FARMINGTON – A high school job-shadowing experience gave Katelyn Michaud of Gorham her first real experience with laboratory research.

The University of Maine at Farmington junior has since been involved with research projects that have shaped her goals.

Michaud is one of two UMF undergraduates who have been named Michael D. Wilson Research Fellows. Monica Hall of Oakland is the other, and 11 students were named research scholars. The honor gives the students the opportunity to pursue a variety of individual projects.

The award, given in honor of UMF alumnus Michael D. Wilson, class of 1976, who died shortly after graduating, is funded by Wilson’s friends Michael and Susan Angelides of Connecticut.

The second year program awards $700 to scholars to help with expenses and promote investigative projects over a semester. This year it was expanded to include the fellows, who are awarded $1,400 to work on projects.

With her fellowship, Michaud is basing her project on milfoil, an invasive aquatic plant that has been found in several Maine lakes. She is using a genetic analysis to see if a mix between two species, or a hybrid, has developed.

A total of 250 samples have been taken from five lakes, she said. They’ve been frozen and crushed into a powder form that she uses to test the DNA makeup.

It’s a process that takes patience, problem-solving skills and the ability to work on an experimental process that can often result in little data. But, she likes the challenge and likes to be kept busy, she said.

A science major, Michaud transferred to UMF after one semester at St. Anslem’s College. She was attracted to the school because of the internships available for younger students as well as the atmosphere and smaller classes found here.

“Teachers know you by name,” she said, “and are willing to help you find internships.”

This is not her first research project. In the summer of 2006, Michaud worked at Maine Medical Center’s Research Institute doing breast cancer research. During her sophomore year, she worked on a project involving pine pollen in Orono. This past summer found her at Jackson Lab participating in one of its ovarian cancer research projects.

She plans to continue her studies in a program that will combine a physician’s role with research and expects to continue her studies in oncology and women’s cancer in particular.

While not working, she skis and is a member of the Ski Patrol at Shawnee Peak. She’s active in campus politics and serves as secretary for the UMF College Republicans, tutors in organic chemistry and is a member of Rotaract, a service organization created through the Rotary Club.

The work ethic demonstrated by her parents, she said, has kept her focused and working on her goals.

Each student has a faculty sponsor and Michaud has two, biology professor Daniel Buckley for the ecology portion of the project and biology professor Jean Doty for the genetics portion.

The 2007 research scholars are Hunter Basselet of Norway; Adam Case of New Vineyard; Joshua Case of New Vineyard; Holly Castle of Pittston; Tara Gagnon of North Anson; Laura Lalemand of Leeds; Brian London of Farmington; Christopher Pillsbury of Jay; Aline Potvin of Farmington; Margaret Reid of Farmington and Samuel Valentine of Farmington.