The talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono.
- Virtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information by clicking here.
Speakers:
- Cat Biddle, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, Director of the Center for Applied Research on Education and Schools, University of Maine
- Zeke Kimball, Professor and Interim Dean, University of Maine College of Education and Human Development
Looking toward the future, Maine faces many wicked problems that will require innovative, human-centered solutions. Without such a response, climate change, an aging workforce, housing shortages, widening geographic opportunity divides, growing economic inequality, and other pressing challenges threaten the state’s long-term economic prosperity. Education informed by and linked to rural community development will be an essential strategy for creating the adaptive, transformative change required to turn the challenges of the future into the opportunities of tomorrow. In this talk, Cat Biddle and Zeke Kimball will explore the relationship between Maine’s schools, rural communities, and future.
Catharine “Cat” Biddle is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and the Director the Center for Applied Research on Education and Schools at the University of Maine. Her research focuses on ways in which rural schools and communities respond to social and economic change in the 21st century. She is particularly interested in how schools can more effectively leverage partnerships with external organizations or groups to address issues of social inequality and how non-traditional leaders—such as youth, parents and other community members—may lead or serve as partners in these efforts.
Ezekiel “Zeke” Kimball is Professor and Interim Dean of the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development. His research focuses on how to create the conditions for student success in PK-20 education systems. He is a leading expert on disability identity development, postsecondary STEM learning environments, and how academia leverages scholarly knowledge for social impact. He is deeply committed to the role that education and a focus on human development can play in strengthening Maine’s communities.
