AUGUSTA — Dan Leclair, director of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Education and Research at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA), has been appointed by the United States Coast Guard Federal Maritime Security coordinator to a five-year term as a member of the Sector Northern New England Area Maritime Security Executive Steering Committee.

The committee assists in the development, review and updating of the Area Maritime Security Plan. The committee works with various stakeholders in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northeast New York to coordinate and review maritime security, including identifying critical port infrastructure and operations; identifying risks; determining mitigation strategies and implementation methods; and providing advice to Captain of the Port in developing the Area Maritime Security Plan.

Col. Daniel Leclair

Leclair is a former northeast regional commander for the Civil Air Patrol and has been involved with national drone training programs for over six years, most recently teaching as part-time faculty at UMA.

“Col. Dan Leclair is an outstanding choice for appointment to the Maritime Security Executive Steering Committee,” said Rebecca Wyke, UMA president. “His background with unmanned aircraft systems, as well as his long history with the Civil Air Patrol, will serve him well in this positon.”

“It is an honor to be appointed to the Executive Steering Committee. I look forward to participating as a member of this Steering Committee with important responsibilities for maritime security,” said Leclair.

This is the second appointment with UMA connections to the Maritime Security Executive Steering Committee. In 2018, UMA Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Computer Information Systems Henry Felch was appointed to serve on the committee.