University News

Thomas E. Helm Undergraduate Research Conference April 19-23

April 13, 2021

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – The Centennial Honors College at Western Illinois University will host the annual Thomas E. Helm Undergraduate Research Conference, which will be held in a virtual format Monday-Friday, April 19-23, with a special live session from 3-5 p.m. Thursday, April 22, concluding with the keynote presentation at 5 p.m. by distinguished WIU alumna Kirsten Dillender.

The Undergraduate Research Conference was initiated by the Centennial Honors College in 2003, and was named in honor of Thomas E. Helm in 2009. It is a celebration of research, scholarship and creative activities undertaken by WIU undergraduate students.

Because of COVID-19 protocols, many participating students on the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses will upload recorded scholarly presentations and performances to a Western Online course page, which can be viewed and commented on throughout the week of April 19-23. Anyone with a wiu.edu email account can self-register for the conference course page by clicking on Communication>Self Register from their WesternOnline home page.

The live session will be held from 3-5 p.m. Thursday, April 22 at the Zoom link wiu.zoom.us/j/98839601578, where students will present their posters, talks and performances in separate breakout rooms. From 5-6 p.m., Dillender will deliver the keynote address, "Contact Zones and the Chthulucene: Making Connections."

Dillender received her bachelor's degree in English from WIU in 2016 and her master's degree in English from WIU in 2018. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in English at the University of Illinois and is the managing editor of American Literary History.

For additional information on the conference, visit bit.ly/HelmResearchDay.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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