“The Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center will provide students with the opportunity for hands-on learning in the best space of its kind in the northeast. Dana N. Humphrey Ph.D., P.E. Dean Emeritus, College of Engineering
E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center
Facility Details
- 10,000-square-foot multidisciplinary student project design suite with 48 workbenches supported by shops for biomedical, electronics, 3D printing, vehicles, metals, wood and composites.
- 10,000-square-foot biomedical engineering research lab suite
- Six active learning classrooms
- Teaching labs for mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering technology
- 12 team meeting rooms
- Student common on first and second floors
- Welcome center and focal point for campus-wide STEM outreach
About the Ferlands
Jim Ferland received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at UMaine in 1964 and began his career as an engineer with the Hartford Electric Light Company, a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities in Connecticut. In 1967 he joined the initial operating staff of the Millstone Nuclear Power Station and in 1976 became station superintendent, the same year he achieved an MBA from the University of New Haven. He completed the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration’s Program for Management Development in 1977 and shortly thereafter was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Northeast Utilities. He became NU’s president in 1983.
In 1986, Jim Ferland was recruited by Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE:PEG) as chairman, president and CEO, positions he held through retirement in 2007 — making him the longest-serving CEO in the industry. Jim and Eileen split their time between homes in Florida and Maine and enjoy boating and traveling with their son, daughter, and four grandchildren.
Project Videos
Replay of the ribbon cutting ceremony that occurred on August 24th, 2022.
Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center opens at UMaine to address student demand, employer needs
With the grand opening of the E. James and Eileen P. Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center (Ferland EEDC) at the University of Maine, a new chapter begins in engineering education to better meet the needs of students and employers, including the innovation to advance research and economic development.