Student Presenter:  Dylan Conroy

Faculty Mentors:   Larry Feinstein, Dr. Scott E. Dobrin

Human gut flora, a community of approximately 160 bacterial species in the digestive tract (gut), are associated with human health. We investigated the effect of pesticides on the diversity of bacterial communities found in the gut of bumble bees (Bombus impatiens). Due to their low bacterial species diversity, 9 species clusters, bees are an excellent model organism. We extracted gut DNA, amplified bacterial genes via PCR, and used TRFLP analysis to measure changes in the gut microbiota 6 hr, 24 hr, 4 days, and 7 days after exposure to imidacloprid. Feeders contained control or imidacloprid-laced sugar solutions providing ad lib access to foragers.  For acute (<24 hr) treatments, bees were individually restrained and manually presented control, low, or high doses of sugar solution. Redundancy analysis was used to assess the effects of pesticide dose (control, low, high) and time of exposure (6 hr - 7 days) on TRFLP community profiles.

LD 199, SP0074

Student Presenters:   Hannah Boyce and Sydney Tate

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deschaine

The following act ensures the report of child abuse by a mandated reporter:

Sec. 1.22 MRSA §4011-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 211, Pt. B, §18 and PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5.

The amendment declares that the following persons have to report to the Department of Health and Human Services: law enforcement officials, persons working in the health place such as doctors and dentists, teachers, counselors, domestic violence advocates, child care personnel, clergy members, school bus drivers, etc. This presentation will provide the list of all members that are required to report. This bill's primary purpose is to allow others whom are not mandated reporters to report abuse that they have witnessed and/or are certain of. Any person who had obtained full or part-time custody or care is also required to do so as of the amendment. The bill amends the law regarding mandated reporters of child neglect and abuse and of suspicious death, allowing those reporters to "cause" someone else to make a report. Language requiring the individual mandated reporter to make a report is retained. Many peoples whom work with children directly are now encouraged to make reports of known child abuse.

"If a person required to report notifies either the person in charge of the institution, agency or facility or the designated agent, the notifying person shall acknowledge in writing that the institution, agency or facility has provided confirmation to the notifying person that another individual from the institution, agency or facility has made a report to the department. The confirmation must include, at a minimum, the name of the individual making the report to the department, the date and time of the report and a summary of the information conveyed. If the notifying person does not receive the confirmation from the institution, agency or facility within 24 hours of the notification, the notifying person immediately shall make a report directly to the department.

An employer may not take any action to prevent or discourage an employee from making a report."

Maine Legislature, Maine revised Statutes

Student Presenters:   Abigail Riitano, Lisa Weatherly, Juyoung Shim, Eric Gerson

Faculty Mentor:  Julie Gosse

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial found in many hygiene and household products at concentrations ~10mM. Our published data show that TCS, at concentrations of 2μM and higher, suppress mast cell degranulation (Palmer 2012). Mast cells release histamine and inflammatory agents in the process of degranulation, due to antigen stimulation. Our published data also indicate that TCS suppresses oxidative phosphorylation by acting as a proton ionophore mitochondrial uncoupler at low-micromolar concentrations in several cell types, including human and rat mast cells and primary human keratinocytes (Weatherly 2015). Mitochondrial respiration naturally produces reactive oxygen species (ROS); also ROS are required for degranulation. We have found that ROS production is increased by low-micromolar doses of TCS in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) mast cells, both with and without antigen stimulation. Uncovering the effects of TCS on ROS will narrow the scope of possible inhibitory mechanisms employed by TCS.

Student Presenters:   Véronique Bouchard and Katie Young

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deshaine

# LD1548

The Foster Parents’ Bill of Right explains what a Family foster home looks like and also what a Foster parent is which we will talk about in our presentation. It then talks about the rights that foster parents can have. Since there was a big list we’ve decided to talk about the ones that seemed the most interesting but if you would like to know more about the rights we can provide you with a list. We will also see some of the obligations that a foster parent can have toward the child and some of the things the foster parent have to keep confidential. Like all good things, being a foster parent comes with pros and cons that we will also talk about in a bit. In general, this presentation will help you have an idea of what a foster family can look like.

Student Presenters:   Jean-Pierre Dumond, Tog Liu, Tyler Brooks, and Thomas Collins

Faculty Mentor:  Chunzeng Wang

The ATV trail mapping project in central Aroostook Country was a partnered project between the University of Maine at Presque Isle GIS Laboratory and the Star City ATV Club. The project included Garmin GPS mapping in order to ensure trail measurement accuracy and potential in the area around Scopan Mountain and ArcGIS on-screen digitizing and editing of pre-obtained trail GIS files from the Star City ATV Club. Observation from field work and knowledge of the trail system played a vital role in the mapping these trails accurately in the area at Scopan Mountain. Points of interest in the area including locations for picnic, eating, lodging, gas, and other sponsors were also mapped. The goal of the project was to provide a comprehensive, viewable and useable ATV trail map, with accurate, up to date trail data so that locals and visitors to the area have a clear and concise reference when traveling on the local ATV trails. The final map made from this project is the first one ever made in the County. We believe it will help promote tourism and foster growth of local economy.

Student Presenter:  Kaitlyn Belanger

Faculty Mentor:  Scott Dobrin

Greggers, et. al. (2013) observed that honey bees respond to biologically relevant electrical stimuli, such as the electrical charge produced by another bee while dancing, differently than to random electrical fields. We hypothesize that bees rely on their ability to detect electric charge for several biological functions, and electrical stimulation of varying polarity and voltage may differently affect behavior. The purpose of this experiment was to observe the effects of electric fields of varying polarity and voltage on bumble bee behavior in a laboratory setting. Individual bumble bees were randomly exposed to voltages ranging between positive and negative 400 - 1200 volts. The behavior of each bee was recorded before, during, and after exposure to electrical stimuli. Time spent walking, flying, upside-down, grooming, stopped, or fanning were recorded. We analyzed changes in behavior between baseline (before the bees were exposed to an electrical field) and during presentation of charge.

Student Presenters:   Nate Norris and Dean Costello

Faculty Mentor:  Chunzeng Wang

The Aroostook Band of Micmacs has purchased 620 acres of forest land that was once part of the old Loring air force base. In this project funded by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, we worked with the tribal members Frank Hanning and Glenn Bernard primarily to take tree surveys in 27 randomly selected locations on the land. We counted trees based on sizes and species. We used GPS unit to guide us through the woods. At each location, we would first place 8 flags, 4 at a 4-m distance from the basket marking the site, and the other 4 at 12-m distance, generally 90 degrees apart. In the 4-m section, we would record trees under 6 cm in circumference. In the 12-m section, we would record all trees above 6 cm in categories of 6-15 cm, 15-30 cm and greater than 30 cm. Each tree was identified by species using observation of both bark and leaves. The data collected was entered into an attribute table in ArcGIS. The attribute table contains site location, species, and sizes of all trees that were surveyed for within both the 4-m and 12-m plots. Forest inventory data obtained by J. W. Sewall Co was analyzed using ArcGIS to create the forest inventory map. Soil data based on NRCS soil survey was also processed using ArcGIS to make maps such as the soil drainage map. These datasets are part of a comprehensive forest GIS database developed for the tribe for forest management.

Student Presenter:  Nathan Norris

Faculty Mentor:  David Putnam

This project was performed in partnership with the City University of New York (CUNY) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Cooperative Remote Sensing and Technology Center (CREST), Snow Analysis and Field Experiment (SAFE) facility. The student collects data for the project at the NOAA Forecasting Office in Caribou, ME and sends the field measurements including temperature, stratigraphy and grain structure to CUNY researchers for analysis and comparison to data collected by instruments on site. Some goals of this long term project are to develop a new algorithm and to validate the previous algorithms for the estimation of snow cover and snow water equivalent. Also, to take microwave brightness data of the snow cover and compare the results from early and mid-winter to spring melt-freeze snows. The ultimate goal is to perfect the hydrological model used to take snow moisture content data and predict flooding, melt water output from the snowpack in different areas. The results of this experiment are crucial in applications ranging from predicting summer water availability in areas reliant on snowpack to flood damage potential in mountainous regions.

Student Presenters:   Michael Picard and Chad Richardson

Faculty Mentor:  Chunzeng Wang

The Northern Maine Fairground in Presque Isle is home to a few large events in the area. These events include the Northern Maine Fair, the Balloon Festival, and also the annual Truck Pulls. This project was a two-part venture in which both the buildings and other various structures were mapped along with the utilities such as water, sewer, storm drain and electrical and their various access points. We used Trimble Geo 7X GPS unit to map all utilities and collect their attribute data. The collected GPS data was processed with differential correction method by using a CORS Station located on the roof of UMPI library for improved accuracy before it was used to make the map. By using ArcGIS editor tool, points were also corrected to the exact location due to marginal error caused by building location and satellite blockage. Large-size, polygon features such as buildings and structures were mapped by using ArcGIS on-screen digitization method on high-resolution satellite image at UMPI’s GIS Laboratory. Their attribute data was, however, collected from the Fairground. The project was assisted by the Fairground staff Brandon Roope. The map, the first one ever made for the Fairground, will be used by the Fairground board and staff for their asset management and planning.

Student Presenter:  Daniel Swallow

Faculty Mentor:  Chunzeng Wang

Funded by a grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, we worked with the Aroostook Band of Micmacs tribal members Frank Hanning and Glenn Bernard to perform forest survey in 33 randomly selected locations in Spruce Haven – Powers Michaud trust lands located in Caribou. At each site a 4-m and a 12-m circumference work area were flagged off to indicate the trees that would be identified and surveyed by their species and sizes. In the 4-m section, trees under 6 cm in circumference were surveyed. In the 12-m section, trees above 6 cm in categories of 6-15 cm, 15-30 cm and greater than 30 cm were recorded. We paid special attention to ash trees due to their influence in Micmac heritage and culture. The ash trees are traditionally used for basket making. They make strong, yet pliable material to create a strong basket. Many ash trees were found in the land, including some small stands. This is a positive result for the population of ash trees on the land. These ash trees will provide material for baskets in the future, carrying the basket-making tradition on for coming generations. Forest inventory data obtained by J. W. Sewall Co was also analyzed using ArcGIS to create the forest inventory map. Soil data based on NRCS soil survey was processed using ArcGIS as well to make the soil drainage map. These data obtained become part of a comprehensive forest GIS database developed for the tribe for forest management.

Student Presenters:   Carly Bell, Bonnie Corey, Caleb Hobbs, Jeff Kiser, Heather LaFontaine, Hannah Wood, Carlie Woodworth, Brittany Finney (UMPI) and Zachery Beal, Corey Henderson (UMFK)

Faculty Mentors:   Judith Roe (UMPI), Christin Kastl (UMFK), Jacob Theriault (UMFK), Dustin Updike (MDIBL)

Utilizing the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as our model organism, we looked at the cell cycle progression and P-granule segregation in early embryos. P-granules are a class of perinuclear protein/ribonucleic acid (RNA) granules which follow the formation of the germ line in our model organism. Proteins such as PGL-1, which are responsible for binding RNA, are components of the P-granule. We stained C. elegans embryos using immunofluorescence with antibodies for tubulin and PGL-1. We discovered that, during mitosis PGL-1 condensed to one side of the cell, beginning at prophase. By metaphase the PGL-1 had migrated to the distal side of the spindle pole in one of the daughter cells. We propose that this pattern of segregation within the cytoplasm as chromosomes are moving towards the metaphase plate contributes to the successful asymmetric segregation of the P-granules to only one daughter cell.

Student Presenters:   Bonnie Corey, Jesse Rochester (UMFK)

Faculty Mentors:   Judith Roe, Larry Feinstein, Peter Nelson (UMFK)

Several talus slopes in the Debouille Public Reserved Lands in northern Maine are rock glaciers which maintain subterranean ice year round. Unique plant communities inhabit these slopes.  Lichen species were collected along elevation transects on each glacier to test the hypothesis of whether there was more genetic variation along the slope within a rock glacier or between rock glaciers. DNA was extracted from individuals from two species, Cladonia stygia and Cladonia stellaris. The ITS region was amplified from the fungal partner by PCR and sequenced. Both species exhibited high population genetic diversity and several haplotypes were identified in each, including length polymorphisms in the 18S region. Individuals with the same haplotype were found on two glaciers and at varying heights within a glacier suggesting that gene flow is occurring both within and between rock glaciers.

Student Presenters:   Haley Grant and Jill-Ann Storey

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deschaine

Our poster presentation explores LD 319: “An Act to Strengthen the Economic Stability of Qualified Maine Citizens by Expanding Coverage of Reproductive Health Care and Family Services”, sponsored by Jay McCreight. The aim of this bill is to provide health care and family planning services to qualified adults and adolescents; coverage includes pregnancy prevention, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and cancer, and access to contraception. One of the major benefits of LD 319 is that it saves tax payers money by avoiding health costs and improving individuals’ self-sufficiency. We contacted Ms. McCreight and received further information regarding her motivation to introduce the bill. She explained that by giving women and men a choice about if and when to have children, their economic prospects are significantly improved – this allows for individuals to continue their education and results in more control over career decisions. Ms. McCreight also asserted that, with this assistance, people are able to rise out of poverty and if they decide to have children, their children are more likely to be healthy.  Organizations that support LD 319 include the National Association of Social Workers and Planned Parenthood of Maine. The Maine Right to Life Committee and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland are two groups who are against the bill. We developed a survey to assess UMPI students’ awareness of LD 319, we had a total of 58 respondents. The results show that 86.21% of people were not aware of this bill, 57.89% thought this bill would have a positive effect on families, 22.81% of individuals said that LD319 would affect them personally, and 26.32% said that this bill would affect members of their family. The last question on our survey asked whether students planned on voting, 60.34% said yes.

Student Presenters:   Tim Roix and Karen Henderson

Faculty Mentor:  Chunzeng Wang

This project was completed for the Washburn Water and Sewer District in fall 2015 as our GIS II project. Utility features such as sanitary manholes, storm drain structures, gate valves, and fire hydrants and their non-geographic attribute data were mapped and collected by using a handheld Trimble Geo 7X GPS receiver and processed for differential correction with UMPI CORS Station. The mapping was limited to Main Street and the adjacent side streets of Washburn. To make this map, a base image was georeferenced using various control points obtained with the Trimble Geo 7X GPS unit in the field; and standard symbols were selected to mark the location of the mapped features as shown in the map. A final map was made for the Washburn Water and Sewer District for its daily utility management

Student Presenters:   Christine Lapointe, Christine Lewis

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deschaine

This bill requires a parent or guardian who is seeking a logical (Philosophical) exemption to routine Childhood Vaccination when child in school or a licensed day care facility to present written document signed by a health care practitioner that the health care practitioner has reviewed with the parent information about the risks and benefits of immunization that is consistent with information published by the federal Department of Health and Human

Student Presenter:  Zachery Beal (UMFK)

Faculty Mentor:  Peter Nelson (UMFK)

Bacteriophages are very abundant, and carry out infections every day. The phages are so abundant that they have to be sorted by clusters, which can be further diversifiable into subclusters. The largest cluster is the cluster A phages that have over three hundred members and are divided into sixteen subclusters. The cluster A phages offer the most data for observing similarities and differences within a cluster and amongst its subclusters. Oridinating the data allows to conceptualize new theories and view data in new and interesting ways that were previously overlooked by general analyses. With the ability to overlay information and show peaks in trends within data a 2d graph can be conceptualized as a 3d graph

Student Presenters:   Caroline Newman and Kellie Osgood

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deschaine

This bill gives those in the position of a caretaker relative role the legal rights to make decisions in both the health field and educational field as long as they are in the best interests of the child. It states what criteria go into becoming a caretaker relative as well as how and when those rights can be terminated. This bill stresses the point that it does not take away the rights of the parent’s but that it gives the adults who are acting as the primary caregiver the right to be involved in school decisions as well as the rights that go into doctor appointments, emergency services, and can even go as far as making emergency decisions.

Student Presenters:  Michelle Post, Michelle Wright, and Jessica Morley

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deschaine

Abstract

We are presenting Bill LD# 1477, SP 0575 titled, An Act to Protect Victims of Sexual Assault.  This bill was originally introduced December 18th, 2015 and passed the Senate and the House respectfully on March 28, 2016, ultimately becoming law on April 4, 2016. The intention of the bill was to lessen the burden of proof placed upon victims of sexual assault or comparable crime who become pregnant by an assailant. Previous law specified that a conviction was required before parental rights of the offender could be terminated. This bill specifies that clear and convincing evidence can be utilized in place of a conviction.

Student Presenter:  Courtney St. Peter

Faculty Mentor:  Allen Salo

Recently, Swaffield and Roberts (2014) found that students’ rating of a variety of food items were sensitive to their exposure to the reading and imagined experience of either a “safe” or “harsh” environmental condition. Specifically, they found those randomly assigned to the “harsh” condition displayed a shift to having a greater preference for food items from the meats or sweets category that were higher in calories than other food categories such as vegetables or fruits. In this study, we used the same 30 items to determine if real­world experiences (i.e., student stressors such as course grades), can be related systematically to differences in food preferences. There was a high correlation between general perceived stress and stress identified for the stress felt from a particular course (r = .776), but lower correlations between stress or anxiety perceived this semester and overall food attractions score (average across all items; r =.319) but an even weaker relationship to stress perceived from most challenging course and food attraction score (r = .182).

Student Presenters:   Joseph Ladd, Hope King, and the University of Maine at Presque Isle Campus

Staff Mentor:  Mary Lawrence

This year CRU participated in “Project Philadelphia 2016”. We as a group, traveled with our advisor and a driver to Philadelphia to be part of CRU’s annual Service/Missions trip. We partnered with a program called CSM-Philadelphia (Center for Student Missions) for a week of work, service and fun. We were overwhelmed and awed by all that we saw and experienced.

We attended church services and served meals to other attendees; we served at an after-school program in one of the poorest areas of NJ; we cleaned up a park and the surrounding areas; we served at Philabundance, the large food bank serving the region; we assisted at a faith-based drug rehab program; we designed and participated in an activity event at a senior housing facility; we spent time fellowshipping with the men at a long-term housing and learning shelter and we prepared and distributed bag lunches to many homeless and hungry street people.

Along the way, we experienced several ethnic restaurants in the neighborhoods where we served. We visited historical sites like independence hall, the liberty bell, and a holocaust museum and the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA and the Zoo.

In short, we will present the occurrences of “Project Philadelphia 2016” that have shaped our thinking and our emotions as we have returned home to our campus and communities.

Student Presenters:   Jessica Morneault and Paige Chandler

Faculty Mentor:  Lorie Deschaine

The legislative bill LD1499 "An Act to Increase the Safety of Social Workers" states that this bill seeks to improve the safety and privacy of social workers who hold a license from the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. The statute changes in this legislation have the goal of ensure the home address of a social work is held confidential, and it is not openly accessible to the general public. This would protect our social workers from current, or former unstable clients who wish to harm or threaten a social worker. The National Association of Social Workers has issued guidelines regarding the safety threats that clients can serve to social workers. This bill would be essential to helping protect our social workers from safety threats, due to their home address being made openly available to the public.

Student Presenters:   Jaden Gosselin, Kristen West

Faculty Mentor:  Judith Roe

Gel spherification is used in cooking and to make the gel coating on some medications. The hypothesis was higher the pH (11), the least likely the spheres will form, the more neutral the solution (pH 7), the better the spheres will form, and the lower the pH spheres will form but not stay spheres. Sodium alginate was added to each of the juices which were Grape, Apple, Cranberry, Prune, and Carrot. Then calcium chloride was added to water in which the juice was dropped in using a syringe. The juices pH’s were changed to be 3, 7 or 11. The pH of 7 did indeed form the best spheres although one of the juices did not form spheres at all, the pH of 3 formed horrible spheres, and the pH of 11 formed decent spheres comparatively.

Student Presenter:  Alison Landry (UMFK)

Faculty Mentor:  Peter Nelson (UMFK)

There is controversy surrounding the effectiveness of medical Marijuana in cancer patients even though many of them rave about its efficacy. Medical Marijuana has been shown to provide symptom relief to cancer patients going through chemotherapy. The objective of my study was to determine whether or not oncology professionals from various oncology centers across the country prescribed cannabis to their patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Cannabis is a plant that originally came from Central and South Asia, but is now manufactured by many countries across the globe. THC is the main component of marijuana that creates appetites shown in patients that use it for medical purposes and it is composed of specific ingredients that produces the desired results on the human brain. THC has also been shown to alleviate mild pain and is extremely effective as an antiemetic. It allows patients to have an appetite when chemotherapy does not permit them to eat due to the nausea. So do medical professionals see medical Marijuana as a legitimate drug to alleviate the negative symptoms in their cancer patients and do they prescribe it, was my objective.

Student Presenters:   Colleen White, Chenoa Jackson, and Amber-Lynn Hulstrunk

Staff Advisor:  Michelle Greene

The Page Turners book club is devoted to bringing together students and community members of different backgrounds and with different experiences in the interest of reading. This club is dedicated to choosing a variety of books, from a variety of genres, including non-traditional genres. Book discussion, and discussions stemming from ideas found in books drive the conversations at Page Turners. Anyone who has an interest in reading and in engaging in good conversation with a group of friendly and diverse people will find a good home here.

The latest book that the Page Turners read was The Giver, which is a book that is often read by middle schoolers. Our group found that the book was just as valuable to adults and contained more than enough substance, symbolism, and parallelism to generate deep conversation about society, the role of fear in decision making, and other topics. One member noted that they see something new in that book each time they look at it. The Page Turners book club has been quite successful in its first semester, and is looking for more members who want to strengthen the group next year.

Student Presenters:   Kellsey Michaud and Alyssa Sweeney (PIHS)

Faculty Mentor:  Jason Johnston, Carson Dobrin (PIHS)        

The timing patterns observed in migratory birds have been shown to be changing at an alarming rate (Travers 2015). In this study, we examined migratory bird arrival data in Southern Aroostook county covering the past 40 years. From there we compared how the arrival dates changed throughout the years and the environmental factors that may or may not have affected the species. This research is critical knowledge because it reveals how environment factors in any given year can influence the wildlife around us and why it is imperative to keep track of this type of data. Our specific research question was:  what observable changes have occurred over the last 40 years in the arrival of Maine’s various migratory bird species, and what might be some reasons for those changes? We expected to see different dates of arrival throughout the years due to the various environmental factors affecting Maine today compared to 40 years ago.

Analysis is ongoing, but we have shown the arrival dates of Maine’s migratory birds to change throughout the years.

Student Presenters:   Samuel Gray, Madison Postell (PIHS)

Faculty Mentor:  Larry Feinstein                                                                   

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes code for enzymes that confer resistance to many antibiotics. Three of the main classes of ESBL gene families are; TEM, SHV and CTX. The environment has been found to be a huge reservoir of antibiotic resistance and is now known as the resistome. The objective of this research is to measure the presence and amount of ESBLs in antibiotic-resistant human pathogens and the environment in order to gain a better, functional understanding of patterns of gene dispersal.

We expect the data to show us if antibiotic-resistant gene (ARG) dispersal between the soil environment and human pathogens is influenced by niche selective pressures or not. If ARG dispersal is related to the selective pressure of the antibiotics used in treating infectious disease, then one set of similar ARG sequences will be found in human pathogens while a different set of similar ARG sequences will be found in soils. But if ARG dispersal is not influenced by the selective pressure of prescription antibiotics, then similar ARG sequences will be found in human pathogens and their nearby soils.

Student Presenters:   Noah Garrison, Victoria Williamson (PIHS)     

Faculty Mentor:  Scott Dobrin, Larry Feinstein                                                         

The gut microbiota plays an intriguing role in many processes including digestion, metabolism, immune response, and behavior (Turnbaugh, 2007). Studies in germ-free rats indicate the necessity of bacteria in the gut for normal development of human enteric nervous and immune systems (Shanahan, 2002). Obesity and various disease states, including Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, and diabetes, have been linked to changes in intestinal microbiota (Clemente et al., 2012). A better picture of human health will be obtained with a more complete understanding of the host-biome interactions.

The effects of pesticides on the diversity of the bumble bee gut microbiome was measured. Human gut communities are large (thousands of species) and vary greatly between individuals (Clemente et al., 2012). The simpler bumble bee gut environment (9 species clusters; Koch and Schmid-Hempel, 2011) thus offers a model system to study changes in the communities.

Pesticide (imidacloprid) was provided to bees in their food source. The effects on the diversity of the microbiome of the bumblebee gut was assessed using PCR followed by TRFLP analysis. We hypothesis that pesticide exposure will change the relative abundance of bacterial community taxa distribution in the guts of bumble bees in a dose- and time-dependent manner.

Student Presenter:  Sully Jackson

Faculty Mentors:   Larry Feinstein, Jason Johnston, Dave Putnam, Chunzeng Wang

The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of different tree communities to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide gas as soil organic carbon. This study focuses on tree communities at the Loring Air Force Base, the Powers Grid, and the Spruce Haven locations. The wood lots studied are owned by the Aroostook Band of Micmacs. To gather these data, leaves that fell from the trees in the woodlots were collected in baskets, and the amount of foliage gathered was weighed. Soil samples were also taken from these locations. The pH and percent organic matter in the soil was determined. This study is meant to provide the Aroostook Band of Micmacs with important data that will aid them in deciding which trees to cut for lumber, and which trees to leave standing for the purpose of sequestering carbon. This research demonstrates importance in both economic and climate science fields.

Student Presenter:  Jesse Rochester (UMFK)

Faculty Mentor:  Peter Nelson (UMFK)

This study is focused on resolving the evolutionary path of Furbish’s lousewort (Pedicularis furbishiae), a federally endangered, endemic plant found only on the banks of the St. John River between Maine, USA and Canada. Our study includes the generation of original P. furbishiae sequences by students attending the University of Maine at Fort Kent as well as the Field Museum in Chicago. Establishing the evolutionary path of this endemic species could likely play a role in the conservation of the species by providing clues to its environmental history and guidance for its reestablishment. Our study makes further contributions to the phylogeny of the genus by incorporating more gene sequences including ITS, matK, and trnLF as well as other species of Pedicularis not included in a previous study of North American species of Pedicularis.  We aligned 114 sequences from three loci from 23 different species of Pedicularis.  The outcome of this study will support one of two possible stories. If P. rainerensis, another narrow endemic found in Washington, USA, is the sister species of P. furbishiae, that will provide further support to Robart’s theory of western movement of the genus and speciation through dispersal that leads to vicarances by the physical barrier of the last continental glacier. If our phylogenetic interpretation supports P. bracteosa,a widely distributedtaxon, as the sister species, then the sequence of events leading to speciation of P. furbishiae will have reason to be reconsidered. 

Student Presenters:   Miranda Davenport and Alyssha Ferguson

Faculty Mentor:  Lori Deschaine

In our Social Work Families class we chose to do our legislative project on the bill “An Act to Require Shared Parenting of Minor Children when Parents Separate”. Although this bill is no longer active we were able to talk to one of the co-sponsors and found some great findings for our project. We believe this bill was no longer active because of circumstances that had happened with who presented the bill. As a duo we researched the topic, and conducted a 5-question survey to observe the opinions individuals had in regard to it. The goal of our project is to make this bill aware of so the people of Maine know that it is still important and should still be discussed.

Student Presenter:  Caleb Ward

Faculty/Staff Mentors and Contributing Authors:  Peter D Strand, Aaron E Putnam, David E Putnam, Pagamsuren Amarsaikhan, Tsetsenbileg Bavuu, Oyungerel Sambuu

The Khoton Nuur valley, located near the highest part of the Altai Mountains of far-western Mongolia, features an exceptional record of mountain glacier activity during and since the last glacial period. Here we present a reconstruction of glacial flow patterns recorded from glacial striae in the Tsagaan-gol valley, a tributary of Khoton Nuur lake, at the headwaters of the Khovd River watershed. We identified and mapped orientations of glacial striae etched into ice-molded bedrock of the Tsagaan-gol valley. These features record patterns of ice-flow at the base of the former ice-age Khoton Nuur glacier. We plotted striae orientations on a glacial geomorphological map. Ice flow directions were inferred from associated erosional landforms, such as chatter-marks and crag-and-tail features. Altogether, striae and other directional indicators from this area illustrate the broader pattern of ice-flow at the base of the former Khoton Nuur glacier, and record the relative influence of various tributary glaciers converging from different ice catchments.

Data reported here provide morphological context for a coordinated effort to develop a 10Be surface-exposure chronology of glacial landforms of the Khoton Nuur system.  In addition, our geologically based ice-flow reconstruction will help to evaluate and improve numerical glaciological models of this ice-age glacier system and aid refinement of inferred paleoclimatic conditions.

Student Presenters:   Krista Willhide

Faculty Mentor:  John DeFelice

Abstract not Available

Student Presenters:  Mackenzie Beaulieu-Vannessa Hodgkin-Misty Steward

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

On December 10, President Obama signed into law the “Every Student Succeeds Act” which replaces the ‘No Child Left Behind Act’.  Lawmakers have touted the new law as a more flexible approach to student testing and school accountability and eliminates what has been perceived as a ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ to education.  This presentation will describe the major differences between the two education acts and explore the impact the ESSA will have on public school education policies particularly implication for accountability for student success, student assessment, and classroom practices. 

Student Presenters:   Arianna Bard-Loretta Cote-Brittany McPhail-Natasha Ponder

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

Students who exhibit the characteristics of individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome often learn differently than the traditional student in a classroom.  They frequently possess different learning styles and interest from those of classmates.  Often those interest differ from what is being taught in the classroom. This presents an instructional challenge for teachers.  A proficiency-based educational teaching model will allow the student with asperger’s a voice and choice in demonstrating mastery of the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn.  Discussion of the role and responsibilities of teachers in the education of students having asperger’s syndrome in a proficiency based education model will be explored. 

Student Presenters:   Erica Hemphill and Jessica Campbell

Faculty Mentor:  Allen Salo

The University of Maine at Presque Isle adopted a Tobacco Free policy in the summer of 2013. During that first academic year, a short survey was conducted on campus that assessed the views and knowledge of 180 students concerning the policy and general views towards it. Descriptive data gathered included gender, class standing, housing location, and whether students were present tobacco users or non-users. This past fall (2015) a similar follow-up survey was conducted with 166 students to reassess presumed knowledge gain and overall student views toward the policy once again. Results did not reveal an overall increase in policy knowledge among all students but once again did indicate a greater knowledge score by women as was found previously. The average percentage of questions identified correctly during the 2013 year was 77.5% vs. 74.7% for 2015. Additional results will be reported that will contrast the years of study, additional gender differences, and those between tobacco users and non-users. The reasons for such differences will be speculated about. Audience input will be welcomed.

Student Presenters:   Ning Sun, Zeyu Zhao

Faculty Mentor:  Jacqui Lowman

Music is an international language; it helps promote understanding and builds unity. Come get an introduction to Chinese culture, featuring a combination of traditional Chinese singing and violin virtue also playing.

Student Presenter:  Ying Zheng

Faculty Mentor:  Jacqui Lowman

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. It’s the time to celebrate family and traditions that go back thousands of years. Every year more than a billion people celebrate this Spring Festival. This presentation introduces many time-honored customs. We will introduce people to an important backbone of Chinese culture.

Student Presenter:  Andrew K. Hunt

Faculty Mentor:  Allen Salo

In theory, the vast majority of funds generated by the Maine State Lottery are supposed to be earmarked for programs that benefit the citizens of Maine including; higher education, K-12 education, environmental protection, etc.  In reality, when one looks at a graph of the breakdown of how lottery monies are spent, very little is actually allocated to these programs, and the vast majority of funds are placed into Maine’s general fund and divvied up from there.  Although some of the money in Maine’s general fund is spent on K-12 education and higher education, roughly half of this money is placed into a category called “other”.  With the recent outcry from concerned citizens and politicians alike, a policy of transparency concerning how lottery monies and Maine’s general fund are spent is needed.  These funds essentially belong to the taxpayers of Maine, yet these taxpayers seem to be reaping very little benefit from this money when one takes a close look at how it is being spent.  In essence, the Maine State Lottery was initially started in 1973 based upon the idea of the state bringing in more money for education and environmental protection programs and as time has progressed, the lottery commissioner and others in charge of these monies seem to have deviated from this standard.

Student Presenter:  Abigail Riitano

Faculty Mentor:  Larry Feinstein

Antibiotic resistance is of great concern in the medical field because pathogens continually evolve resistance when exposed to newly-developed antibiotics. ARG (antibiotic-resistant gene) families evolved in the 1960s (TEM genes), mid-1980s (SHV genes), and early 2000s (CTX genes). We chose to investigate if human bacterial pathogen ARG distribution varies in conjunction with seasonal changes. We obtained fifty antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria isolated from wound, respiratory, and urinary tract infections from The Aroostook Medical Center during fall 2015 and winter 2016. We tested each pathogen for TEM, SHV, and CTX genes using DNA extraction, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. Each fall pathogen contained an average of 4.3 ARGs and each winter pathogen contained an average of 6.8 ARGs. The PCR product is now being sequenced. These results will be used in conjunction with soil ARG presence data to investigate gene distribution patterns between the environment and human pathogens.

Student Presenters: Kylee Alton-Amanda Hotham-Lydia Streinz

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

Response to Intervention (commonly abbreviated RTI or RtI) is an approach to academic and behavioral intervention used in many Maine schools to provide early, systematic, and appropriately intensive assistance to children who are at risk for or already underperforming as compared to appropriate grade- or age-level standards. The core assumptions of RTI is "that the educational system can effectively teach all children”.  The RTI approach seeks to prevent academic and behavioral failure through universal screening, early intervention, frequent progress monitoring, and increasingly intensive research-based instruction or interventions for children who continue to have difficulty. This collaborative approach among teachers promotes a multileveled system for aiding students that is adjusted and modified as needed.  This interactive presentation will provide participants with foundational information on the RTI process and discuss implications for regular and support service teachers. 

Student Presenters:   Joshua Archer, Tong Liu, Ning Sun

Faculty Mentor:  Jacqui Lowman

Students from the University Times Club and International Students’ Club took a trip to Washington, D.C. Traveling not only broadens your horizons: it allows you to get closer to people. Both students and teachers formed stronger bonds on this four-day journey in D.C. and discovered that even though they come from opposite ends of the world, they could overcome communication barriers through friendship and understanding.

Student Presenter:  Virginia Fuhrmark

Staff Mentor: Andrew Hunt

Traveling abroad has always been daunting and intimidating but the chance to live in a town centered around an innovative alternative school was an unmatchably amazing opportunity. Alternative education gives so many students advantages over traditional education, and it has already offered me so much to learn and grow from. Ultimately, the fears and challenges don’t just go away with excitement, learning to evolve and adapt to your environment is something you have to consider before you leave the airport terminal. I can’t say the biggest challenge I faced was having to leave, because I can assure you that finding yourself surrounded by everything unfamiliar isn’t something to just overlook. Leaving a place I fought so hard to fit into was still one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome. Adapting to somewhere new is difficult but not as difficult as realizing it’s temporary. In conclusion, I want to go back. What a surprise. However, I’ve changed and so has the circumstances around my hopes in returning to Germany. In view of the fact that things have changed, new challenges have formed but so have new solutions. Experiences allow you to apply your evolutions to new situations. Not all is bleak when you don’t know what to do. I’m learning every day making opportunities for myself to reach a place where I feel like I belong.

Student Presenter:  Gannon Pratt

Faculty Mentor:  Dave Putnam

The wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) has the northernmost range extent of any turtle species in the world.  Over most of its current range, the wood turtle is endangered or declining.  Wood turtle populations occur throughout the state of Maine, but few data are available from which to predict the long term survival of the species.

Student Presenters:   Sabrina Adcock, Hazen Dauphinee, Zachariah Veayo

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Tomasz Herzog

The session will cover the lack of education, not by choice, but by force, of the Baha’i Faith followers in Iran. The examination of the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and its aftermath will help understand the cause and context of the violation of this human right in Iran for almost four decades. There will be presented many factual and visual materials, including the documentary “Education Under Fire”, that discuss both the denial of the right of Baha'is to higher education by the government of Iran and the way how the members of this faith community have worked around the rules forbidding them from receiving an education. A close scrutiny of the Baha’i experience in Iran allows formulating some universal conclusions on the threat posed by religious fundamentalism to democracy around the world.  Following the presentation there will be a Question and Answer period.

Student Presenter:  Arianna Forbes

Faculty Mentor:  Heather Sincavage

This presentation addresses gender expectations and the double standard in public body exposure.  Using the Free The Nipple campaign as the anchor to this talk, I will discuss the history of toplessness and the current state laws for toplessness across the nation.  I will differentiate between what is marketing and what is empowerment.  This presentation provides context for a campus installation that I will do on April 28, 2016. 

Student Presenters:   Karen Cote-Vanessa Hodgkin-Bonnie Nelson-Michelle Tardif

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

Alfie Kohn is a controversial American educational theorist.  The ideal classroom and academic program, according to Kohn, is one in which intrinsic curiosity and cooperation are emphasized above all else. Kohn has made his thoughts clear on classroom management and discipline; he believes that most traditional methods of classroom discipline foster extrinsic motivation rather than intrinsic. Because of this, he is a proponent of what could be termed a very “hands off” type of approach. Kohn believes that if the classroom is run with cooperation in mind, and if the students’ curiosity is being nurtured, then students will act appropriately and neither rewards nor punishments will be necessary. In his words ‘overall, curiosity and cooperation should govern the classroom’.  Kohn rejects all systems of reward and punishment in favor of community and student decision-making, saying that all traditional systems of discipline assume students are troublemakers, learning occurs in quiet controlled places, and the teacher’s role “is to make students obedient, compliant, and above all “quiet”.  A fundamental question which will be explored is how Kohn’s model will function in a Proficiency Based Education system.

Student Presenters:   Idella Thompson, Ted Gilliam, Valentina Annunziata, Ryan DuBois, Scott DeLong, Crysania Walker, Erica Hemphill, Jayme Cyr, Mitchell Bartlett, Craig Pullen, Carrigan Levesque, Courtney Cote

Faculty Mentor:  Lisa Leduc

Students in the Criminal Justice Club and the Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Society travelled to Denver Colorado to attend the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference.  They attended various presentations, specifically those focused on the changing drug laws in the state of Colorado.  Two students presented at the Poster Session at the conference.  All students also complete ride-along shifts with Aurora PD and went to a presentation from the Colorado POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training) about enforcement of marijuana regulations. All student travelers were enrolled in CRJ 281 – Special Topics in Criminal Justice – Drug Policy and their experiences in Denver will be included in their final course portfolio.  This presentation highlights various components of their trip.

Student Presenter:  Raymond Feliciano Rodriguez

Faculty Mentor:  Tomasz Herzog

Being a territory of the United States of America, Puerto Rico has a particular relationship with this country. It can be seen in certain aspects of Puerto Rican life, including education. The purpose of the presentation is to examine the main features of the educational system in Puerto Rico, while also providing background knowledge on the geography and culture of the island. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session during which the participants will be able to inquire about how the Puerto Rican Education System compares and contrasts with the one in the US.

Student Presenters:   Karen Cote-Vanessa Hodgkin-Bonnie Nelson-Michelle Tardif

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

Alfie Kohn is a controversial American educational theorist.  The ideal classroom and academic program, according to Kohn, is one in which intrinsic curiosity and cooperation are emphasized above all else. Kohn has made his thoughts clear on classroom management and discipline; he believes that most traditional methods of classroom discipline foster extrinsic motivation rather than intrinsic. Because of this, he is a proponent of what could be termed a very “hands off” type of approach. Kohn believes that if the classroom is run with cooperation in mind, and if the students’ curiosity is being nurtured, then students will act appropriately and neither rewards nor punishments will be necessary. In his words ‘overall, curiosity and cooperation should govern the classroom’.  Kohn rejects all systems of reward and punishment in favor of community and student decision-making, saying that all traditional systems of discipline assume students are troublemakers, learning occurs in quiet controlled places, and the teacher’s role “is to make students obedient, compliant, and above all “quiet”.  A fundamental question which will be explored is how Kohn’s model will function in a Proficiency Based Education system.

Student Presenters:   Idella Thompson, Ted Gilliam, Valentina Annunziata, Ryan DuBois, Scott DeLong, Crysania Walker, Erica Hemphill, Jayme Cyr, Mitchell Bartlett, Craig Pullen, Carrigan Levesque, Courtney Cote

Faculty Mentor:  Lisa Leduc

Students in the Criminal Justice Club and the Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Society travelled to Denver Colorado to attend the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference.  They attended various presentations, specifically those focused on the changing drug laws in the state of Colorado.  Two students presented at the Poster Session at the conference.  All students also complete ride-along shifts with Aurora PD and went to a presentation from the Colorado POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training) about enforcement of marijuana regulations. All student travelers were enrolled in CRJ 281 – Special Topics in Criminal Justice – Drug Policy and their experiences in Denver will be included in their final course portfolio.  This presentation highlights various components of their trip.

Student Presenter:  Raymond Feliciano Rodriguez

Faculty Mentor:  Tomasz Herzog

Being a territory of the United States of America, Puerto Rico has a particular relationship with this country. It can be seen in certain aspects of Puerto Rican life, including education. The purpose of the presentation is to examine the main features of the educational system in Puerto Rico, while also providing background knowledge on the geography and culture of the island. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session during which the participants will be able to inquire about how the Puerto Rican Education System compares and contrasts with the one in the US.

Student Presenters:  Melissa Lizotte and AJ Naffziger Mullane

Faculty Mentors:  Deborah Hodgkins, Heather Sincavage

Women writers, filmmakers, and artists have historically been excluded from their cultural pursuits due to sexist and racist ideology as well as discrimination within society.  Students will discuss how questioning traditional assumptions of gender and race have allowed women to gain a greater voice in three different forms of cultural arts: literature, film, and art.  Topics will include women writers’ promotion of feminist authors into the literary canon, current statistics surrounding gender and race inequality in modern film, and a call to include more exhibitions by women artists at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.  Each student will draw on their own academic knowledge in literature/film or art to make a case for further feminist activism in these cultural art forms.  The goal of these presentations is to encourage audience members to think critically about their reception of women creative artists as well as their general view of women’s places within larger society.  We believe that encouraging discussion of gender and race discrimination in the cultural arts will promote further questioning of traditional gender roles in all academic, professional, and creative disciplines.

Student Presenters:  Madeline Bither Katarina Jensen Jordan Cook Sydney Churchill Katie Dow

Faculty Mentor: Aaron Marston

The athletic training class of 2017 will be presenting a concept map of all of the phases of injury rehabilitation. This concept map covers what we have learned in the class Therapeutic Interventions. The phases of rehabilitation include: muscle strength, endurance and power, neuromuscular control, balance and stability, pain, psychosocial and more. We will be breaking down these phases to diagram what they consist of and techniques used to improve each portion of a rehabilitation plan. We will also be demonstrating some of these techniques throughout the presentation.

Student Presenters:  Melissa Lizotte and AJ Naffziger Mullane

Faculty Mentors:  Deborah Hodgkins, Heather Sincavage

Women writers, filmmakers, and artists have historically been excluded from their cultural pursuits due to sexist and racist ideology as well as discrimination within society.  Students will discuss how questioning traditional assumptions of gender and race have allowed women to gain a greater voice in three different forms of cultural arts: literature, film, and art.  Topics will include women writers’ promotion of feminist authors into the literary canon, current statistics surrounding gender and race inequality in modern film, and a call to include more exhibitions by women artists at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.  Each student will draw on their own academic knowledge in literature/film or art to make a case for further feminist activism in these cultural art forms.  The goal of these presentations is to encourage audience members to think critically about their reception of women creative artists as well as their general view of women’s places within larger society.  We believe that encouraging discussion of gender and race discrimination in the cultural arts will promote further questioning of traditional gender roles in all academic, professional, and creative disciplines.

Student Presenters:  Madeline Bither Katarina Jensen Jordan Cook Sydney Churchill Katie Dow

Faculty Mentor: Aaron Marston

The athletic training class of 2017 will be presenting a concept map of all of the phases of injury rehabilitation. This concept map covers what we have learned in the class Therapeutic Interventions. The phases of rehabilitation include: muscle strength, endurance and power, neuromuscular control, balance and stability, pain, psychosocial and more. We will be breaking down these phases to diagram what they consist of and techniques used to improve each portion of a rehabilitation plan. We will also be demonstrating some of these techniques throughout the presentation.

Student Presenters:   Mike Guerrette-Chelsea Langley-Kayla Murchison-Margot Smith

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

“Kids will do well if they can.” Ross Greene    For some students a traditional classroom behavior management approach does not work.  An explosive, out of control and angry student can be a danger to self and others in the school environment.  These students, although few in number, demand teacher intervention and often take away valuable instructional time.  This presentation will explore the causes of explosive behavior exhibited by students in a school setting, conventional methods that teachers have employed in dealing with those explosive behaviors and preventative instructional strategies that have been proven to be effective in defusing the situation. 

Student Presenters:   Erica Hemphill, Valentina Annunziata, John Barclay, Anthony Chaco, Tyler Seeley, Graham Jackson, Carrigan Levesque, Christopher Arnold, Hannah Gervais, Jamie Martin, Parker Quint

Faculty Mentor: Lisa Leduc

Students in CRJ/SOC 378 – Honors Women and Crime will present on their Service Learning Project working with women in the Houlton Jail.  In collaboration with their community partner; the Hope and Justice Project; students have been fundraising to create exit packages for women leaving jail as well as researching relevant curriculum and activities for the female inmates while they are inside.  Successes and challenges as well as the current status of the Project will be presented.

Student Presenter:  Timothy Babine

Faculty Mentors:   Barbara Blackstone, Aaron Marston

Redefining Fitness discusses whether or not there are any inherent problems in the design of split routines versus full body routines, as well as determine if posterior and anterior chain workouts are a more viable form of exercise. This is based on the physical/hormonal changes that occur during these exercises and whether they better improve the quality of health in an individual. The project relies on extensive research and anatomical knowledge in order to answer these questions effectively as well as experience in how the skeletal system moves during everyday activities and a variety of sport movements, such as lifting and pushing objects. Observing and participating in multiple personal training sessions at Next Level Training was vital in this research, as it allowed an in-depth look at what was consisted in posterior and anterior chain workouts as well as what the recommended exercises are during hypertrophy training, strength / power training, and muscular endurance training. These 3 styles of training will also be discussed, as they play a vital role in not only creating posterior/anterior chain workouts, but any workout in general. Ultimately, the goal of the research study is to prove why posterior and anterior chain workouts are recommended for athletes, or those who are looking towards a healthier lifestyle, over split and full body routines. Because of the limited amount of research backing up whether posterior/anterior chain workouts provide more benefits then split and full body routines, this research study will be the first stepping stone towards “redefining fitness”.

Student Presenters:    Arianna Forbes, Bruce Alexander, Corbet McCready, Dylan Ouellette, Emma Ruff, Lauryn Wegmann, Michael Thorin, Mollie Hicks, Monica Quist, Roldena Sanipass, Teagan Laweryson, and Amanda Whitten

Faculty Mentor:  Heather Sincavage

Students in the Fall and Spring Drawing II participated in the global Sketchbook Project based out of Brooklyn, NY.  Working with a small 32 page sketchbook provided by the program, students developed an artist book based around a theme selected from the organization.  Students worked in a number of different mediums to interpret their theme.  The completed books now reside in their collection at the Brooklyn Art Library in New York. 

Student Presenters:   Joshua Archer, Ollie Barratt, Joshua Cross, Monica Hewitt,  Erin Keehn, Marc Knapp, Meghan Legassie, Tong Liu, Melissa Lizotte, Ning Sun

Faculty Mentor:  Jacqui Lowman

The students along with the professor of PCJ 318: Evolving Media have embarked on a mission like no other. A project that some have compared to the moon landing will open your eyes to what the human spirit is capable of. PCJ 318’s mission is to bring 100s of people together for the same goal. What can be seen as a military feat is being tackled by 10 students and their professor. In 2017 Dr. Jacqui Lowman will thru hike the Appalachian Trail while being carried by many volunteers. This quest to make it from Georgia to Maine involving 100s of volunteers has never been attempted before. Come listen to PCJ 318 students share their stories and show you that the impossible is possible if you go Beyond your Limits.

Student Presenters:   Ted Gilliam and Idella Thompson

Faculty Mentor: Lisa Leduc

All Protection from Abuse (PFA) requests from 2010 through 2015, inclusive, were surveyed from all four District Courts in Aroostook County Maine.  Quantitative analysis was compiled regarding Defendant/Plaintiff relationship and gender, child involvement, firearms concerns and specific relief requested among others.  Statistics regarding specific abuse were correlated to grant/denial rates from each court and judge.  Both temporary and full two-year PFAs were analyzed and outcomes of the Court’s rulings were matched against the original relief requested.  Service rates, by police, were also analyzed regarding promptness and overall completion rates.

Student Presenters:   Mallorie Cyr-Kim Hemphill-Bonnie Nelson-Sarah Sullivan

Faculty Mentor:  William Breton

The State of Maine has embraced the implementation of a proficiency-based education system.  This movement mandates the shift from a traditional instructional structure to one of changing teaching methodology to personalize learning for individual learners.  The ultimate goal of proficiency based education is to ensure that every Maine student graduating from High School acquire the knowledge and skills that are deemed to be essential to success in school, higher education, careers and adult life. If students struggle to meet minimum expected proficiency standards, they are required to receive additional instruction, practice time and academic support to help them achieve proficiency.  For many teachers this will cause a major shift in their pedagogy not withstanding an understanding of the process, educational goals, and understanding of new terminology. This presentation will explore the major differences and challenges that teachers will encounter in implementing a proficiency based educational program. 

Student Presenters:  Tiffany Stewart, Eric Depner, Kyle McCallum, Josh Morrow

Faculty Mentors:  Lisa Leduc, Fred Thomas

The University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA) have partnered in a program that allows both students and outside members of the community to achieve certification as a part time officer in the State of Maine. This spring the Maine Criminal Justice Academy partnered with the university in hopes of finding young men and women to enroll in the 200 Hour Pre- Service Law Enforcement Course. The Pre- Service course is an academy based training program for certification as a part time law enforcement officer in the State of Maine. The class is taught by law enforcement professionals throughout Aroostook County including the Maine Forest Ranger Service, Maine State Police, Caribou PD, Van Buren PD, and Presque Isle Police Department. This course is structured by academy rules and regulations; long hours, dedication, pride, integrity, and enthusiasm. In addition students in the Criminal Justice Program, have the opportunity to enroll in CRJ/SOC 496 Field Experience course. In the field experience course you have to fulfill a certain amount of hours (210 hours) and submit and complete papers and other documents for course completion. You can either receive 3 or 6 credits depending on the field experience you are completing. The field experience course can consist of ride- alongs, working for an agency, participating in a criminal justice field internship or being enrolled in the 200 Pre- Service Course. With the State having difficulty in finding law enforcement personal, these courses are great ways to either get into the criminal justice field, or start your law enforcement career.

*Please visit our presentation if you are considering one of these courses, as we have a few students who can share their experiences and answer your questions about one or both of the courses

Student Presenter:  Roldena Sanipass

Faculty Mentor:  Hyrum Benson

“To be moved by an artist is awe-inspiring. It gives you a view into the artist’s life, culture and identity. Reproducing an artist’s work and calling it your own is a different story. Not only is it disrespectful to the artist but it also takes away a piece of their identity. The same could be said of the Native American custom and dress. There’s nothing wrong with acknowledgment and respect of the Native American headdress but wearing one without an approval is most certainly not. The act of cultural misappropriation takes away the power and sacred meaning of the Native American dress and customs, for integrity and respect should be vital for all individuals, populations, and cultures.”

Student Presenters:  Dylan Bouchard, David McDermott, Amanda Larrabee

Faculty Mentor:  Barbara Blackstone

With the winter coming to an end in Northern Maine it’s time to break out of our winter coats and spring forward into the new summer. Our winters in Maine as we know last a very long time. It’s natural for us in the winter to gain a little weight, it’s hardwired in our instincts.  We’ve been toyed by the weather for the last couple months and the thoughts of summer are upon us. By focusing on three major components (mental health, nutrition, and exercise) we can ensure that we give our body everything it needs to start thinking, feeling, and looking better. We will discuss the mental aspect of health and how decreasing stress and improving sleep can change our everyday life. It’s important to develop the right mindset upfront coming into a new lifestyle change. By making better choices nutritionally, we’re priming our body to get the most out of the work we’re putting in. Now that we have gained control of the mental aspect and have started making sound nutritional choices, we can then start to focus on physical activity. Only after achieving these components and how they work together can we gain a sense of overall health and prosperity.

Student Presenter:  Emma Ruff

Faculty Mentor:  Hyrum Benson

How often do you think about where your clothes have come from? The various countries listed on the tags of our garments often go un-noticed and are read without thought. What if you were to learn that those clothes could be linked to tragedy, loss, and suffering? The true cost of fashion certainly came to light on April 24th 2013 in Dhaka, Bangladesh when the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed. The death toll of a staggering 1134 instantly branded the event at a symbol of global inequality. Emma has taken a deeper look at the flaws within the fashion industry. Her senior thesis is based on how people can become conscious consumerist, taking the tragedy of Rana Plaza and allowing viewers of her work to think deeper into their consumerism habits. Her pieces involve sculptural fashion gowns and other mixed media sculpture that each focus on humanizing this tragic event. Come learn a bit more about the fashion industry and how you can become more aware of your consumer habits by looking deeper into the who, what, where of the clothing industry we all support and take part in.