Season seven of “The Maine Question” podcast covered a broad variety of subjects in research and higher education. Topics ranged from archaeology to space research, and from the challenges in K–12 education to toxic forever chemicals and efforts to mitigate them.   
 
In the 10th and final episode this season, host Ron Lisnet looks back on the big UMaine stories he shared, all of which reflect the extensive research activity, learning opportunities and public outreach generated by Maine’s public, R1-designated institution.

‘The Maine Question’ season seven recap

How can Maine grow and diversify its economy?

Libraries are vital resources for many communities, and their services have evolved over time with the advent of new technology and demands. The University of Maine Raymond H. Fogler Library, a more than 150-year-old institution and the largest research library in the state, has adopted several new offerings in recent years to meet the needs of students, faculty and the general public in the digital age. 


In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Daisy Domínguez Singh, dean of libraries at UMaine, discusses the latest developments in library services, including those at Fogler, and the role these repositories for knowledge and entertainment play in 2023.

What role do libraries play in the digital age?

Athletic trainers help both athletes and non-athletes recover from injuries and get back in the game, and their services are in high demand. Job opportunities in athletic training have been growing rapidly in recent years, and so too have the places in which athletic trainers work. 


The University of Maine has long offered a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, and alumni from it have found careers at high schools, major league sports like the National Hockey League, rehabilitation facilities and in other settings. This year, however, UMaine has reincorporated its program as a master’s degree, which prepares students to join the growing allied health profession providing acute care, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation, as well as prevention from injuries and illness.
In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Christopher Nightingale, director of UMaine’s Athletic Training program, and other faculty discuss the work athletic trainers do, how the field has evolved and the learning opportunities available through the university’s program.

How can athletic trainers help people live more healthy, active lives?

How can art help enrich our lives and solve everyday problems?

University of Maine Athletics, the state’s only Division I athletics program, is undergoing some major changes. A new director, Jude Killy, stepped up to bat in January, and several facilities are undergoing extensive upgrades as part of a $110 million master plan, funded primarily by the Harold Alfond Foundation as part of the UMS TRANSFORMS initiative. 
In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Killy, who previously worked for the Division I schools Miami University and University of Pittsburgh, discusses the facility renovations and other updates to Black Bear sports, the evolving landscape of college athletics and how they help higher education institutions fulfill their missions.

How do athletics help universities fulfill their missions?

Established in 1935, the University of Maine Honors College is one of the oldest continuously-running honors programs in the U.S. 
Its intellectually-curious students, who are among the top undergraduates at UMaine, explore texts, ideas, the arts and current events through an interdisciplinary lens in an academically-rigorous environment. Their class sizes are small and emphasize student engagement and lively discussion. In their senior year, honors students work on a thesis or project that pertains to their major and caters to their passions. 
In this episode of "The Maine Question" podcast, Dean Ellen Weinauer and four students discuss what it’s like to learn and thrive in the Honors College.

What is the UMaine Honors College experience?

Darren Ranco has spent his life determining how to help Indigenous and non-Indigenous people protect the land they inhabit.
Through his work as an anthropologist and chair of Native American Programs at the University of Maine, Ranco has studied tribal sovereignty, cultural resource protection, environmental justice and ways Native American communities can resist environmental destruction. As a member of the Penobscot Nation, he also is passionate about improving research relationships between universities and indigenous communities, as well as training the next generation of Indigenous scientists.
In this episode of “The Maine Question,” Ranco discusses his many research projects and how Indigenous and western knowledge can help preserve the planet.

How can Indigenous and western knowledge help preserve the planet?

Artificial intelligence, or "AI," is a hot topic in 2023. AI and machine learning make headlines every day, with stories ranging from the technology's helpful capabilities, like self-driving cars, to its scariest potential -- think "deep fake" videos fooling the public, or human workers being made obsolete by tools like ChatGPT.
At the University of Maine, AI is central to research and classroom activities across disciplines, from forestry and farming to sensors and satellites. 
In this episode, we speak with two UMaine researchers who are at the forefront of AI research. Salimeh Sekeh is an assistant professor of computer science who is studying how AI can learn to improve itself over time. Vikas Dhiman, assistant professor of computer and electrical engineering, is looking at how robots can use AI to perform more efficiently and safely.

How will AI impact our lives?

In every plant and tree exist tiny fibers called nanocellulose, a building block like no other with the potential to be the next material that changes the world. This plant matter, which is a billionth of a meter in length, can be used to make packaging, building products, insulation, water filters, medical tools and countless other products. An abundant, biodegradable and renewable material, nanocellulose has the potential to replace plastic as a key component in consumer goods. 
Nanocellulose research and production is already underway at the University of Maine. More than 100 clients worldwide purchase UMaine nanocellulose for their own research and development, and on-site client trials are conducted at the Process Development Center. The university has positioned itself as a leader in researching this material, and could help bolster Maine’s forestry industry and make the state a trailblazer in this market. 
In the first episode of season nine of “The Maine Question,” we explore the manufacturing, functionality and possibilities for nanocellulose. We also discussed whether Maine can be home to a Silicon Valley-style nanocellulose sector, or Nanocellulose Valley. and lead a revolution in consumer goods with it.

Can Maine lead a revolution in consumer goods with nanocellulose?

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.

What can we learn from this unfortunate experiment?

This podcast series will engage in a pursuit of knowledge on topics ranging from the nanoscale to the polar icecaps and everything in between.

The world can be complex, fascinating and daunting all at the same time.

The Maine Question will explore ways to navigate and make sense of today’s world.

We’ll look at how UMaine researchers and students do what they do, what it means for Maine and the world, and why they are passionate about their work.