Keith Riley, '20 and Raja Muthyam, ’21 presenting at Greenlight Maine
COM Innovations
by Marly Solebello, MEd
Innovation is at the core of the University of New England. Our very tagline, “Innovation for a Healthier Planet” underscores science research and technologies that support sustainable institutional practices. The Biddeford campus is home to a number of sustainable applications including compost bins, edible plants, Zipcars and Zagster bikes to name a few. These conscious efforts are reflected in UNE’s continuous inclusion among the Princeton Review’s “Guide to 375 Green Colleges.”1 While the product or outcome of these advances are apparent, what is often omitted from the narrative is the process by which they come about. What is perhaps even more remarkable is the degree to which our students are involved in the stages of innovation: from the initial idea or concept, to development, testing and business implementation.
The P.D. Merrill Makerspace, located in Decary Hall on the UNE Biddeford Campus, is a hallmark of innovation. In 2016, the laboratory originally opened as part of the Business Department, but was expanded in 2018 thanks to a generous $1.3 million gift through the P.D. Merrill Charitable Trust. With the expansion, the Makerspace supports an array of initiatives including courses in experiential innovation, entrepreneurship and predictive analytics, and a Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor/concentration.2 In addition, the gift realized the inception of the Student Innovation Challenge, an institutional competition where students present concepts and prototypes thematically tied to “solutions for a healthier planet.” According to James Herbert, Ph.D., President of the University of New England, “The Makerspace has become a popular laboratory for creation and building that attracts a growing number of students from across the University with an interest in innovation and entrepreneurship. We will… further expand [the efforts of the Makerspace] and will also bring visiting innovators to campus to share their expertise with students.”3
Innovation for a Healthier Planet