnet, Jacquelyn Gill

The Maine Question

We visit with paleoecologist Jacquelyn Gill. She studies plants and animals that have been gone a long time- sometimes millions of years. She also studies our natural world today with the goal of trying to understand how and why some species have gone extinct while others have survived and what it means for how we and our planet adapt to the rapidly changing world we find ourselves in.

S2: The Maine Question Podcast Season 2 Trailer, Ron Lisnet

The Maine Question

Season two of The Maine Question podcast from the University of Maine kicks off February 6, 2020. We continue our conversations with UMaine researchers who are exploring big issues, intriguing topics and complex questions.