The Maine Question

The Maine Question
  • 5.0 (13)
  • EDUCATION

The Maine Question is a podcast series hosted by Ron Lisnet of the University of Maine. Three times each academic semester, Lisnet is joined by faculty, students, and experts to engage in conversation around just one question. In our complex world, answers to a single question are not always so simple. No matter the topic — big, small, wide, or narrow — we’ll make sense of today’s world through the research happening right here on campus. And you’ll meet the people making a difference. Here, you can explore how tiny pet store fish can lead to groundbreaking medical research or what the future holds for manufacturing and outdoor recreation in Maine. You’ll find the spark for your next big idea or the perfect fun fact to share with family and friends. What’s your question?

  1. How can creative programming reduce professional burnout?

    JAN 30

    How can creative programming reduce professional burnout?

    Stress has always been a part of life, whether from the news, the economy, the environment, a mortgage, a job or school. It can be found in every profession and any workplace, affecting performance and leading to burnout. Job-related stress in professions like nursing and teaching are increasingly overwhelming many who chose these career paths. At a time when teachers and nurses are in high demand, professional burnout is forcing them to rethink their careers. Faculty at the University of Maine recognized this happening in nursing and education students before they even stepped into the professional world. To reduce it among students and maintain a healthy workforce in Maine, they brainstormed creative programming to help future nurses and teachers cope with demanding professions. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, UMaine faculty members Kelley Strout, Jesse Kaye-Schiess and Faith Erhardt, along with nursing student Ian Beaulieu, explore these programs and more with host Ron Lisnet.

    44 min
  2. Can Zebrafish improve human health?

    12/16/2025

    Can Zebrafish improve human health?

    Nothing about the zebrafish is physically impressive. Despite being less than an inch long, this little fish from Southeast Asia is a favorite for home aquariums and human health research. Zebrafish are powerhouses in the lab. Not only can they regrow their organs and body parts, but they also have transparent eggs and remarkably similar DNA to human beings. All of those features, and the fact that they are easy to grow and care for, make zebrafish great for studying some of the most serious diseases affecting people — from infections and cancer to muscular dystrophy. The University of Maine has ongoing and completed research projects that use zebrafish as a model, some of which have led to groundbreaking discoveries. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, UMaine faculty members Ben King, Melody Neely and Rob Wheeler explore how university research uses this remarkable little fish with host Ron Lisnet.

    34 min
  3. What is the future for manufacturing in Maine?

    07/15/2025

    What is the future for manufacturing in Maine?

    Robots are coming — or in some cases, have come — to Maine but not to destroy civilization like in the movies. They're here to help, specifically to help Maine manufacturing companies modernize and become more productive. The University of Maine Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) is helping manufacturers in the state integrate robots, along with technologies such as AI, machine learning and automation technologies, into their operations. These mechanical helpers can take care of the three “D's” in manufacturing — work that is dull, dirty or dangerous. They don’t get bored, can’t be overworked and aren’t subject to injury. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, John Belding, director of the AMC and guests Brad Denholm, associate director of workforce development at the AMC, Ryan Lindsay, operations engineer at Ntension, and Peter Birch, mechanical engineering student and assistant at the AMC, explore Maine’s future of advanced manufacturing with robotics.

    31 min
  4. What is the potential for Maine's Outdoor Recreation Economy?

    04/22/2025

    What is the potential for Maine's Outdoor Recreation Economy?

    Before it was a state, Maine had already earned a reputation for its great outdoors. It began as a place where anyone could hunt and fish, and served as a summer destination with numerous second homes owned by celebrities and other wealthy individuals. Today, the outdoors are a major part of the economy, generating $3.4 billion annually. A group of University of Maine faculty and staff teamed up with industry stakeholders to create the Maine Outdoor Economy Roadmap, which lays the groundwork for growing and diversifying the state’s great outdoors over the next decade. Collaborative partners, including the university, the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, Maine Outdoor Brands and others, launched the roadmap in January. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, a few experts who worked together to develop the roadmap discuss the various outdoor-related industries, their potential for growth and the potential challenges they face.

    40 min
  5. Who can give insight to 40 years of student life at UMaine? Robert Dana.

    02/10/2025

    Who can give insight to 40 years of student life at UMaine? Robert Dana.

    The man known to many students as Dean Dana or Dr. Dana retired in January after four decades of service to the University of Maine community. Robert Dana, former vice president of student life and inclusive excellence, guided students along their journeys through kindness, care and compassion. For nearly a quarter of the university’s existence, Dana helped students through the highs and lows of being a college student and earning a degree — celebrating the joys and working through the challenges and tragedies. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, Dana reflects on his time at UMaine one week into his retirement.

    27 min
  6. How can hazing be reduced or eliminated?

    01/12/2025

    How can hazing be reduced or eliminated?

    From the military to athletics to campus fraternity and sorority life, students and others endure hazing to satisfy the basic human desire to be part of a group. It operates in the shadows, but when hazing does appear in the headlines, it is often associated with tragic consequences. Elizabeth Allan, professor of higher education leadership at UMaine's College of Education & Human Development, has studied hazing throughout her career and become an authority on the subject. Founder of StopHazing.org, Allan’s recent hazing education efforts encouraged Congress to craft legislation, which was recently signed into law, that addresses this national phenomenon. In this episode of “The Maine Question” podcast, Allan explains how hazing operates and provides examples on how to reduce or eliminate the practice.

    29 min
  7. What is Maine’s blue economy?

    10/11/2024

    What is Maine’s blue economy?

    What is Maine’s blue economy? by The Maine Question

    43 min
  8. Lost Winter: What happens if Maine loses its winter?

    03/26/2024

    Lost Winter: What happens if Maine loses its winter?

    Romanticized by outdoor enthusiasts and feared by warm-weather lovers, Maine is faced with an era of adaptability as climate change begins to alter the state’s identity. Deemed a “lost winter,” the 2023-24 snow season capitalized on what the future could look like for Maine’s residents, economy and tourism. Coastal communities are racked with complications caused by extreme weather. Businesses that rely on winter-time recreation and marine life are faced with unreliable conditions. And the aspects of Maine that draw vacationers may start to disappear and be replaced. Even with negativity blooming, the future isn’t all withered. Changing climate allows the state to welcome new opportunities. The University of Maine is positioned at the center of climate discussion with new research and expert voices who explain and study centuries of changes, as well as those to come. A UMaine economist and a climate data expert address the “lost winter” and “not-so-gloom-and-doom” future of the state in a new episode of “The Maine Question” podcast.

    27 min
See All (102)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

The Maine Question is a podcast series hosted by Ron Lisnet of the University of Maine. Three times each academic semester, Lisnet is joined by faculty, students, and experts to engage in conversation around just one question. In our complex world, answers to a single question are not always so simple. No matter the topic — big, small, wide, or narrow — we’ll make sense of today’s world through the research happening right here on campus. And you’ll meet the people making a difference. Here, you can explore how tiny pet store fish can lead to groundbreaking medical research or what the future holds for manufacturing and outdoor recreation in Maine. You’ll find the spark for your next big idea or the perfect fun fact to share with family and friends. What’s your question?

Information

  • Creator
    The Maine Question
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Maine Question