McLaren recognized by UMF

FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington Undergraduate Research Council has recognized 13 UMF students as Fall 2010 Michael D. Wilson Research Scholars and Fellows. Drew McLaren of Harrison is among the Fall 2010 awardees.

Established in 2006, this selective research program promotes the highest level of student scholarship and faculty collaboration by connecting undergraduate students with dynamic local, national and international research issues.

The intriguing subjects this semester’s Wilson awardees are investigating include: temperature variations in Maine ponds, an examination of bullying, and creating an on-board video processing solution for the Google Android platform. “It’s inspiring to see these students’ commitment to in-depth study beyond the classroom,” said Theodora J. Kalikow, UMF president. “Today, more than ever, students need to develop the kind of critical and creative thinking that undergraduate research initiatives like the Wilson Research Scholars and Fellows program help foster.”

Student scholars are supported at every stage of their research project selection and program application process by individual faculty sponsors. These UMF faculty mentors work one-on-one with student researchers - providing sponsorship of their application, guidance with proposal development and research methodology, and continuing assistance with pre-professional and post graduate opportunities.

The UMF Wilson Program names student awardees twice a year and provides funding to help underwrite student project expenses. The program has been supporting single-semester Wilson Research Scholar awards at UMF since the fall of 2006. It was expanded in the fall of 2007 to include several full-year Wilson Research Fellow awards to support even more comprehensive research projects.

The Wilson awards are funded by a generous gift from Michael and Susan Angelides, of Stonington, CT, in honor of their good friend and UMF alumnus Michael D. Wilson, class of 1976, who died shortly after graduating.

McLaren  is a junior majoring in history, McLaren is exploring the topic of Joshua Chamberlain and the Maine Gubernatorial election of 1879. His faculty sponsor is Christopher O’Brien, UMF assistant professor of history.