When Jennifer Alwine began her undergraduate studies at the IU School of Nursing, she planned to go straight to bedside nursing after graduation. However, after participating in a Life and Health Sciences internship during her junior year, the experience sparked a passion for research that led her down a different path.
Alwine began thinking about continuing her education and research efforts. At the encouragement of her mentors and family, Alwine decided to apply to the BSN to PhD nursing program, which she began after graduating from the BSN program in May 2020.
Alwine was drawn to nursing research because of its broad applications and connections with other healthcare fields.
“I think nursing research is unique in that we are looking at the whole person and all of their experiences, and how all of the characteristics of a person interacts with their health outcomes,” she said. “I think that’s what we do at the bedside, too. We connect all the pieces and then take that patient to the specialty where they can get the best care.”
Having been involved in research with faculty, Alwine began her PhD program with research experience. She was able to see her own research project from the very beginning, starting with selecting her topic. Initially, she wanted to research solutions for self-management of chronic conditions. Over the course of regular presentations and feedback with peers and faculty in class, she was able to narrow down her research topic to prevention and education for those with early onset Type 2 diabetes.
“You got to experience not only yourself homing in on something but listening to other people and seeing their process throughout the course of a year or two,” she said. “It’s really beneficial and inspiring to be able to see how this process works.”
Now well into her research, which she started in 2021, Alwine has found that there is very little Type 2 diabetes prevention outreach focused on younger demographics, who are becoming diagnosed with early onset Type 2 diabetes at an increasing rate.
According to a 2024 research study published in the science and technology journal Nature, “the earlier the onset of (Type 2 diabetes), the worse the prognosis.” Alwine also notes that Black and Hispanic or Latino adults with a family history of diabetes are more likely to be diagnosed in early adulthood.
When Alwine began her research, she found that there was a lack of outreach to educate younger people about diabetes prevention, as well as a gap in research.
“I thought, ‘How could I possibly find something that hasn’t been researched before? How could I be original or look at this in a new light?’” Alwine recalled. “Being affirmed in that way like, ‘This is needed, it’s important, and there aren’t that many people who are doing this yet,’ that’s a huge confidence boost, but also motivator.”
Over the course of her research, Alwine has seen growing interest in this area, something she says has been affirming to witness. Encouragement from IU faculty, particularly her current mentor, Wendy Miller, PhD, RN, executive associate dean for research, kept Alwine’s spirits up in times of doubt.
“Dr. Miller is excellent at helping you understand your research, inspiring you to be confident in what you’re studying and what you know, so she’s made a huge difference,” Alwine said.
Alwine received an NIH grant this fall to continue her research. After completing her PhD in the spring of 2027, she hopes to combine her passion for research and health policy by becoming a professor in both of those subjects.
“I think research and health policy are topics that can intimidate some students because they’re very different from clinically focused classes," she said. “I want to make them subjects that students feel are approachable and interesting.
“I’m excited to finish up and hopefully start making a difference for students the way faculty members [in the PhD program] have made a difference for me.”