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Who would have guessed hair would be Brittany Paulson's ticket to a job at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Milwaukee?

"There is no doubt in my mind that my research gave me a 'leg up' in the application process," the 2007 biology graduate said about the role her undergraduate research project on DNA extraction and degradation of hair played in securing one of 30 coveted state forensic analyst positions.

A member of the university's nationally recognized Undergraduate Research Program, Paulson jumped at the opportunity to be involved in a cutting-edge forensic science study. She joined the research team led by faculty mentors Peter Killoran of anthropology and Kirsten Crossgrove of biology her second year of college and never looked back.

"My lifelong dream has been to work in a crime lab," Paulson said. Her research provided the perfect setting to give her the experience she needed. Not only did the project put her in the field gathering samples and conducting data analysis, but it also gave her the opportunity to manage a group of researchers. All the necessary credentials to land a job as a forensic scientist.

UW-Whitewater's Undergraduate Research Program has been helping students like Paulson prepare for their future careers for more than a decade. During that time, the program has earned a national reputation for the quality and quantity of its undergraduate research. In 2007, UW-Whitewater sent 76 students to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, the highest number of participants of any university in the U.S. aside from the host institution. None of the other four-year, comprehensive schools in the University of Wisconsin System even come close to that mark. Many of these students also go on to co-author publications with their faculty mentors, an anomaly virtually unheard of at other universities.

So, what makes UW-Whitewater's Undergraduate Research Program so unique? For Paulson, it was all about the opportunities. "Working with Dr. Killoran was a blessing," she said. "He has great field experience. He provided valuable insight for me as the project progressed."

Paulson also found attending two National Conferences on Undergraduate Research to be beneficial, "gaining exposure speaking to professionals."

And with the completion of her project, "Forensic analysis of DNA extraction success and degradation of hair under diverse environmental conditions," Paulson can add "author" to her list of accomplishments as her work on the project is in the process of publication.