Student Spotlight – Cris Avitia Camacho

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Cris Avitia Camacho!

Cris majors in Chicana and Chicano Studies & Labor Studies, minors in Gender Studies, and is part of the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program. The title of their project is “The Intersections of Culture, Religion, and Identity on Child-Mother Relationships: College-Aged Assigned Female at Birth LGBTQ+ Individuals with Latinx Mothers.” Cris’ work, which examines the effects of religion, culture, and identity on relationships between assigned female at birth LGBTQ+ individuals and their Latinx mothers, is inspired by their own experience as a non-binary lesbian individual with a Latinx mother. Their best piece of advice is to write about something that matters to YOU.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I first became interested in my research project when I took CCAS M126 Politics of Crisis: Migration, Identity, and Religion and wrote my final research paper about the effects of migration and religion on the mother-child bond. I felt very passionate while writing that topic and wanted to explore it in a different direction, with my own interests in gender and sexuality. Therefore, when the URFP application went live, I decided to give it a shot and apply. I choose to do my research project for URFP on this topic because of my own experiences as a non-binary lesbian individual with a Latinx mother. I’m in the process of interviewing other LGBTQ+ individuals who have a similar identity to mine and see the effects of religion, culture, and identity on relationships between them and their mother. The importance of this is because gender and sexuality are often “taboo” topics within the Latinx community, and I want to give a voice to individuals whose experiences might otherwise be pushed down or unheard.

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

The most exciting aspect of my research so far has been getting to go through the history of gender and sexuality in Latin American cultures, and how it has evolved over time. There’s so much information not readily available or known to the public, and I believe that writing about this topic could allow for open conversations about it. Also, going through the IRB process and getting approval was so rewarding and helped me learn more about the research process for the future!

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

The lengthiness of the research process, there is so much scholarship and documentation to go through. It can be overwhelming at times, but being passionate about it motivates me to continue and when I get in a writing mood, it feels like time is flying by. I feel like going through this research process will prepare me for the future and allow me to become a better writer and researcher. This is a rewarding experience, and the process is so worth it!

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

One piece of advice I have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research is to follow your passions and write about something that matters to YOU! We need more people to care about topics like these and beyond, every idea and thought you have could change the world!

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

I hope that my research allows for small changes within the Latinx community about how we discuss gender and sexuality and dismantle taboos surrounding it. I want people like me or individuals who are friends and family of Latinx LGBTQ+ to feel free to exist unapologetically and know they are not alone in their experiences. I hope this inspires other Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals to also research a similar topic using their experiences because the only way we’ll bring change is if we’re all united. I hope to continue and expand on this research topic in the future because it is so essential to become open-minded and not just tolerant towards LGBTQ+ people in Latinx communities.

Student Spotlight – Paula Zepeda

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Paula Zepeda!

Paula majors in Political Science, minors in Latin American Studies, and is part of the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Awards program. The title of her project is “Inclusion and Exclusion in U.S. Immigration Rhetoric: Party, Constituency, and Co-Ethnicity in the House of Representatives.” Paula’s research brings forth a new perspective on legislative behavior encompassing the underlying racial bias embedded in the political system and a deeper understanding of the driving factors influencing legislators’ decisions on federal immigration bills. Her best piece of advice is to embrace your curiosity and actively engage with new information from a variety of sources.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

After taking Political Science classes covering topics like Latino Politics and news media, I became fascinated with the effects Latinos have had in transforming the American political landscape and the harm politicians inflict on minority groups when restricting them into stereotypes, thus increasing my curiosity to study the existing tensions between race/ethnicity and American politics in my research project. I was introduced to academic research during my sophomore year when I worked as a research assistant to graduate students. I am a first-generation Latina student, and those experiences have been valuable in introducing me to a new area in academia that I previously never knew about before becoming a UCLA student. I decided to apply to the Departmental Honors Program for Political Science, and am grateful for the unique opportunity that this program and the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Awards program have provided me with to develop my thesis about U.S. House members’ immigration rhetoric amidst political polarization.

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

The most exciting aspect of my research has been examining the variety of sources that make information about Congressional actions and events accessible to read and watch. I have learned about website sources C-Span and Congressional Record that have bountiful information on speeches and debates that members of Congress have engaged in over the years. I can find videos dating back to the 1980s and compare the rhetoric past members have employed when speaking about immigration to the present day. Watching debates and speeches by members of Congress has been one of my favorite parts so far during this research process!

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

I am surprised that during the research process, investigations, as well as revisions to one’s work, continue and never stop. I read scholarly articles daily to add to my thesis, and am always learning something new that strengthens my understanding of immigration rhetoric and legislative behavior. Ideas expand and they capture my attention because it enhances my ability to converse with the concepts in my arguments and theory.

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

Embrace your curiosity! Actively engage with the information provided in class, online, books, or even in conversations with family or friends by either challenging or questioning it because the academic field continues to grow. The contributions you can make in research add valuable knowledge to the ongoing scholarly debates, as well as to the greater community.

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

I hope my research brings forth a new perspective on legislative behavior encompassing the underlying racial bias embedded in the political system and a deeper understanding of the driving factors influencing legislators’ decisions on federal immigration bills. Immigration is one big topic of debate that Congress has disputed since its establishment in 1789. It continues to be a policy area where political parties are highly polarized and might resort to descriptions of immigrants as economic threats or criminals in order to justify their support behind restrictive immigration laws. I hope my research propels legislators to create arguments about immigration bills grounded in facts rather than assumptions because their legislative decisions on immigration impact various ethnic groups nationwide, especially Latinos, who embody the largest minority group in the United States, as well as undocumented immigrants who reside in the nation of immigrants where anti-immigrant sentiments persist.

Student Spotlight – Frank Godinez

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Frank Godinez!

Frank majors in Sociology and Political Science and is a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. The title of his project is “Police, Nonprofits and the Carceral Web.” Frank studies critical theory, Marxist theory, carceral capitalism, and the police state, and is using his research to employ a critical approach in advocating for/creating epistemologies that dignify and assert the agency of those harmed by—and who’ve resisted—systems of oppression. His best piece of advice is to read about a topic that interests you and don’t be so strict about the research process.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I took a methods course that came really easy to me, and one day, I came across a section on ethnography. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is research?” Over the break, I read a book mentioned in our textbook, Sudhir Venkatesh’s Gang Leader for a Day. Being from South Central and system-impacted, I remember having so many critiques of the project. So, when I took Dr. Jason Sexton’s Sociology of Crime course, and the final project was a research project, I knew what I was going to do. I conducted a small ‘ethnography’ documenting the oral histories of (former) gang members, reconciling their narratives with larger sociohistorical and political-economic trends. At the same time, I connected with Dr. David Turner and joined his Abolition and Youth Organizing lab on campus, where we have been researching the Police Free Schools Campaign throughout LA County. Dr. Turner recommended that I apply to an SR-EIP program, and so I did. I got into UChicago’s Summer program and spent nine weeks in Chicago working with Dr. Robert Vargas on an independent project that looked at police philanthropy (private funding of police departments). After the summer, I decided I wanted to turn my project into a senior thesis and was encouraged by Dr. Vargas to work with Dr. Chris Herring at UCLA on my project. Since then, I’ve been admitted into the Mellon Mays Program while also working as a Bunche Research Fellow for Dr. Turner. I’ll continue multiple projects over my next quarters at UCLA.

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

I love falling into rabbit holes. And I love it when I find a source that is right on the money of the question/topic I’m interested in exploring. Specifically, I study critical theory, Marxist theory, carceral capitalism, and the police state. I also view my interest in the politics of abolition as a large, interconnected struggle, and seeing how there are so many different angles people have taken or that I can take in interrogating social life and institutions gives me hope. I also really enjoy that my research is grounded in a commitment to my community, and I would never want my research to be divorced from topics that are informed by my own personal experiences and identities.

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

Probably just how iterative and creative you can be with it. I think there are specific recipes for what ‘traditional’ (social) science research looks like, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. It doesn’t have to be a step-by-step process like a controlled life sciences study. So, I try to be as creative as possible when I piece together what different authors have said about topics like carceral capitalism or what it even means. You’ll find that people trained differently (e.g., geographers/sociologists/public health) will offer different, interdisciplinary perspectives. This produces really complex and complicated pictures/answers to a lot of the social problems pressing us today. So, I try to unlearn a lot of strictly binary ways of thinking and or understanding things, especially social life.

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

Just read. Read about a topic that interests you and try to develop a question. It doesn’t have to be precise. Not unless you’re committing to a research program or something. Also, don’t be so strict with the process. Research is so iterative that you can approach it from so many different angles. Be it qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods – the choice is yours. That’s also why reading what other people have read can be a good starting point.

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

I am optimistic that I can someday become a leading scholar in urban sociological research with expertise in various specialized topics (policing, youth organizing, gangs, law, and policy) supplemented by my own lived experience to influence policy and the critical analysis of social and political institutions. I recognize that as a system-impacted male of color, I offer a lens that is highly underrepresented in the academy. My lived experience inspires me to employ a critical approach in advocating for/creating epistemologies that dignify and assert the agency of those harmed by—and who’ve resisted—systems of oppression.

Student Spotlight – Aleeza West

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Aleeza West!

Aleeza majors in Psychology and is a recipient of the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Award. Her project is titled “The Effect of Fear Generalization on Social Fear, Social Avoidance, Experiential Avoidance, and Functional Impairment Amongst Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder.” Aleeza’s work aims to discover better ways to diagnose and treat individuals with anxiety. Her best advice is to always look for opportunities, even if you have to ask.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I became interested in pursuing an independent research project upon joining Dr. Michelle Craske’s Anxiety and Depression Center. Through my experience as a research assistant and moving on to coordinating multiple studies, I became curious about leading my own project. After developing my idea with my mentors, I applied and was accepted to both the UCLA departmental honors program in Psychology and the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Awards program.

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

The most exciting aspect has been designing my project. I am passionate about discovering better ways to diagnose and treat individuals with anxiety, and being able to create a project surrounding my research interests has been an amazing experience.

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

What surprised me about the research process is how much I have learned throughout it. I have grown so much thanks to my mentors, Nora and Brooke, about data management, statistics, and overall research processes.

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

I advise other UCLA students to always look for opportunities, even if you have to ask! The worst thing that a possible mentor could say is no.

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

I hope my research journey inspires others to be confident enough to pursue their own independent experiences. Furthermore, I hope that my research can inform diagnostic and treatment options of those living with social anxiety.

Student Spotlight – Chanaporn (New) Tohsuwanwanich

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Chanaporn (New) Tohsuwanwanich!

New majors in Geography, minors in GIS&T and Urban & Regional Studies, and is in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. The title of her project is “Leaving no one behind?: Shifting Vulnerabilities of Participants in Baan Mankong Program in Bangkok, Thailand.” New’s work aims to gain a comprehensive, holistic perspective of a slum-upgrading program in Thailand called Baan Mankong. She is conducting ethnographic fieldwork to learn more about the successes of Baan Mankong as well as the challenges embedded in the system. Her best piece of advice is to follow your passion!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

In the International Housing Policy class, I learned various case studies worldwide on different facets of housing management. A slum upgrading program proposed by the Thai government called Baan Mankong immediately caught my attention. Despite being a Thai citizen, I have never heard about the program. The system of communal saving groups with government subsidies, focusing on infrastructure and housing loans, is a perfect solution. The program has so much potential to strengthen community bonding through saving and caters to the community’s needs. Consequently, Baan Mankong has been praised by many scholars, with many successful stories of participating communities. However, the struggles of many other communities are still unrevealed. Thus, ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with many stakeholders would help me deepen my knowledge about the community’s efforts.

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

I visited the field site, walked around the neighborhood, and talked with the community members and policymakers. I have learned a lot from my conversations and hope to expand and understand the community more to address their challenges in the Baan Mankong program.

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

The interview process was very nerve-wracking for me at the very beginning. It went a lot easier and better than what I expected. I appreciate everyone I talked to, and it fulfilled some missing pieces I have been finding to learn more about the project. They were happy to welcome me to sit in their meeting, talk to professors who came in for community tourism development, or give me a ride to the nearby location. Going into the field was not only a part of the work process but also one of my enjoyments over the past summer.

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

If you know what your passion is, follow your passion! Talk to people: your professors, TAs, seniors, and advisors. Many people are willing to help you out, and there are many resources to support your research journey. Start with asking and taking action!

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

Learning about the community’s struggles gives a holistic perspective of the Baan Mankong program. Looking at the bright, flourishing communities and recognizing the challenges embedded in the system would help the program benefit a broader range of people. A comprehensive understanding of Baan Mankong would help create a better version. As the Baan Mankong model has also been adopted by other countries, such as the Phillippines, the changes will positively impact Thai communities and benefit other countries in their low-income settlement improvement.

Student Spotlight – Emma Horio

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Emma Horio!

Emma majors in English and is a recipient of the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Research Award. The title of her project is “Tales of Blood and Thunder: Pulp Fiction and Sexuality in the Nineteenth-Century United States.” Horio’s work examines Louisa May Alcott’s sensation fiction, which has led Horio to the Houghton Library, where she will conduct archival research on Alcott’s writings. Her best piece of advice is to take classes with professors who share your research interests and ask for their guidance.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I took a class with my now-advisor in Fall 2022, which piqued my interest in the topic of sexuality in American literature. I took another class with him in Spring when I was deciding on a thesis topic, and decided that I wanted to do a project that engaged with American literature of the Victorian era. After a few false starts, my advisor pointed me toward Louisa May Alcott, and the rest was history.

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

I’m working on Alcott’s sensation fiction, which was fairly recently discovered and consequently hasn’t received as much critical attention. I’m flying to Boston in December to visit the Houghton Library and conduct archival research there, where a lot of her letters, manuscripts, and ephemera are housed. I’m really excited for the opportunity to look at these documents and gain a better understanding of her relationships with her publishers and those around her.

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

It surprised me how easy it is to fall down rabbit holes. I had originally intended to write my thesis on Alcott’s body of sensation fiction as a whole, which was a rookie mistake on my part. There are so many dynamics at play in that massive body of work that narrowing the scope of my project sometimes still seems like a Sisyphean task.

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

Take classes with professors who share your research interests and ask for their guidance. Use the class as an opportunity to show them your skill, potential, and work ethic.

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

I hope that my research can assist in deepening our understanding of how sexuality was communicated in popular literature during the Victorian era and provide support for the idea that queer people have always existed under many different labels and cultural conceptions.

Student Spotlight – Loc Bui

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Loc Bui!

Loc majors in Asian American Studies and participated in the Summer Research Incubator. The title of his project is “Challenge for Growth or a Burden: A Study about Undocumented, Refugee, and Immigrant Students.” Loc’s work relates to his own story as an immigrant student learning to navigate a new education system in the U.S. and explores the topic through the lenses of students with similar life experiences. His best piece of advice is to “find your inner flame and be patient because once it ignites, you will see beautiful things.”

How did you first get interested in your research project?

This research project relates to my personal story: being a student with an immigrant background and navigating the education system in the United States. Therefore, I am very self-motivated to explore this experience from the lens of other students with similar or overlapping lived experiences.

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

Having the opportunity to work with an amazing team of peers, mentors, and the director of the SRI program has been the most exciting aspect of my research experience so far. I also get to hear from professors and well-established researchers at UCLA. On top of that, having the chance to study my identity and community is not only rewarding, but it is also an honor for me to do the work on behalf of a bigger population.

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

I jumped into this research project with nothing but curiosity and an ambition to learn and grow both personally and professionally, and the skills that I learned from this research program are both surprising and helpful. Furthermore, I am also surprised by how time-consuming it is to conduct a research project. Sometimes, a single question or obstacle can take many days for me to figure out and revisit to polish it.

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

You are brave to even think about doing research because you are making yourself known, and exposure like this can be uncomfortable. Doing a research project can be tedious and repetitive at times, so find your inner flame and be patient because once it ignites, you will see beautiful things.

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

I hope that my research topic and findings will further research in interdisciplinary fields such as Ethnic Studies, Critical Refugee Studies, and Labor Studies. I intend for my research not only to echo what has already been said but also to expand the horizon for the field and my community at UCLA and beyond. I also hope to see more donors who would invest in such research as my area of interest and more students who already possess great potential to do such honorable work researching an underprivileged but immeasurably strong population.

Student Spotlight – Geraldine Perez

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Geraldine Perez!

Geraldine majors in Political Science, minors in Disability Studies and Chicana/o and Central American Studies, and participated in the Summer Research Incubator program. The title of her project is “Know Your Rights: Life, Labor, and Legality in the Central Valley.” Gerladine’s work is inspired by her passion for immigration advocacy and her personal experience as the daughter of immigrant agricultural workers. Her research explores how employment discrimination, legal status, and activism influence migrant families in relation to labor. Geraldine’s best piece of advice is to build on the concepts you are passionate about to create a transformative experience in your academic and personal growth journey.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

My passion for immigration advocacy was initiated in my childhood, as I have experienced the impacts of migration first-hand. Growing up in the Central Valley, migrant workers are not unfamiliar, producing 25% of the nation’s food. As the daughter of immigrant agricultural workers, my family would also often travel from Mexico to the United States and seek work under seasonal produce, while others would migrate within the country to support their families. Immigration affects the number of workers in the economy, demonstrating a direct correlation between immigration and the labor market. My interest in supporting immigrant families has led to my curiosity about how employment discrimination, legal status, and activism influence migrant families when it comes to labor.

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

I enjoyed building a community with like-minded individuals who were passionate about their work. I also had the opportunity to work with and learn from my amazing mentor, Iris Ramirez, who helped make this program an amazing experience. I was able to combine my interests in legal advocacy, social media, and design to create a project I was proud of. I enjoyed visualizing and finally seeing my project come together despite the few doubts that occurred throughout the early stages of my research.

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

I was surprised to find the lack of information regarding my topic at the beginning stages of my research. Most of the current data was not specific to the region I originally intended to investigate, which is why I had to focus on the Central Valley or California at large instead of diving into my hometown. This emphasized the importance of my desire to advocate for the Central Valley community. I was also unaware of the many injustices proposed by the law in the United States when it comes to migrant workers, which is disappointing.

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

I advise students to build on the concepts they are passionate about to create a transformative experience in their academic and personal growth journey. By engaging in something you care about, the time spent working on it does not seem laborious but fulfilling. No matter the size of the topic, the power it holds can make such a difference. I encourage students to identify their passions and embrace them as tools for self-discovery and change.

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 the necessary support and advocacy for agricultural workers and immigrant families in the Central Valley. The law is supposed to protect workers, but threats continue to be used to justify wrongdoings. The existing research demonstrates the importance of studying migration in smaller cities in the Central Valley and in understanding immigrant communities. It sheds light on the background of migrant workers and the struggles they face daily. This is why it is important to look into small agricultural cities just as much as large ones. It allows migrant workers to receive the benefits they deserve, and it gives Central Valley communities the chance to be fairly represented when making decisions. It provides support and adds to the importance of building on immigrant research in academia to prevent the recurrence of ignoring agricultural workers and immigrant families in our legal system.

Student Spotlight – Madison Lee

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Madison Lee!

Madison majors in Sociology and minors in Mathematics for Teaching and Education Studies. The title of her project is “What factors dissuade/compel HASS faculty to mentor undergraduate researchers at UCLA?” Her work explores how to expand HASS research opportunities for undergraduates at UCLA by increasing faculty mentorship and the benefits of conducting HASS research. Madison’s best piece of advice is to pursue what you are passionate about and persevere in the face of adversity.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

When I came to UCLA, I knew that I wanted to do research, but I struggled with finding a mentor. I developed a research project and asked numerous faculty members to be my mentor, but most of them declined because they were preoccupied with other duties. When I was offered a chance to do research over the summer on factors that affect faculty willingness to mentor undergraduates, I was excited at the opportunity to conduct research on a topic that had affected me directly.

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

After a few months of research, I and two other UCLA undergraduate researchers were selected to join the Council on Undergraduate Research’s Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR) Program. Through STR, we traveled to Washington, D.C., to talk to education representatives from Senator Alex Padilla’s, Representative Ted Lieu’s, and Representative Nanette Barragán’s offices. We advocated for increasing HASS undergraduate research opportunities nationwide so that other HASS students can benefit from research experiences. It was exciting to explore Washington, D.C., and the Capitol, and this experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of HASS research and the power I have as a UCLA undergraduate.

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

I was surprised to find out how little people know about HASS research. Before this year, I did not know much about HASS undergraduate research opportunities, and I never imagined myself as capable of conducting research as a project lead. When conducting a literature review, I was also surprised to discover little existing literature on HASS research and its impact on participants. Although I started out not knowing much, this experience has helped me grow as a person and opened my eyes to the possibilities of HASS research. The freedom associated with doing HASS research has increased my self-efficacy and confidence in my abilities as a sociologist.

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

Find a topic you are passionate about, and do not give up on it. My research has taught me that if you can’t find a mentor, it is not a reflection of your abilities or potential as a researcher. Instead, it is an unfortunate outcome of the lack of compensation or support for HASS faculty to mentor undergraduates. We need more HASS researchers, so keep reaching out to faculty. Even if they are unable to be a mentor, they can help you improve your proposal as you search for a different mentor. If you are not sure what to research yet, apply for URC–HASS programs to dip your toes into research.

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

I hope to increase HASS research opportunities for undergraduates so that more students can benefit from the experience. I also hope to help people understand the importance and value of HASS fields. Our society places a bigger emphasis on STEM fields, which delegitimizes people who are interested in HASS fields. However, everyone has their own contributions to the world, and we should not base people’s values on their interests. I hope to change people’s perspectives on the STEM-HASS divide and inspire more interdisciplinary work because both types of work are valuable.

Student Spotlight – Mario Peng Lee

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Mario Peng Lee!

Mario majors in Linguistics & Computer Science and Psychology, minors in Data Science Engineering, and is in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. The title of his project is “Meta-Learning in Language Learning Technology.” Mario’s work studies a flaw in current language learning: the maximization of screen time and exposure, which may not be the optimal way to learn a new language. His best piece of advice is to look at the world critically, find a problem with a tangible solution, and develop a small idea into a bigger project.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

As an active language learner, I noticed a flaw in current language learning technology. Most apps and websites maximize screen time and exposure using tools such as gamification and rewards. However, while this can increase user exposure to the target language, it may not be the most optimal process. Additionally, the detrimental effects of screen time are widely known, and it would be ideal to reduce it.

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

Brainstorming alternative teaching methods has been incredibly exciting. I had to dive deep into many different disciplines such as the psychology of motivation, linguistics, game design, and even machine learning!

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

I was surprised by the amount of existing work on the topic I selected. I was also incredibly surprised by the lack of scientific support all the current language learning technologies have.

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

The best way to start doing research is by looking at the world critically and finding a problem with a tangible solution. I would advise students to start with small ideas that evolve into bigger projects rather than the other way around. Ask for help from professors. If they are busy, it is always a good idea to collaborate with grad students.

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

I hope my research can contribute to the ongoing discussion on (language) learning technology. I hope to contribute a meaningful study, algorithm, design, or method to increase the validity of certain claims that these technologies make.