University of Maine starts construction for GEM building

The University of Maine has celebrated the groundbreaking of the Green Engineering and Materials (GEM) building, which will encompass 50,000 square feet and house the advanced “Factory of the Future” (FoF). This center combines digital manufacturing technologies with adaptive learning spaces for students across the University of Maine System. Completion is planned for 2026, with an investment of almost 82 million US dollars.

GEM will promote interdisciplinary research and education and train a skilled engineering and computer science workforce that will contribute to economic development at the state and national level. The center is operated in collaboration with the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC), the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC) and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). Additional collaborations with other programs and industry are planned.

“This project started as an ambitious vision, and it is becoming a reality thanks to interdisciplinary collaboration and a vision that integrates research and learning,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of UMaine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. “We are grateful for all who have made this investment in this public university research facility.

“As a national research institution with R1 Carnegie classification, UMaine has the talent and reputation for innovation and achievement,” she continued. “Once completed, GEM will create even greater opportunities for our students, faculty, staff and partners to address a multitude of economic and societal needs for Maine and beyond.”

A central goal of GEM is to act as a large-scale test center for additive and hybrid manufacturing processes. The focus is on integrating sustainable technologies and bio-based materials into production. Research includes applications in areas such as affordable housing, shipbuilding and the production of renewable energy and infrastructure components. By linking advanced manufacturing and education, GEM aims to facilitate the transition of these technologies into industry.

“The GEM FoF will usher in a new era of digital manufacturing, using renewable materials, at the nexus of engineering and computing. This immersive education and research facility takes the next step in large-scale flexible additive and hybrid manufacturing with the goal to produce large, integrated systems in a closed-loop digital manufacturing environment powered by high-performance computing and artificial intelligence,” said Habib Dagher, executive director of ASCC.

“GEM is a cornerstone of the strategic vision at the University of Maine which, in collaboration with all campuses across the University of Maine System, emphasizes experiential learning, research and teaching integration. It is an important example of how research centers and colleges will collaborate to transform education,” said Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing. “Often, academic buildings host classrooms and research laboratories that enable small-scale prototyping. In this transformative building, students can take the leap from ideating a proof of concept to manufacturing a large-scale market-ready product. This leap seems enormous; yet, this is what is needed to grow our economy. Here, we make this possible.”

GEM is supported by several funding sources, including the Harold Alfond Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Maine Jobs & Recovery Act. The initial research results will be presented at the Formnext trade show.

“By providing transformative learning experiences that blend theory with practice, we prepare our students to tackle real-world challenges, aligning with our goal of producing highly skilled graduates who are ready to lead in their fields”, said Emily Haddad, dean of CLAS. “GEM’s learning spaces are designed to promote interaction, both in person and at a distance, and they will facilitate students’  transition  to experiential learning environments.”