ORONO, Maine — Alaa Rabee from the Desert Research Center in Egypt will arrive at the University of Maine on June 24 to conduct research on ruminant animals and their ability to convert feed into sugars that can be used in biofuel production. Over the next six months, Rabee will study the gut microbes of cows at the J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center in Old Town, as well as cows and sheep at nearby farms, to evaluate their potential as sources of enzymes that could be used in biofuel production or other technology. This international exchange has been facilitated by Sue Ishaq, assistant professor of animal and veterinary sciences at the University of Maine School of Food and Agriculture.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Rabee, contact Sam Schipani at samantha.schipani@maine.edu.
About the University of Maine: The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state’s land grant, sea grant and space grant university, with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. UMaine is located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation. UMaine Machias is located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation. As Maine’s flagship public university, UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. UMaine is the state’s public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution. It attracts students from all 50 states and 81 countries. UMaine currently enrolls 11,989 undergraduate and graduate students, and UMaine Machias enrolls 747 undergraduates. Our students have opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research with world-class scholars. UMaine offers more than 100 degree programs through which students can earn master’s, doctoral or professional science master’s degrees, as well as graduate certificates. UMaine Machias offers 18 degree programs. The university promotes environmental stewardship, with substantial efforts campuswide to conserve energy, recycle and adhere to green building standards in new construction. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu and machias.edu.
–University of Maine