November 24th, 2008

FARMINGTON, ME (November 24, 2008)--Among the many UMF students conducting
undergraduate research projects this semester, 11 have recently been
recognized by the University of Maine at Farmington Undergraduate Research
Council as fall 2008 Michael D. Wilson Research Scholars and Fellows. Under
the Wilson program, each student's original research project is awarded
funding that underwrites expenses and helps encourage and promote
continuing academic investigation. These awards are funded by a generous
gift from Michael and Susan Angelides, Stonington, Conn., in honor of their
good friend and UMF alumnus Michael D. Wilson, class of 1976, who died
shortly after graduating.

"We are so proud of this year's Wilson Research Scholars and Fellows," said
Theodora J. Kalikow, UMF president. "These projects promote the highest
level of learning with a focus on purposeful scholarship, leadership and
student/faculty collaboration. This ongoing effort enriches the educational
experience for the entire campus."

The annual Michael D. Wilson Research Scholar Program has been supporting
single-semester research, scholarship and creative projects at UMF since
the fall of 2006. The program was expanded in the fall of 2007 to include
two full-year Wilson Research Fellow awards to support more substantive
research projects. The students are nominated by a UMF faculty sponsor and,
after a competitive selection process, are chosen by the UMF Undergraduate
Research Council led by chair David Heroux, assistant professor of chemistry.

The fall 2008 Michael D. Wilson Research Scholars are: Joshua Case, New
Vineyard; Ben Engel, Westford, Mass.; Isaac Frith, Randolph; Jaimie Gagne,
Gorham, N.H.; Caroline Gallant, Concord, N.H.; Eric Munson, Belfast;
Stephanie Nobrega, Phillipston, Mass.; Victoria Pearson, Skowhegan; William
Roy, Turner; and Samuel Valentine, Farmington. The 2008-2009 Michael D.
Wilson Research Fellow is Daniel Allen, Gardiner.

Additional Information on the 2008 Michael D. Wilson Research Scholars and
Fellows

Daniel Allen -- Gardiner
A junior majoring in mathematics, Allen is the full-year 2008-2009 Wilson
Fellow. Allen's research project involves computing the sigma invariants of
braid groups found in knot theory. His faculty sponsor is Nicholas Koban,
UMF assistant professor of mathematics.

Joshua Case -- New Vineyard
A senior with a double major in mathematics/music and mathematics, Case is
composing a series of original musical pieces to be performed by
professional musicians for his senior recital. His faculty sponsor is
Philip Carlsen, UMF professor of music.

Ben Engel -- Westford, Mass.
A sophomore environmental science major, Engel is exploring ways in which
to passively store excess solar heat to regulate greenhouse temperatures.
His faculty sponsor is David Heroux, UMF assistant professor of chemistry.

Isaac Frith -- Randolph
A senior with a double major in history and interdisciplinary studies in
political science and social science, Frith is examining the public image
of Joseph P. Kennedy during his time as ambassador to Great Britain. His
faculty sponsor is Christopher O'Brien, UMF assistant professor of history.

Jaimie Gagne -- Gorham, N.H.
A senior majoring in history, Gagne is researching class issues in the
suffrage movement, as seen from the experiences of working-class women
involved in the movement. Her faculty sponsor is Allison Hepler, UMF
associate professor of history.

Caroline Gallant -- Concord, N.H.
A senior majoring in environmental science, Gallant is seeking to better
understand the relationship between climate and water temperature in high
elevation ponds in western Maine. Her faculty sponsor is Julia Daly, UMF
associate professor of geology.

Eric Munson -- Belfast
A senior majoring in history, Munson is examining the court martial of
Commodore Saltonstall following the Penobscot Expedition of 1779. His
faculty sponsor is Walter Sargent, UMF assistant professor of history.

Stephanie Nobrega -- Phillipston, Mass.
A junior majoring in rehabilitation services, Nobrega is examining
undergraduates' knowledge and experience of person first language, the word
ordering technique that emphasizes the person rather than their disability.
Her faculty sponsor is Jewel Jones, UMF associate professor of
rehabilitation services.

Victoria Pearson -- Skowhegan
A senior majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry, Pearson is
investigating antibiotic resistance and co-evolution in E. coli. Her
faculty sponsor is Jean Doty, UMF associate professor of biology.

William Roy -- Turner
A senior with a double major in psychology and English, Roy is conducting a
study grounded in theoretical psychology that will examine whether college
students value wisdom or happiness. His faculty sponsor is Steven
Quackenbush, UMF associate professor of psychology.

Samuel Valentine -- Farmington
A senior with an individualized interdisciplinary major in globalization
studies, Valentine is investigating the implementation of collaborative
online work environments in the classroom. His faculty sponsor is John
Messier, UMF assistant professor of economics.

# # #

For more information, please contact David Heroux, UMF assistant professor
of chemistry at 207-778-7368, or david.heroux@maine.edu.

EDITOR'S NOTE: You will find photo at
http://www.umf.maine.edu/campus/docs/RP089-020.jpg

Photo Credit: UMF Photo

Photo Caption: University of Maine at Farmington Fall 2008 Michael D.
Wilson Research Scholars and Fellows are (left to right) first row: Jaimie
Gagne, Caroline Gallant. Second row: Joshua Case, Ben Engel, Victoria
Pearson, Stephanie Nobrega, Daniel Allen. Third row: Samuel Valentine, Eric
Munson. (Not pictured) Isaac Frith, William Roy.