Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Shirley Cruz!

Shirley is majoring in English with a minor in Professional Writing. She is part of the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Research Awards program. Shirley’s research project is “Still in the Casket: Queer Gendered Bias in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla.”

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I first got interested in my research project after taking a class during my first quarter here at UCLA titled “Literary Cities – Dublin.” One of the required readings for the class was Dracula by Bram Stoker, which brought me back to my longstanding interest in Gothic literature and in turn led me down a rabbit hole of other vampiric literature that has impacted our culture. One of the other vampiric works that was rarely spoken on was Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. This disparity in scholarship written on Carmilla compared to Dracula is the focal point of the hole I found in research that I am choosing to explore.

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

The most exciting aspect of my research so far has been uncovering small but meaningful details in Carmilla and Dracula that I had never noticed before, details that deepen the texts’ queer subtext and reveal how gender shapes their reception. Each new insight feels like opening a hidden door in stories I thought I already knew. I’ve also genuinely enjoyed building a strong working relationship with my advisor; having someone to share ideas with, ask questions, and discuss my discoveries has made the entire process feel collaborative, energizing, and even more rewarding.

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

What surprised me about the research process was how relevant the discussion of gendered bias in literature still is today. The disparity in scholarship between queer men and queer women is a long-standing debate, but exploring it through the lens of Gothic literature has revealed new layers I didn’t expect. Seeing how Dracula and Carmilla echo these same patterns—while also diverging in fascinating ways—has made the conversation feel both current and deeply rooted in literary history.

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

One piece of advice I can give other UCLA students thinking about doing research is to choose a topic that genuinely excites you, something that fires you up, because that passion will make the writing and thinking process so much easier. Research can feel intimidating, especially coming from a first-generation transfer background, but joining the research community at UCLA has opened my mind both academically and socially. It’s allowed me to connect with other students doing amazing work and build meaningful relationships with faculty, all of which has made a lasting impact on me.

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

The effect that I hope my research has is to encourage a more intentional effort to recognize and represent a wider range of gender expressions in queer theory, especially female and nonbinary voices that are too often overshadowed by male-centered narratives. At UCLA and within my community, I hope this work helps reinforce the value of humanities research and inspires others to continue exploring queer stories and gender with depth and care. As current administrations place increasing pressure on academic inquiry, I hope my project—and the work of other UCLA researchers—can stand as a reminder of why this research matters and help pave the way for future generations of scholars.