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University of Maine at Fort Kent

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Enrollment & Advancement Center • University of Maine at Fort Kent • 23 University Drive, Fort Kent, ME 04743

UMFK Scholars' Symposium to feature Students' Achievements

April 17, 2015

Note: this is an archived news release. As such, the information provided may no longer apply.

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The University of Maine at Fort Kent's sixth annual Scholars' Symposium will take place on Tuesday, April 21 on the UMFK campus. The theme of this year's event is “Sustainability and Cultural Diversity.”

On Tuesday, April 21, the day will kick-off with a welcome from UMFK President Wilson G. Hess at 8:15 a.m. in Fox Auditorium. That will be followed by keynote speaker Dr. Stefan Cairns, associate professor of biology at the University of Central Missouri, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Dr. Stefan Cairns earned a bachelor of arts degree in English and a bachelor of science degree in botany at Montana State University. He went on to earn a master's degree in aquatic ecology at Eastern Washington University then a Ph.D. at University of North Texas.

Dr. Cairns served as assistant professor of environmental studies at UMFK from 1997 to 2000. He was instrumental along with Dr. Jeff Yule, former UMFK assistant professor of English to create “Common Ground,” an interdisciplinary electronic environmental journal. He has benefited from working with area agencies, community groups, students, and other faculty on various research projects dealing with environmental issues.

At 9:15 a.m., we will hear from students who will present on in Fox Auditorium until 10:30 a.m.

This year, a new feature has been added “Lightning Talks,” a five-minute presentation that will focus on a single topic, example, idea, project, or technique by five UMFK faculty members beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the auditorium.

Following lunch in Nowland Hall, the symposium will move to the UMFK Sports Center from 1 to 2 p.m. for the hugely popular poster and project session, where students display poster presentations of their research or projects, and answer questions about their methodologies and findings.

UMFK Scholars' Symposium fosters a community of engaged educators, researchers, and life-long learners who value academic excellence, scholarship, and intellectual curiosity. The two days of stimulating presentations and discourse focuses on issues relevant to the region and to the institution's mission, which commits to experiential learning, responsible citizenship, and environmental stewardship in its Franco-American, rural setting.

For further information on the Symposium, please contact Dr. Scott Brickman, symposium coordinator, at brickman@maine.edu