Paul Buck

Paul Buck is a Professor of History and Education at the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK), located in the College of Humanities and Professional Studies. He specializes in Canadian and Franco-American history, border studies, historical cartography, and bilingual education. His research focuses on Quebec’s cultural identity, the Treaty of Washington (1842) and Maine’s northern border, and Franco-American migration patterns. He has held prestigious awards including Fulbright Fellowships and Phi Kappa Phi membership.

Education: Ph.D. in Canadian-U.S. History (University of Maine, 2008), M.A. in Spanish (Middlebury College, 1997), B.A. in Canadian Studies (Saint Lawrence University, 1992). Fluent in French, Spanish, Russian, and German, with proficiency in Catalan and Wolof.

Research Interests:

• Historical cartography of U.S.-Canada borders
• Quebec’s Francophone identity in education
• Acadian and Franco-American communities
• Bilingualism and cultural memory

Recent Activities (2023-2024):

• Keynote speaker on Maine’s northern border cartography (Maine Archives & Museums)
• Podcast/published interview on Maine’s Acadian-Franco history
• Presentations on Treaty of Washington impacts across multiple academic conferences

Awards & Honors:

• Fulbright Student (Canada-U.S., 2006–2007)
• Phi Kappa Phi (2003), Phi Beta Kappa (1991), Phi Alpha Theta (2002)
• Foreign Language & Area Studies Fellowship (2001–2008)

Teaching & Outreach:

• Maine Humanities Council speaker on border history
• Collaborations with K-12 educators (e.g., Fort Kent Community High School)
• Workshops on French language pedagogy

Labs & Teams: Active in Franco-American cultural preservation initiatives through UMFK’s humanities programs and partnerships with regional museums/archives.