FARMINGTON — Eleven UMF students were recently named fall 2011 Michael D. Wilson Research Scholars and Fellows by the University of Maine at Farmington Undergraduate Research Council. The selective UMF Wilson Research Program directly connects faculty mentors with student scholars to help students see the practical application of what they’re learning in the classroom and to open new doors to professional networking, graduate school and future employment.

Student researchers in the program are supported one-on-one by individual faculty mentors.

The UMF Wilson Program names student awardees twice a year, including single-semester scholars and year-long fellows, and provides funding to help underwrite student project expenses. The Wilson awards are funded by a generous gift from Michael and Susan Angelides, of Stonington, Conn., in honor of their good friend and UMF alumnus Michael D. Wilson, class of 1976, who died shortly after graduating.

Fall 2011 Michael D. Wilson Fellows are Skylar Hopkins of Hudson, Sebastian Jackson of Bingham and Thomas Kilcoyne of Augusta.

Fall 2011 Michael D. Wilson Scholars are Jonathan Boynton of Greenville, Zachary Giroux of Troy, N.H., CeCelia Palow of Southwest Harbor, as well as:

Sara Adams of Lisbon Falls. A senior majoring in geology, Adams is investigating pond dynamics and water chemistry in high-elevation ponds in Maine. Her faculty sponsor is Julia Daly, UMF associate professor of geology.

Grady Burns of Auburn. A senior majoring in history and secondary education: social studies, Burns is examining the influence of big cocoa on Nkrumah’s Ghana and cold war America. His faculty sponsor is Chris O’Brien, UMF associate professor of history.

Jordan LeGrand of Rome. A senior majoring in mathematics and computer science, LeGrand is investigating the Generalized Euler Phi function and its applications to mathematical music theory. His faculty sponsor is Lori Koban, UMF associate professor of mathematics.

Ryan Verrill of Belgrade. A senior majoring in history, Verrill is examining the military ration and its impact on American war fighting. His faculty sponsor is Walter Sargent, UMF associate professor of history.

Megan Whitman of South Paris. A senior majoring in mathematics and geology, Whitman’s research topic is the petrography and geochemistry of the Maine Mixer Pond Pluton. Her faculty sponsor is David Gibson, UMF professor of geology.