WORKING WATERFRONT • November 28, 2025
Bob Steneck can now add to his already impressive resumé membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The work that led to that honor for the former University of Maine professor came from donning scuba gear and messing around with critters on the sea floor. Steneck suspects it was his work studying coral reefs that earned him election to the prestigious Academy, which was established nearly 250 years ago. But in Maine, his in-the-water research on lobster helped bridge a gap between fishermen and regulators. And it helped the industry accurately predict future lobster landings, a critical component in keeping this important economic sector thriving. Steneck is the first UMaine faculty researcher to be elected to the Academy, where he joins Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Jonas Salk. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.