By Jovana Jovanovska ’23
Staff Writer
Jovana Jovanovska/Stentor
Dr. Ann Maine is a senior lecturer in biology who has taught a variety of biology classes at the College. In addition to teaching at Lake Forest College, Dr. Maine is also a Lake County Board Member for District 21, which includes Riverwoods, Lincolnshire, Bannockburn, Mettawa, Green Oaks, and portions of Deerfield, Lake Forest, Waukegan, Gurnee, and Grayslake. Although she was born in Philadelphia, Maine grew up and went to school in the suburbs north of Chicago. Dr. Maine shared with the Stentor that she loves meeting her students and getting to know them because they all have had interesting experiences and she feels lucky to be a part of their lives.
Stentor: Who has had a significant impact on your life?
Dr. Maine: My grandmothers. I was lucky to have them alive until I was in my 40s. They were very different people, but I got my love of gardening and baking from one of them and my love of birds and questioning from the other.
Stentor: What is a memorable story you would want to share with the readers?
Dr. Maine: The summer after college, I drove to California (I went to college in Massachusetts—so I drove across the country). I went there in the family station wagon that my mom gave me for the summer. I lived in northern California with my roommate and her family, where we worked construction. I shoveled pea gravel, used a nail gun, and tied steel rebar together. Since it was California, there was a certain way it needed to be done so the buildings would be more earthquake resistant.
Stentor: What other interests do you have?
Dr. Maine: I love to read and I am a part of two book clubs. I also really enjoy music and wish I had gotten my flute repaired because staying at home would have been perfect for starting it up again. We have also had symphony tickets for about 20 years.
Stentor: What is one life lesson your profession has taught you?
Dr. Maine: That there are very few absolutes in life—answers change, our questions change—and we should (need) to be willing to change.
Stentor: How do you define success?
Dr. Maine: Having a healthy family and being able to do a job I love. It sounds corny, but that is true.
Stentor: Can you describe a research project you’ve done that you’re proud of?
Dr. Maine: I don’t have a research lab and haven’t done research in a long time, but I feel that my scientific training has really helped me be a good elected official in Lake County and the scientific rigor has helped me as a member of the Lake County Board of Health as well as drive some projects that include a science-based approach to improving water quality in the rivers in Lake County.
Stentor: Do you have any advice you would give to your younger self?
Dr. Maine: I wish I had traveled internationally when I was younger. I’ve been fortunate to do so for the past 10 years and enjoy it so much; I like the way it changes my world view, so I wish I had started much earlier.
