BELFAST – City resident Eric Munson has been recognized by the University of Maine at Farmington as a Michael D. Wilson Research Scholar and Fellow.

A senior majoring in history, Munson is examining the court-martial of Commodore Saltonstall after the Penobscot Expedition of 1779. Munson’s faculty sponsor is Walter Sargent, UMF assistant professor of history.

Munson was one of 11 students conducting undergraduate research projects this semester recently recognized as Wilson research 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 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.

“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 autumn 2006. The program was expanded in autumn 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 chairman David Heroux, assistant professor of chemistry.

The autumn 2008 Michael D. Wilson Research Scholars recognized with Munson were: Joshua Case, New Vineyard; Ben Engel, Westford, Mass.; Isaac Frith, Randolph; Jaimie Gagne, Gorham, N.H.; Caroline Gallant, Concord, N.H.; Stephanie Nobrega, Phillipston, Mass.; Victoria Pearson, Skowhegan; William Roy, Turner; and Samuel Valentine, Farmington. The 2008-09 Michael D. Wilson Research Fellow is Daniel Allen, Gardiner.