Indiana Wesleyan University seniors Jessie Dion and Julie Webster, who are also roommates, will embark this week on a three-stop tour to present each of their honors thesis research projects at various conferences. Presentation locations include:
- Celebration of Scholarship | Thursday, April 11 | Indiana Wesleyan University; Marion, IN
- Undergraduate Research Conference | Friday, April 12 | Indiana University- South Bend; South Bend, IN
- Conference of Undergraduate Research & Scholarship | Saturday, April 13 | Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL
Presenters at each conference hail from a variety of fields, including English, science, philosophy, history and political science.
Dion is an English and writing major. In her thesis, titled “Conforming or Reforming? A Feminist Reading of Popular versus Christian Romantic Fiction,” she conducts a critical feminist reading of 8-10 romance novels from bestseller lists in 2015-2016 to analyze some of the key differences between popular and Christian romantic fiction.
“Having worked on this research for almost three years now, I am thrilled to be able to share it with a wider audience,” said Dion. “Also, I am thrilled to share this experience with my roommate, Julie, who has been a supporter and an encourager along the way.”
Webster is a biochemistry and pre-med major. Webster’s thesis, titled “Antimicrobial Use and Extraction of Essential Oils,” investigates the antibacterial properties of two essential oils – basil and lavender – and how extraction technique influences their use as antimicrobial agents.
“Because of the growing popularity of essential oils as an alternative medicine, I've encountered people all throughout my research experience who've showed genuine interest in my project,” said Webster. “I'm excited for the chance to collaborate with my peers at these conference panels and collect valuable input and proposals for future developments.”
Both women are a part of IWU’s John Wesley Honors College, an intensive liberal learning community committed to providing unique inquiry-based learning experiences, facilitating engaging faculty-student mentoring relationships and supporting students in collaborative undergraduate research.
After graduating from IWU this spring, Dion hopes to work as an editor. Webster will intern at St. Rita’s Medical Center in their research program, and after that, she plans to attend medical school.
For more information on English and Writing at IWU, click here. For more information on the Natural Sciences at IWU, click here.