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M a i n e — A P h oto P o rt r A i t o f t h e P i n e t r ee S tAt e P r o f i l e s i n e x c e l l e n c e 114 F ounded in Orono in 1865, the University of Maine is among the most comprehensive higher education institutions in the Northeast, attract- ing students from across the U.S. and more than 80 countries. It currently enrolls 11,200 undergraduate and graduate students, with more than 2,000 students graduating from the university annually. UMaine is the state's largest public research institu- tion with a mission of teaching, research and service. Here, students find the extensive academic opportuni- ties expected from a major university with the close- knit feel of a small college. As Maine's flagship univer- sity, UMaine offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and academic programs, 75 master's programs and 30 doctoral programs. Top students are invited to join UMaine's Honors College, one of the country's oldest honors programs. The University of Maine is one of The Princeton Re- view's best 376 colleges, a Forbes Top College and Maine's only university that is ranked in Tier 1 of America's Top National Universities by U.S. News and World Report. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ranks UMaine in the top 8 percent of colleges and uni- versities classified as a "Research University-High Re- search Activity" institution. As Maine's land-grant and sea-grant institution, the University of Maine addresses the educational, econom- ic, cultural and social needs of the state. While the Uni- versity of Maine campus is in Orono, its impact can be felt in every corner of Maine and throughout the world. The university's commitment to lifelong learning includes its statewide outreach through Cooperative Extension, which operates 16 county Cooperative Exten- sion offices and two outreach centers: the Darling Marine Center in Walpole and the Hutchinson Center in Belfast. UMaine is one of the National Science Foundation's top 100 research universities, and our facilities and faculty have an international reputation for excellence. Among the highlights are the Climate Change Institute, which has been featured on "60 Minutes," the Labora- tory for Surface Science and Technology, a hub for cut- ting-edge sensor and nanotechnology research, the Advanced Structures & Composites Center, leading the nation in deepwater offshore wind energy development, and the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, exploring sustainable biofuel alternatives. UMaine conducts research and development initia- tives in all seven of the state's designated technology sectors. In fact, UMaine is the only research institution in Maine to include large-scale, pilot-plant capabilities to demonstrate and commercialize real-scale R&D. Relat- ed research areas and facilities include pulp and paper and forest bioproducts, wood composites and structural composites, food, aquaculture, nanotechnology (clean room), advanced manufacturing, supercluster super- computing, and agriculture. Maine companies partner with UMaine and regularly use these facilities for their business development needs. UMaine's inventory of high-tech specialized equip- ment is shared with research institutions throughout Maine. In the 2011 fiscal year, UMaine's Target Technol- ogy Incubator provided space to 12 tenant companies, supported nine affiliate companies and provided re- ferrals or counseling to more than 200 companies and entrepreneurs. UMaine-affiliated aquaculture incuba- tors in Franklin and Walpole supported four companies University of Maine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and public service, and it is dedicated to addressing the educational, economic, cultural and social needs of the state. The University of Maine is the state's only university ranked in Tier 1 of America's Top National Universities. The University of Maine P h o t o s c o u r t e s y o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f M a i n e .