This organization was founded by faculty members at five University of Maine System schools in 2002, U Maine Augusta, U Maine Farmington, U Maine Fort Kent, U Maine Machias, and the University of Southern Maine. The University of Maine at Presque Isle joined our group in 2006. Currently, our research work involves "Creating and Implementing a Concept Inventory-Based Diagnostic Tool to Improve Undergraduate GIS Education" (NSF DUE-0837259). This collaborative project is an attempt to measure student comprehension of key geographic and GIS concepts. The intent is to identify and develop best practices and strategies for delivering key geographic concepts.

The Maine GIS Education Consortium has been a positive experience for all of its faculty. This and past research projects have created a camaraderie that may be unmatched and have created an extraordinary collegial working environment. Students have benefited from the cross pollination and shared expertise. Maine is geographically and culturally diverse. Additionally, our six institutions provide a diverse set of disciplines, from anthropology to forestry. There could be no better place to study geography and GIS.