Two academic programs at the University of Maine at Presque Isle are again joining forces this fall to provide the campus and community with an innovative way to explore the world of science. The Environmental Science and Sustainability and the Biology programs are hosting a lunchtime seminar series that will provide a forum to present scientific research conducted by UMPI students and faculty, and local and regional scientists, as well as topics in management, medicine and applied science.
“We kick off our fourth year of science seminars with another diverse set of talks that focus on science research, education, and outreach in Aroostook County, across the State of Maine, and halfway around the world,” Dr. Jason Johnston, coordinator of the Science Lunchtime Seminar Series, said. “We would love to see more of the general public attend these talks. If you’re an educator, medical professional, in the agriculture industry, or just generally interested in new scientific discoveries, there’s a talk that might interest you.”
The purpose of the seminar series is to foster greater communication and collaboration among UMPI faculty and students, working professionals, and community members who are conducting or interested in hearing about scientific pursuits.
Seminars generally will be held Thursdays from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in Folsom 201, UMPI’s GIS Lab, unless otherwise noted. Faculty, students, staff and community members are welcome to attend these free events and are encouraged to bring their lunches and join the discussion.
The series began on Sept. 29, with a presentation by Dr. Davide Ciceri, Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, titled Potassium fertilizer from hydrothermal treatment of K feldspar.
On Oct. 25, Chuck Lubelczyk, Vector Ecologist with the Maine Medical Center Research Institute, will present on Emergence of tick-borne diseases on the northern New England landscape.
On Thursday, Nov. 17, participants will have the opportunity to see two presentations: Reconstructing glacial ice-surface lowering of the Potanin glacier, Western Mongolia, during the last glacial termination by Nate Norris, UMPI Environmental Science and Sustainability major, and The last great climate warming: a bi-hemispheric perspective on the last glacial termination by Peter Strand, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maine.
On Nov. 29, Dr. Michael Knopp, UMPI Associate Professor of Chemistry, will present his talk Making big ones from little ones: forging carbon – carbon bonds.
On Thursday, Dec. 1, David Neivandt, UMaine Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, will deliver a presentation on Graduate school opportunities in science.
The fall series ends with a presentation on Thursday, Dec. 8 titled Progress report on bedrock geologic mapping project in Round Mountain-Rowe Lake area of North Maine Woods: from “known” to unknown to known by Dr. Chunzeng Wang, UMPI Professor of Earth and Environmental Studies.
For more information about the Science Lunchtime Seminar Series, contact Dr. Johnston at 768-9652. Those who would like to receive reminders and updates about science seminars can also contact Dr. Johnston at jason.johnston@maine.edu with their email address.
