Student Spotlight – Fiona Osborn

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Fiona Osborn!

Fiona Osborn majors in Geography/Environmental Studies and minors in Global Studies and Geographic Information Systems and Technology and is in our Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP)! The title of her project is “Impact of Agricultural Expansion in the Brazilian Cerrado.” Her goal is to shed light on the increasing threat facing protected lands and indigenous communities in the state of Tocantins. Her best piece of advice is to not feel pressured to know your specific research topic right away.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I first became interested in my research project last year in my world vegetation class, where I learned about tropical savanna ecosystems and the major threats of land use change and subsequent degradation these areas are facing. I was surprised to learn the Cerrado, or the Brazilian Savanna, made up the second largest biome in South America and was severely threatened but rarely discussed and only recently studied. Not only was I interested in this ecosystem, but I was also fascinated by the rich history of the region and the dynamics between the environment and various sociopolitical processes. My favorite part about my research project has been the way it combines my interests of the natural landscape and the relationships people have with it, as well as the way it allows me to use the analytical tools I’ve learned as a GIS minor to study the topic more in-depth.

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

The most exciting aspect of my research so far has been the interdisciplinary nature of my topic; I’ve found it extremely interesting to explore the interconnections between the natural environment in Tocantins, Brazil and current economic development and policies in the region that have had tremendous impacts on the native vegetation and local communities.

What has surprised you about your research or the research process?

One thing that has surprised me about the research process has been the amount of preparation that has to go into a study. Although I am planning to conduct my own remote sensing analysis of satellite imagery to map out the extent of landcover change in my study area, I have spent the majority of my time collecting data and conducting background research on the native vegetation and climate in the Cerrado, as well as social/political issues that have impacted the environment and indigenous populations. This has been surprisingly gratifying, and I have enjoyed learning all I can about my research topic. This process has also provided me with invaluable insights into the difficulties of data collection, and I have found it rewarding to see how far my research has come in just a few months.

What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?

Don’t feel pressured to know your specific research topic right away. It has taken me time to develop my interests and discover how these could be woven together into a single project. Even throughout the research experience, my question has evolved as I develop my understanding and learn about both the complexity of the issue and how I can contribute in a more meaningful way.

What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?

I hope to build on existing literature on the Brazilian Cerrado by focusing on an area that has only recently turned into a hotspot for deforestation and land degradation. My ultimate goal is to shed light on the increasing threat facing protected lands and indigenous communities in the state of Tocantins. In the future, I hope to build on this research experience and continue to study the impacts land degradation has on local communities.

Student Spotlight – Ragini Srinivasan

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Ragini Srinivasan!

Ragini Srinivasan majors in Mathematics/Economics and Political Science and is in our Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP)! The title of her project is “Economic and Political Factors Behind Perceptions and Levels of Adoption of Decentralized Currencies Across Countries.”

Her focus is to provide an unbiased perspective on the changing financial systems of our world and on what is best for economically vulnerable countries. Her best piece of advice is to put yourself out there!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

As a North and South campus double major, I have always been passionate about the intersection between STEM and the social sciences. Back in September, I happened to be shown an article about El Salvador establishing Bitcoin as legal tender, and it immediately intrigued me; there were great disputes over the political event, as there have been over Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies at large. I started thinking about why the government may have taken this action and why this elicited such a strong response among the population, especially given that the nation has been marked by great economic instability in recent decades. From here, I decided to pursue a research project analyzing the various economic and political characteristics of different countries that may contribute to their perceptions of decentralized currencies; it felt like the perfect opportunity to analyze a modern-day phenomenon that has generated so much controversy from both quantitative and qualitative viewpoints!

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

Over the last few months, the simple process of learning and expanding my knowledge has been incredibly exciting and gratifying. As I delve deeper into both technical topics like blockchain technologies and social topics like anti-Bitcoin protests, I find myself gaining a deeper, not just a surface-level, understanding of these issues. In addition, as part of the URFP, I have had the opportunity to meet other extremely talented, passionate, and kind student researchers. The entire community is so supportive and welcoming, and that has truly been exciting for me.

What has surprised you about your research or the research process?

I’m still in the midst of the research process, but so far the importance of slow, steady preparation has greatly surprised me. Initially, I was tempted to dive right into reading complex literature, analyzing data, and working on all the tangible aspects of research, but I soon found myself lacking a basic understanding of my topic. My faculty mentor helped me realize how crucial it is to start with the fundamentals and take my time to fully understand them, and that has made a huge difference.

What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! I first got into research solely by cold emailing dozens of professors, and that’s in fact how I met my URFP faculty mentor. It was definitely daunting to go out of my comfort zone, as well as disappointing to receive very few responses; but all you need is one response, so the more you branch out, the more likely you are to get that one. Whether or not you have any formal experience, as long as you create new opportunities for yourself and show your passion for learning, it’ll work out. 🙂

What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?

I hope my research will provide an unbiased perspective on the changing financial systems of our world and on what is best for economically vulnerable countries. It’s easy to say that governments (like that of El Salvador) always do what is best for their constituents or that they never do. However, in reality, these issues are not as black and white as they seem, and I hope to reveal the gray areas in between. Additionally, in a broader sense, I hope my research encourages people to look at issues from all different angles. We tend to latch onto a strong viewpoint on a controversial topic without knowing the specifics, but it’s so important to learn about these issues in depth before we formulate our opinions.