USM’s Maine-SMART high-school research program continues through Aug. 7 in Portland
The University of Southern Maine is continuing its Maine-SMART High School Research Program on the university’s Portland campus, with summer 2026 sessions scheduled through Aug. 7.
USM describes Maine-SMART as an education and STEM-outreach initiative for high-school students. The program is organized as week-long summer research and learning sessions, giving students a campus-based option during the period before the new school year.
The published 2026 program period began July 6 and ends Aug. 7. Aug. 7 is the final date listed on USM’s program information for this summer’s schedule.
Program format and location
Maine-SMART is administered through USM STEM Outreach and is identified by the university as a high-school research program. The sessions take place on USM’s Portland campus.
The available program information confirms the one-week session format and the overall July 6-to-Aug. 7 schedule, but it does not provide a total number of participants, a capacity figure or the program’s cost. It also does not identify staff assigned to the sessions.
The program is a university-hosted summer offering, not a Portland Public Schools district program. The available information does not establish that enrollment is limited to Portland residents or students in the district.
Registration option for Portland students
Portland Public Schools students have a specific registration route listed in USM’s program information. Those students can use a password provided by their school to bypass part of the registration process.
That pathway connects the program with students in Portland Public Schools, while leaving open eligibility details for other students because the published information does not state a residency or district-only restriction.
For families considering the program, the confirmed details are its high-school focus, its week-long research and learning sessions, its Portland-campus setting and its July 6 through Aug. 7, 2026 schedule. Students seeking to use the Portland Public Schools registration route would need the school-provided password described by USM.
What is known next
The final scheduled date for the 2026 Maine-SMART program period is Aug. 7. USM’s public program page does not identify a board action, funding decision, policy change, additional implementation step or a schedule for sessions after that date.
The source also does not provide outcome data about the program. Its published information supports the logistics of the summer sessions and the registration option for Portland Public Schools students, but not broader conclusions about participation or educational results.
Sources
- Maine-SMART High School Research Program – STEM Outreach, University of Southern Maine