Leanna is a fourth year sociology student developing an honors thesis on Tinder and young adults. Inspired by friends who have found long-term partners on Tinder, her project explores what young adults are doing on the widely used dating app and what they are doing during initial face-to-face interactions. Her inductive approach is designed to capture patterns related to self-presentation tactics, social cue interpretation, and contemporary notions of romance. By
conducting interviews that ask participants to “swipe” in real time, Leanna hopes to contribute to the contentious conversation surrounding online dating in a meaningful way. Outside of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, Leanna is a Development Data Intern for Inner-City Arts and a Public Programs Assistant at the Hammer Museum.