BANGOR, Maine — Today marked Husson University's 13th annual Research and Scholarship Day.
Students and faculty members at Husson shared the research and projects they spent the semester working on.
Their work focused on everything from STEM to healthcare to the environment.
This year for the first time the displays were not just poster boards, but demonstrations with videos of their process.
Dr. Iain Drummond, a professor, and director of the Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Biology and Aging at the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, expressed that seeing work like this makes him optimistic about the next generation of scientists.
“It's not an easy path as a career. I think we have to inspire young people that it’s worth the adventure," Drummond said.
Drummond has done extensive research into zebrafish organ regeneration. Promoting the use of stem cell biology, where the grafting of cells from these organisms developed in a Petri dish is used as replacement tissues for damaged organs such as kidneys in humans.
He says we need to start thinking about the application of that science to solve these problems.
"So, a big part of today is talking about the workforce development in science and opportunities for young people, beyond the academic path," Drummond said.
He added it's important to focus on "what we can do in Maine to create new industries, new job opportunities to keep all these smart people.”
This year, for the first time, Husson also featured projects by students from the New England School of Communications.
In addition, Dr. Sam Caito, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Huisson's College of Health and Pharmacy, received this year's Distinguished Faculty Research Award.