The Applied Marine Biology and Oceanography (AMBO) program provides students with the academic background and applied skills required for employment as research assistants and technicians or for transfer into a four year baccalaureate program. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on laboratory and field procedures. Special attention is given to collecting and identifying marine organisms, oceanographic sampling aboard the school’s research vessel and service learning projects in the southern Maine community.

Graduates of SMCC’s AMBO program have found employment in both the public and private sector. Examples include marine biology laboratories, state and federal fresh water and marine-resource agencies, state and federal environmental protection agencies, environmental consulting firms and water districts and pollution control facilities.

Graduates of the AMBO program who wish to pursue a baccalaureate degree can benefit from agreements with the University of Maine, the University of Southern Maine, the University of Maine at Machias and the University of New England. These agreements allow students to transfer all or nearly all of their credits toward four year degrees in Marine Biology, Biology or Marine Resources Management. A formal “2+2” articulation agreement has been arranged with the Maine Maritime Academy towards a Bachelor’s degree in Ocean Science. AMBO graduates have also transferred to universities outside Maine to complete their education.

The AMBO program is a partner with the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) program funded by the National Science Foundation. The MATE program provides paid internships for community college students in Marine technology programs.

The biotechnology program at SMCC is designed to teach students the fundamentals of biological sciences while allowing them to explore the applications of current technologies used in research laboratories.

Students completing this degree will have acquired necessary laboratory skills and theoretical background either for employment in a number of different laboratory settings, or transfer to other four-year colleges/universities (e.g., USM’s B.S. degree in Biological Sciences).

Career and research opportunities include, but are not limited to the six sectors of biotechnology recently identified by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development as being the most promising for new jobs. These include Immunology, Molecular Medicine, Mammalian Genetics, Instrumentation-Medical Devices, Environmental Biotechnology, and Marine Biotechnology. Students would also be prepared to work in other laboratory fields such as pharmaceutical research, forensics, and the food industry.

Prior to acceptance into the Biotechnology program, the student must demonstrate the ability to succeed at college-level course work. The standard SMCC placement tests will be given to assess an applicant’s ability in math and English.

Career opportunities:
“Maine has targeted biotechnology as a key future growth sector” John Baldacci, Governor of Maine.

Biotechnology in Maine offers diverse job opportunities:

• Molecular biology assistants responsible for determining genetic testing results at the Foundation for Blood Research in Scarborough.
  
• Laboratory technicians working in manufacturing at BIODESIGN International in Saco to develop and provide biological reagents to diagnostic companies world-wide.
  
• Quality control associates working at Barber Foods in Portland to confirm quality of ingredients used in specialty frozen food products.
  
• Research assistants at Sea Run Holdings laboratory in Eastport creating finfish blood products novel applications in human medicine
  
• Production assistants working at IDEXX labs in Westbrook to manufacture innovative technology-based products for the veterinary, food and water industries.
  
• Laboratory technicians working at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute in Scarborough in the area of molecular biology, genetics, and health services research.
  
• Quality assurance technicians working at the Nestle Waters North America Poland Spring bottling plants to analyze biological and chemical purity of bottled water shipped throughout the continent.

About the Program:
The Environmental Science and Technology program provides a broad based education in environmental sciences while remaining firmly grounded in basic sciences. The curriculum topics range from traditional courses in biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, and environmental laws and regulations, to state-of-the-art offerings in treatment technology, hazardous materials, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positional Systems (GPS).

SMCC developed the program in response to heightened awareness of the environmental challenges facing Maine, New England and the nation, and the critical shortage of skilled technicians in this field. Graduates receive an associate in science degree and meet education needs for employment in a rapidly growing environmental industry. Employment areas include natural resource management, environmental sampling and laboratory analyses, industrial health and safety, hazardous materials and toxic waste, wastewater and water treatment plant operations, solid waste management, air quality monitoring, environmental assessment, plus compliance and enforcement fields.

For curriculum information and course descriptions, click here.

Career Opportunities:
The Environmental Science and Technology program provides skills for employment opportunities in industrial health and safety, hazardous materials and toxic waste, wastewater and water treatment plant operations, solid waste management, air quality monitoring, environmental sampling and laboratory analyses, natural resource management, environmental assessment, the compliance and enforcement fields and GPS Data / GIS Mapping technology. Potential employers include private sector environmental and/or engineering consulting firms, Federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, United State Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service, etc.; State agencies such as the Department of Environmental Protection, and local government agencies such as town or city planning and engineering.

For links to various specific career opportunities, click here.