May 2018

Carol Ayoob’s Photo I and II classes visited Jeanne Wells’ studio in Easton, called “Things of This World Press,” this spring to learn about photogravure, a photo technique where a photo negative is transferred to a metal plate and etched in. Wells is an expert in photogravure. Taking part in the trip were Hailey Davenport, Hannah Levison, Chris Daly, Jake Lassonde, Pedro Lopez, Meghan Everitt, and Jennifer Buzza.

U.S. Senator Angus King has been sharing the world as he sees it on Instagram–from his work in Washington, D.C. to his travels across Maine. The images he’s captured have gained him followers on Instagram–a point that caught the attention of media in Maine and resulted in a short feature by the Associated Press. The University of Maine at Presque Isle was delighted to have Saturn, which is part of UMPI’s Maine Solar System Model, serve as the singular image to accompany the feature. The solar system model, the largest in the Americas, stretches from UMPI to Topsfield, Maine. To view the feature and the accompanying photo of Saturn, click here.

UMPI’s own Mary Kate Barbosa, Director of Student Support Services and Disability Services, was featured in the May 2018 Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce newsletter in a spotlight on its board members. To view the newsletter, click here.

Alex DesRuisseaux, University of Maine at Presque Isle student representative to the University of Maine System Board of Trustees, was honored by UMS officials for her years of service during the BOT meeting held in May at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. DesRuisseaux has served in the position for two years and was presented with a certificate of appreciation.

For all the Starbucks fans out there, the Starbucks counter in the Owl’s Nest will re-open for summer hours starting June 4. Regular summer hours will be Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, contact Sodexo at 207-768-9774.

UMPI’s BioMed Club traveled to the Francis Malcolm Science Center in Easton for a special presentation on neuroscience. Along with the staff at the science center, the club worked with 31 Easton High School students leading brain-themed stations on visual plasticity, muscle activity during arm wrestling, localizing sound, visual illusions, and multisensory integration. This is one of the many educational outreach activities that the BioMed Club has undertaken in the last few years.

Want another great reason to read through the image newsletter? Well, somewhere in this issue of the image is our very own owl emoji. We can’t tell you exactly what it looks like and you won’t find it on the emoji list on your phone, but you’ll know it when you see it! Here’s the challenge: just find it (don’t tell anyone else its hiding place!), let our office know, and you could be eligible for a great prize (UMPI swag or a $5 gift certificate to the Campus Store or UMPI Starbucks)! A winner will be randomly drawn from all of the people who find the emoji on Friday, June 8. The winner for last month was Ericka Weatherbee.

To let us know you’ve found it, either click on the emoji and fill out the very short form, or email Gayla Shaw with the location at gshaw@maine.edu. Happy searching!

The UMPI Red Cross Club hosted its third annual fundraising “Spaghetti Supper & Auction” on March 1 to raise funds for the local Red Cross organization. The club solicited donations from local businesses who provided items for the auction, which raised over $1,000. The funds were used to support a table for first responders at the Real Heroes Breakfast on May 17, a fundraiser put on by the local Red Cross organization. Sean Barbosa was the auctioneer and the attendees were generous. A spaghetti supper with strawberry shortcake was included in the ticket price.

Judith Roe, UMPI Assistant Professor of Biology, has been awarded a Research Reinvestment Fund (RRF) Undergraduate Assistantship Award that will provide funds for a stipend and supplies to support an upper level Biology student. Alex Kimball will work on his thesis project with Dr. Roe on Maine’s unique freshwater snail species. The project is spearheaded by Ken Hotopp of Appalachian Conservation Biology in Bethel and is also supported by Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife with the help of Derek Yorks. The award is funded by the University of Maine System Research Reinvestment Fund program.

Last month, UMPI Biology students attended the 45^th Maine Bgiological and Medical Sciences Symposium meeting at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratories in Bar Harbor, funded by Maine INBRE. Several students presented posters on their scientific research. The conference was attended by undergraduate and graduate students from many colleges and universities throughout Maine.

Meta Giggey, who worked as assistant to the Director of Financial Aid and retired from UMPI in 1999, passed away on April 11.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Houlton Higher Education Center will again sponsor a car driven by Meysha Dahlk on Saturday, June 16 at Houlton’s Community Park at 8 a.m. All faculty, staff, and friends of the University are encouraged to attend and watch the fun and the “Thrill of the Hill!” FMI, contact Franklin Thompson at drthompsof204@yahoo.com.

Ben Shaw and his wife Sasha welcomed a new addition. Grant Frederick arrived on April 11 at 6:50 a.m. and weighed 8 pounds and 10.5 ounces. He joins big brother Reed. Congratulations!

The UMPI Owls Relay for Life team will be participating in the Aroostook Relay for Life on Saturday, June 16 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Caribou High School track. They are still looking for people to join the team but you don’t need to be a member to walk either for the whole event or for a few hours. If you are interested in joining, go to www.relayforlife.org/aroostookme and search for UMPI Owls. There will be many activities happening through the day, including live music, talent show, car show, karate demonstration, and a parade of queens. The main events will be the Opening Ceremonies, the Survivor Walk (if you know anyone who is or has fought cancer, please tell them to join in), and luminaria. A full schedule will be out soon.

If anyone wants a luminaria bag to be displayed on the track for someone who has or had cancer, please let Laurie Boucher or Lisa Leduc know; they are $10 each and the funds will go towards the UMPI team.

Also, look out soon for some raffles the team will be having on campus. The drawing for the raffles will be held at Relay for Life. The first raffle will be for a camp chair with goodies to bring camping; the second is a homemade fishing basket with pole and goodies; and the third and final is a fashion basket of LuLaRoe items, silver jewelry, and more.

FMI, contact Laurie Boucher at 768-9512 or email laurie.boucher@maine.edu or Lisa Leduc at 768-9436 or email lisa.leduc@maine.edu.

UMPI Biology professor Dr. Scott Dobrin, students from the UMPI Bio-Medical Club, and Aroostook County high school teachers worked together to hold the 6th Northern Maine Regional Brain Bee on Feb. 27 on the UMPI campus.

These events are associated with the International Brain Bee, a not-for-profit neuroscience competition designed especially for high school students that tests their understanding of brains and the nervous system, and how they work together.

About 75 local high school students from Houlton to Fort Kent attended the event and the winner—Jonathan Blanchette from Fort Kent Community High School—earned the opportunity to travel to Baltimore, Maryland, to compete in the National Brain Bee.

“Getting students excited about neuroscience is what the day is all about,” Dobrin said. “We want students to see how exciting the brain and nervous system are. The events planned emphasize the fun side of science in a hope to inspire them to pursue the topic more in their future.”

The day of the event was packed full of hands-on activities, such as dissecting sheep brains, 3D printing of neurons, exploring classical conditioning, and investigating brain plasticity.

Participants enjoyed lunch at UMPI and then tested their “brain facts knowledge” during the official Brain Bee competition.

Founded in 1999 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski of the University of Maryland, this competition is intended to increase high school students’ interest in the brain and inspire them to pursue careers in brain research. There are currently about 150 local Brain Bee coordinators in 30 countries worldwide that conduct competitions annually.

To learn more about the International Brain Bee, please visit http://www.internationalbrainbee.com/.