Nearly $1 million awarded to 21 projects to fuel innovation and growth
The Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC) has awarded $880,000 in funding for 21 new proposals aimed at fostering interdisciplinary research, sparking innovation and strengthening the college’s impact across the state.
The investment, made possible through UMS TRANSFORMS, will support 44 researchers and students spanning engineering and computing programs across the University of Maine System. The awards are designed to increase recruitment and retention, developing programming at the Maine Center, creating interdisciplinary programs in emerging fields, enhancing research, deepening collaboration among University of Maine System institutions and strengthening partnerships with industry.
“These awards, made possible by the invaluable support of UMS TRANSFORMS and the Harold Alfond Foundation, highlight the incredible breadth of interdisciplinary work at UMaine,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, Dean of MCEC. “From future transportation systems and advanced manufacturing to building sustainability and immersive virtual reality, this wide-ranging focus ensures we are addressing diverse challenges and preparing our students for cutting-edge careers.”
Developing Graduate and Undergraduate Certificate Program in Ocean Engineering and Maritime Digitalization
- Amrit Verma, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Andrew Goupee, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Richard Kimball, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Yifeng Zhu, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Masoud Rais-Rohani, Department of Mechanical Engineering
The project aims to create an online undergraduate and graduate certificate program in Ocean Engineering and Maritime Digitalization, with the primary goal of training students and professionals to design, operate, and maintain digitally enhanced maritime systems and ocean infrastructure, including applications of digital twin systems in ocean industries.
Surveying Engineering Technology on campus programming
- Will Manion, School of Engineering Technology
- Rich Vannozzi, School of Engineering Technology
The primary goal of the project is to increase enrollment of traditional on-campus students, and particularly, Maine resident students, in the Surveying Engineering Technology Program.
Game Design and Development: Multi-Campus Academic Program
- Penny Rheingans, School of Computing and Information Science
- Joseph Szakas, University of Maine at Augusta
This proposal aims to create a new multi-campus Game Design and Development program across the University of Maine System. It will combine the expertise of faculty from various institutions to allow students to complete the program at any participating campus, with funding supporting new course development, remote learning initiatives, and necessary hardware.
Integrating Pre-Engineering Students into their Major
- Megan Walsh, University of Maine at Machias
The Integrating Pre-engineering Students into Their Major project plans to increase the progression of pre-engineering students at UMaine’s regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, into the appropriate engineering program at the University of Maine by housing an engineering graduate student on the UMM campus to mentor undergraduate pre-engineering students.
Maine Community Colleges to UMaine Pathways in Engineering
- Masoud Rais-Rohani, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Christopher Mordaunt, Department of Mechanical Engineering
The project’s primary goal is to establish a viable pathway through the Transfer ME program for Maine community college students to pursue an engineering degree at UMaine.
Summer Bridge: Accelerating Community College Transfers in Engineering Through Online C Programming
- Yifeng Zhu, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The project aims to accelerate community college transfers in engineering by offering a fully asynchronous online C programming course that bridges curricular gaps and ensures timely progression toward graduation
Developing Asynchronous Online Courses for the Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence Certificate
- Yifeng Zhu, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Vikas Dhiman, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Xueyu Hou, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
To create four asynchronous online courses for the Engineering Applications of AI certificate that expand statewide access, drive enrollment growth, and equip learners and industry professionals with essential, workforce-ready AI skills.
Energize UMS Campus Life with the Concept of Transportation+
- Ruijie “Rebecca” Bian, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
This project creates an open-forum to engage students in depicting a future picture of on-campus mobility, while connecting UMS students through events and trips to explore future transportation systems and career opportunities in the sector.
Building a Multi-Institutional Community of Practice for Engineering Capstone Project
- Ashanthi Maxworth, Department of Engineering (USM)
- Wilhelm Friess, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Carolyn Arcand, Muskie School of Public Service (USM)
The goal of this project is to develop a multi-institutional community of practice for the engineering capstone project to share knowledge, experience and resources within a collaborative framework.
Expanding the Human-Centered Technology Design Program: Expanding Access, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Workforce Readiness
- Nimesha Ranasinghe, School of Computing and Information Science
- Aaron Boothroyd, School of Computing and Information Science
The Human-Centered Technology Design (HCTD) Program expansion aims to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, increase student enrollment and retention, and provide cutting-edge, hands-on learning opportunities in human-centered design across the University of Maine System using the mini GEM facility.
Building Energy Monitor Display for Ferland Hall
- Justin Lapp, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Nimesha Ranasinghe, School of Computing and Information Science
This project will design, develop, and install a real-time building energy monitoring display in UMaine’s Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center.
The MCEC Imaginarium
- Richard Corey, VEMI Lab
- Ruhammah (Ru) LaGarry, VEMI Lab
- RJ Perry, VEMI Lab
The MCEC Imaginarium will serve as an immersive portal to the groundbreaking research at the University of Maine System, providing a place for everyone to explore the exciting work happening across our campuses and streamlining collaboration with our industry partners by highlighting areas of active research and development across disciplines.
New CIE Winter Travel Course: Sustainability in the Peruvian Amazon
- Reed Miller, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering | Advanced Structures and Composites Center
A new faculty-led travel course will take undergraduate engineering students to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest to learn hands-on about biodiversity and the conservation challenges posed by increasing infrastructure and development.
MCEC PhD Scholars Fellowship Program
- Masoud Rais-Rohani, Department of Mechanical Engineering
The goal of this project is to help establish MCEC PhD Scholars Fellowship Program aimed at attracting high quality domestic PhD students to engineering from US institutions outside of Maine.
Expanding Smart Factory Training for Undergraduate and Graduate Education
- Bradley Denholm, Advanced Manufacturing Center
- John Belding, Advanced Manufacturing Center
The AMC Bot Loft at UMaine will expand its Smart Factory training system to double student lab capacity and enhance Industry 4.0 education across undergraduate, graduate, and K-12 programs.
MCEC Global — Pilot Development of Online Graduate Aerospace Engineering Certificate
- Wilhelm Friess, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Kewei Zu, Department of Mechanical Engineering
The MCEC Global project aims to develop the necessary delivery framework and online course content to offer the Graduate Certificate in Aerospace Engineering in full asynchronous online mode to students in Maine and beyond.
Growing and Strengthening the BME Program via Curricula Modernization and the Development of a Sustainable Eng. Gen-Ed and Project Description
- Karissa Tilbury, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Lisa Weeks, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Ray Kennard, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Michael Mason, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Andre Khalil, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Dave Neivandt, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Cailtin Howell, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Bob Bowie, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
- Peter Van Walsum, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Innovative Biocompatibility Module Gives First-Year Biomedical Engineering Students a Head Start on Industry-Ready Skills.
A Virtual Reality Educational Tool for Understanding PFAS Transport in Soil
- Jean MacRea, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Xiaoxiao Zhao, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- RJ Perry, VEMI Lab
- Manisha Choudhary, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Our project aims to develop an interactive virtual reality tool that simulates PFAS transport in soils and to integrate it into STEM curricula to help students visualize and understand these processes, thereby enhancing STEM education across Maine.
Intelligent Manufacturing in Maine (IM2)
- Justin Willis, Advanced Structures and Composites Center
- Roberto Lopez Anido, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Keith Berube, School of Engineering Technology
This project intends to develop a Research Learning Experience (RLE) in intelligent manufacturing in Maine, to better expose UMaine students to the sustainable, data-driven, and interdisciplinary processes present in current and emerging Industry 4.0 smart factories.
The Maine College of Engineering and Computing is a signature initiative of UMS TRANSFORMS, a $320M investment by the Harold Alfond Foundation to drive the innovations and technical workforce critical to advancing Maine’s economy.
Contact: Taylor Ward, taylor.ward@maine.edu