What “Maine Won’t Wait” Looks Like in Action feat. Ivan Fernandez, Maggie Kelly-Boyd, and Parker Gassett

Join us for our 2025 Summer Lecture Series premiere event!

Join us in person at Schoodic Institute or online via Zoom on Tuesday, June 10 at 7:00pm for What “Maine Won’t Wait” Looks Like in Action, our Summer Lecture Series opening event featuring Ivan Fernandez, Ph.D, Maggie Kelly-Boyd, and Parker Gassett, Ph.D.

During the lecture, the panel will discuss Maine’s updated 2024 climate action plan that builds upon the award-winning 2020 “Maine Won’t Wait” climate action plan, addressing climate change impacts, building resilience, and meeting statutory emission reduction targets. This was the first integrated climate action plan for Maine, encompassing mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Developed through extensive collaboration with over 200 working group members, more than 1,000 survey responses, and multiple public engagements, the plan outlines strategies for individuals, communities, and businesses.

Ivan J. Fernandez, Ph.D, is Professor Emeritus and Climate Research Scientist in the School of Forest Resources, Climate Change Institute, and School of Food and Agriculture at the University of Maine, and Director of the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange. Among other awards, he was made a Distinguished Maine Professor in 2007, CASE/Carnegie in Washington DC named him Professor of the Year for Maine in 2008, he was named a fellow in the Soil Science Society of America in 2010 and was the 2018 President’s Public Service Achievement Award recipient at the University of Maine. He has served on various U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board committees in Washington DC since 2000 and has led the Maine’s Climate Future assessments in 2009, 2015, and 2020. In 2019 he was appointed to the Maine Climate Council, serves as co-Chair of its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, and is a member of its Natural Working Lands working group. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Schoodic Institute.

Maggie Kelly-Boyd is the Natural Resources Climate Policy Advisor with the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. In this role, she supports state policy and programs related to natural resources, climate change issues, and climate adaptation for Maine’s natural resource industries and communities. Maggie helps Maine implement the state’s key climate action strategies, such as supporting farming, forestry, and fisheries industries in Maine in adapting to climate change, and improving monitoring of inland, coastal and marine ecosystems to increase resilience.

Parker Gassett, Ph.D, is the Assistant Director of the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange at the University of Maine, where he coordinates climate science initiatives in support of the Maine Climate Council and State Climate Action Plan. With a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Maine and extensive experience in climate resilience and adaptation, Parker bridges the gap between scientific research and community action. As a member of the Maine Climate Council’s Community Resilience Working Group and co-coordinator of the Maine Climate Change Adaptation Providers Network, he works to strengthen Maine’s response to climate challenges. His research focuses on coastal environmental monitoring and restoration, community science, and climate adaptation strategies, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals addressing coastal acidification, community resilience, and state-level climate action. Parker’s background includes leadership roles in outdoor education with Outward Bound and conservation work with AmeriCorps, demonstrating his commitment to both environmental stewardship and community engagement. His contributions have been recognized through various awards, including the Outstanding Service Award from the Maine Fishermen’s Forum and the EE360 Fellowship from the North American Association of Environmental Education.