Current Fellows

Jason Bolton is from Chandler, Arizona. He is pursuing a Masters in Food Science and Human Nutrition. Jason is working on the development of a lobster health sensor. The objective of this sensor is to quantify the health of Maine lobsters so losses can be reduced when they are shipped overseas. This project involves the collaboration of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Lobster Institute, and Laboratory for Surface Sciences and Technology (LASST). Jason spent the last year of his undergraduate working with 3rd, 5th and 8th graders in a similar program. He says “The NSF GK-12 Sensors Fellowship is a remarkable opportunity to educate children and interest them in science. Some of the most rewarding experiences in my life have been when I was educating others, whether it was at the college or the elementary level.” His goal is to inspire his students in the areas of science and engineering. He is working at the Cohen and Doughty middle schools in Bangor.

Aaron Clark is from Hermon, Maine. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Maine. His research involves the development of metal-oxide chemical microsensors for gas sensing applications. He received his Bachelors Degrees from the University of Maine in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics in 2002, and a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering in 2004. Aaron is working at the Bucksport middle and high schools.

Stacy Doore is originally from Stamford, CT. In 1999, she received a B.A. in Anthropology and a B.S. in Education, both from the University of Maine. Stacy taught at the middle school level for several years before returning to the University in 2001 as a research associate studying school improvement, student aspirations and inclusive education practices. Looking to expand her research methodology, Stacy became interested in geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis in the social sciences. She decided in the Spring of 2007 to return to school full time to pursue a Masters in spatial information science and engineering. Her current research interests include spatial epidemiology, the use of environmental monitoring sensors and their application to education and public health policy. Stacy is working with Margaret Chernosky at Bangor High School and its GIS/Human Geography program.

Lester French is pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Lester's research is focused on acoustic wave sensors for use as liquid-phase chemical sensors. Lester received the BSEE with a minor in optical and illumination engineering from the University of New Hampshire in 1993. Lester worked as a commercial engineer for Duro-Test Corporation and as a research engineer for BIODE, Inc. on the modeling, testing, and packaging of acoustic wave devices as liquid-phase chemical sensors. He received his MSEE from the University of Maine in 2002. Lester is working at Caravel Middle School and Hermon High School.

  Christie Mahaffey is currently pursuing an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering at the University of Maine. Her research interests include the effects of anthropogenic sound on marine species, particularly whales. Christie recently received her M.Phil. in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic where she developed a model to geographically look at high-risk areas for whale-ship collisions in the Gulf of Maine. Prior to her masters research, Christie worked in the research department at the Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) in Blue Hill, ME. In 2001, Christie completed her BS in Biology at Penn State University. Christie enjoys playing outside and is also a dog trainer at Green Acres Kennel in Bangor, ME. She works at Indian Island School.

Don McCann is pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Maine. Don’s research involves using a planar spiral coil to excite high frequency acoustic waves in piezoelectric materials for sensor applications. He received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and a BS in Physics from Ithaca College in 2000. Before beginning his graduate work Don worked for five years as an electrical engineer for Sensor Research & Development Corp. Don is working at Reeds-Brook Middle School in Hampden.

Kris Sgambato is originally from Cheshire, CT. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 2004. Upon graduation, Kris took a job with General Electric Healthcare in Maine. He worked as a Field Engineer working on diagnostic imaging equipment at hospitals throughout the state of Maine. Kris decided to go back to school full time in the fall of 2006 pursuing a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. He is a NSF GK-12 Sensors! Fellow working with students at Brewer High School. His research involves determining the feasibility of replacing the quartz crystal microbalance in deposition systems with a lateral field excited device.

Ali Shareef is pursuing a Masters Degree in Computer Engineering. He obtained his BS in Computer Engineering from Purdue University May 2004. Ali is working on integrating microprocessors using Dynamic Voltage Scaling (DVS) with sensors in the area of tracking. His other interests include Artificial Intelligence, Imbedded Systems, and Cluster Computing. He is originally from India. Ali is working at Bangor High School.

Kyle Spratt is a second year graduate student working on his Masters in mechanical engineering. He received his BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Maine in 2005. Kyle is working Brewer school system. For the past 10 years, Kyle has been lobstering on the island of Frenchboro, Maine. He remains active there while pursuing his Masters.