Research

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Our faculty, staff, and students are making a difference. Through a broad range of research initiatives, we help communities find sustainable solutions for complex societal and environmental issues. University of Southern Maine research extends beyond the traditional: our faculty and staff bring extensive experience and multidisciplinary approaches to create, investigate, question, and explore — with the goal of advancing knowledge that can be applied in the real world. Our students work closely with faculty and researchers to explore and create new learning in a broad range of fields — whether participating in classroom-based research or serving on externally-funded research initiatives.

Poster showing the item displayed was "Invented and Developed at the University of Southern Maine"

Faculty Scholarship & Creative Activity

Our University faculty expand and share their knowledge and expertise by contributing to industry, science, technology, and the arts–and they bring their tangible work into the classroom.

Get to know how our faculty are supported

Students working with an archaeology professor

Student Research Experiences

Our undergraduate and graduate-level students have significant opportunities at USM to work alongside faculty scholars and researchers to get hands-on experience in a supportive environment.

Undergraduate student opportunities

Graduate student opportunities

Smiling staff member at the Catherine Cutler Institute

Externally-Funded Research

Approximately 70% of USM’s grant and research activities are led by staff members at the Catherine Cutler Institute where multi-disciplinary teams find practical solutions to real-world issues.

Meet the staff at the Catherine Cutler Institute

in funding in FY 2021

received in FY 2021

in action

A smiling woman gives a presentation at the front of a room

USM partners with over 100 unique funders, from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Department of Education, and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation to local businesses and organizations like IDEXX, Bangor Savings Bank, and the John T. Gorman Foundation.

See the list of our funding partners

Our Office of Research proudly works in partnership with academic programs at the University of Southern Maine to expand research across all colleges and disciplines.

Promote

We build USM’s capacity for research and scholarship by assisting faculty and staff find funding and develop proposals that provide hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Discover the resources available to researchers

Support

We invest in unique economic development initiatives through MEIF funding to seed, pilot, and scale grants that improve the University, community, and nation.

Learn how USM supports Maine’s economic prosperity

Manage

Our Research Service Center provides financial management assistance for project staff from
proposal development to execution by administering funded research, grants, and contracts

Visit the staff at the Research Service Center