05/16/2026
Congratulations, Bethany!👩🏼🔬🎓
Today, she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry from Wilkes University. Bethany conducted research at Wilkes with Dr. Joshua Blechle that largely focused on using Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) to gain a mechanistic understanding on the process of using plasma enhanced modification methods to alter the surface wettabiliy of naturally derived biopolymers- expanding their range of uses in biomedical devices. During her undergraduate career at Wilkes, Bethany has attended 6 international conferences including the American Vacuum Society (AVS) 69th, 70th, and 71st symposium presenting posters on her research at each and winning the Platinum Award for Best Undergraduate Poster at AVS 69 and 71, a Gold Award for honorable mention undergraduate poster at AVS 70, and her poster placed 3rd in the Biointerphases Professional Division at AVS 71. Bethany also attended the American Chemical Society (ACS) symposia during the Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026 meetings. She presented research posters during the Spring and Fall 2025 meetings, and gave an oral presentation at the Spring 2026 meeting. She completed an NSF research experience for undergraduates (REU) during the summer of 2024 where she worked with Dr. Mary Beth Monroe at Syracuse University on a project aiming to engineer a bacterial responsive mechanochromic shape memory polymer for use in chronic wound dressings with a visual infection detection component. Bethany is a second author on two publications: “Mechanochromic Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymer for Biomedical Applications” published in the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, and “Finding a Plasma Copolymerization Fit That Is “Just Right” Using Pentane and Acrylic Acid Precursors” published in Biointerphases. She has another second author publication titled “Renewable Polymers for Biomedical Applications: Restricting Hydrophobic Recovery Following Nitrogen Plasma Treatment” in the works, as well as a first author publication titled “Kinetics of Chitosan Plasma Treatments to Unravel Surface Modification Mechanisms”. Bethany received the Alfred W. Bastress Award for Outstanding Achievement in chemical research from Wilkes University. She also received The David J. Findora Memorial Scholarship for Leadership, and has served as Wilkes’ ACS student chapters Vice President of Professional Development and President. She received honorable mention for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Additionally, Bethany served as a Teaching Assistant for gen chem and organic chem, as well as a disability support services note taker. Bethany was also a member of the Wilkes University Dance Team.
Bethany will be pursuing a Chemistry PhD at the University of Pittsburgh starting this August, with the goal of becoming a Laboratory Primary Investigator. Until then, she’ll be right here serving up some delicious ice cream!🍦
