Student Spotlight – Jamie Jiang

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Jamie Jiang!

Jamie Jiang majors in Linguistics and is in our Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP)! The title of her project is “Cops On Campus: The Untold Story Of The UCPD.” Her goal is to help the community shape the future in terms of police presence on campus. Her best piece of advice is to get all the help that you can and not be afraid to talk to people!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I started this project independently at the Daily Bruin and continued after I left the paper. I first got interested during the summer of the George Floyd murder and Chauvin case. This project kind of fell into my lap — all around me were people attacking and defending the UCPD, but it suddenly occurred to me most people had no idea why the UCPD was even created.

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

I’ve loved interviewing and finding sources. I got to interview a giant in the podcasting world, Chenjerai Kumanyika, who brought me into this sort of fold of journalists who write about police. I’ll forever be grateful for that.

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

I’ve been surprised by how slow it can be. Journalism is a lot faster, even investigative journalism, which happens kind of at a breakneck pace because you’re trying to outrun other investigators. This project is much slower and tests my ability to complete long-term projects a lot more.

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

Get all the help that you can! Don’t be afraid to talk to people! A graduate student mentor at the URC told me to apply for URFP. At the time, I was just talking to him about my *idea* for a project. I had no idea you could get money for doing research. Take advantage of the community you’re in!

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

I hope this work puts valuable information in the hands of Bruins about why their world is the way it is. I hope my podcast helps the community shape the future in terms of police presence on campus.

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.

Student Spotlight – Mursal Sidiqi

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Mursal Sidiqi!

Mursal Sidiqi majors in English and minors in Comparative Literature and is in our Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP)! The title of her project is “The Most Western Women in the Empire: Orientalist Feminisms’ Reformations of the Oriental Woman Trope.” Her focus is to contribute to modern American feminist discourses by talking about and researching Muslim women’s roles in feminist movements. Her best piece of advice is to study what you’re passionate about.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

My interest in my research project stems from my identity and experiences as a Muslim and Afghan woman. As an English major, I found it interesting that the Orient became a concept of fascination and sublimity in the 18th and 19th centuries in Britain. I wondered how true the representations of “Eastern” women were in texts that were authored by British women, which led to my thesis project. Traces of the alterities and misrepresentations of Southwest Asian and African women are prevalent today. In tracing the origins of the Oriental woman trope, I aim to uncover the histories of Orientalist feminisms in British literature and examine their contemporary incarnations that impact women like myself.

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

I am most excited with the opportunity to engage with scholarship. I feel that the more knowledge I gain on my topic through reading scholarship, the more my research flexes and aims to address points that were previously overlooked or unknown to me. It is so fulfilling to create something new in a conversation that has been discussing your interests for so many years.

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

I was surprised by the amount of willpower it takes to stay structured throughout all of the different stages of the research process. I often find myself backtracking into the different stages whenever I find that I need to revise a part of my argument. It is sometimes difficult to maintain a steady schedule, but I find that the more I revisit my argument’s main points, my motivation is renewed and I get back on track with my schedule!

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

It may seem cliché, but I would advise anyone interested in research to dedicate their time studying what they are passionate about. The research will be more fun and more fulfilling if it’s something you love. There are so many voices whose stories can impact the world and create connections through research. Your passion matters in research!

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

I hope to challenge the UCLA community to examine the representations of groups in the literature they read and the media they consume. In my field, I aim to add my voice to connect and intersect past ideas in order to illuminate a new basis for understanding the Oriental woman trope across genres and literary forms. I hope to contribute to modern American feminist discourses by talking about and researching Muslim women’s roles in feminist movements.

Student Spotlight – Lucia Ribisi

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Lucia Ribisi!

Lucia Ribisi majors in Gender Studies and minors in Literature and the Environment and is in our Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP)! The title of their project is “‘After Z’ Honors Thesis Documentary.” Their focus is to leverage artistic skill, emotional sensitivity, environmental ethics, and reproductive thought to spark conversation amongst young people about the role of fantasy as we co-create the future. Their best piece of advice is to find a mentor who really understands you.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

Searching for a research topic to commit to for my senior thesis, I met Jack Weerts, an undergraduate film minor – who was working on a documentary around asking young people the question “Is it OK to have a child?” considering climate change. As a former birth and postpartum doula, forever wannabe mom, and environmentalist; this topic well-suited my interests.

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

Learning how to put my research to video, transforming essay into visual media, has been very rewarding. The project gives me an excuse to talk about ethics amongst my community, and beyond, for the first time.

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

I have been surprised at how my process and approach has changed since September when I started working on the project. A long term project is a good way to measure one’s growth.

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

Don’t let disciplinary limits bother you. In a rich ecology, even the weeds get watered. Find a mentor who really understands you. This has been key. Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to do this project without the inspiration and support of my advisor, Dr. Sharon Traweek.

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

I hope that my film and thesis paper leverage artistic skill, emotional sensitivity, environmental ethics, and reproductive thought to spark conversation amongst young people about the role of fantasy as we co-create the future.

Student Spotlight – Lilly Angel

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Lilly Angel!

Lilly Angel majors in American Literature and Culture and minors in Chicano/Central American Studies and is in our Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF)! The title of her project is “Radical Love & Solidarity: Reading the Families of the Incarcerated.” She focuses on how her research will help change the way society looks at the incarcerated and the practices within the prison industrial complex. Her best piece of advice is to do what sets you off, not what people “think” you should do.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

Through AAP’s summer transfer program; shout out to Professors San Juan and Huehls.

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

Seeing it come to life. I went from thinking I could never do research or even understand HOW research in English could exist to now slowly create connections and applying it to a project close to my heart.

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

How non linear it truly is! I’m use to having things set up in a plan, but I’ve had to learn to be comfortable with not knowing and enjoying the process.

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

Do what sets you off. Follow that path, don’t go for what people “think” you should study.

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

I hope my research in addition to being the basis for continuing into graduate school will help change the way society looks at the incarcerated and their incarcerated in addition to the practices within the prison industrial complex.

Student Spotlight – Desiree Eshraghi

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Desiree Eshraghi!

Desiree Eshraghi majors in Psychobiology and minors in Disability Studies and is in our Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP). The title of her project is “Disability and Heat: Physiological and Social Disparities in Regards to Heat Exposure.” She hopes to expand people’s perspective of disability by providing insight into the complexity of the subject. Her best piece of advice is to pursue what interests you!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

Growing up in the sunny San Fernando valley can be tough. Constantly sweating, the inescapable threat of sunburn, and burning hot asphalt. Heat in California is undoubtedly a serious public health issue. However, even as a child, I distinguished the difference in experience and needs my brother, who is autistic and epileptic, had in response to the heat compared to mine. Overt exhaustion, especially heat exhaustion, could trigger a seizure.

I was reminded of these stark differences in heat protection and thermal comfort between my brother and I when joined Dr. Venkat’s Heat Lab. There, we seek to explore the interdisciplinary ways heat interacts with community health such as through physiological means, sociological means, etc. As I decided to pursue my minor in Disability Studies, I also chose to pursue this research topic in the Heat Lab.

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

Seeing just how interconnected my research is to so many fields is beyond exciting, let alone the real-world applications to improving heat protection guidelines to better protect the disability community. Research regardless of field is so interdisciplinary and interactive, ever-expanding in unexpected and exciting ways!

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

It has surprised me to what degree disability is obscured or euphemized in research – making it quite more difficult to find relevant disability research. “Comorbidities”, “Pre-existing conditions”, “rehabilitation”: all these words refer to some form of disability (even temporary) yet are not often considered so by the general population or advanced search engines. This revealed to me the precision and determination needed to seek out relevant literature in regards to my research topic.

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

Pursue your interests and in time, you will find how it applies to your career field. As an aspiring physician, it may be surprising to see me become an Undergraduate Researcher Fellow through HASS, but it’s been an undeniably profound experience so far that is sure to aid me in my future medical career. Everything interconnects, and my research into the disability community and community health in general will surely prepare me in better understanding the backgrounds and special circumstances of all my future patients. Similarly, if you find yourself going against the grain in regards to your career field pathway, be sure to explore it the fullest!

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 push our Bruin and LA community at large to be more inclusive and accessible to all members of their community. Furthermore, I hope this research expands people’s perspectives into how we see disability and that it is much more complex than a straightforward medical diagnosis or as only a response to our built environment.

Student Spotlight – Maggie Dent

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Maggie Dent!

Maggie Dent majors in Global Studies and minors in Global Health and is in our Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP). The title of her project is “Gendered Care Work Migration: Nursing and Globalization.” She focuses on what it means to be a care worker in our globalized world. Her best piece of advice is to take your project one step at a time!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I first encountered the idea of gendered care work migration in my Introduction to Global Studies class during my Sophomore year. It was an idea that stuck with me because I immediately related to the idea, yet I had never had a term to describe the concept. As I looked more into it, I became enthralled with how relevant it was to my everyday life, yet it was so overlooked. Nurses, nannies, cleaners, sex workers: these are all care workers and many of them are immigrant women. As a Global Studies student I wanted to explore how larger patterns of interconnection have fostered the growth of a so-called “care economy” and the ethical dilemmas that come with extracting care from other countries. My interest in Global Health led me to focus on nurses as care workers and how the Global North has come to rely on foreign-born and foreign-trained nurses to run our healthcare systems.

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

The most excited aspect of my research has been reading the vast amounts of literature on different migration patterns throughout the world. I’ve read articles from the Philippines, Italy, Georgia, Latvia, China, the United Kingdom, and the US who all have something unique to say about care workers migration. I feel like I have learned so much from these authors and truly gotten a global view on the issue. It has been an amazing experience getting to dive so deep into one issue and see the nuances and criticisms it has drawn. Reading others research has made me a better writer and scholar.

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

One thing that has surprised me is how supportive the research community can be. I was very nervous to embark on my research project because it was such an independent assignment, but actually I have gotten so much help from the people around me and it has made it feel way more manageable. My advisor, the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, and my fellow students have always been so helpful to me and truly want me to succeed which makes the process not only easier but also more fun.

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

My main piece of advice for future UCLA student researchers is to take your project one step at a time. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about a year long research project, but working with your advisor to create a schedule and timeline will really help to break down the process and make it super manageable! Also remember that there are so many other student researchers having the same struggles that you are and you aren’t alone. Reach out to them for help!

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 help to shed light on a truly important migration phenomenon taking place around us. Oftentimes care workers are overlooked because their labor is undervalued or deskilled. In fact, they are some of the most important workers in the labor force and they are not recognized for the amazing work that they do. Immigrant women are doing jobs that few native-born workers want, but they are doing it while being exploited, underpaid, and disrespected. I hope that my research will make people think about what it means to be a care worker in our globalized world.

Student Spotlight – Amy Vandyken

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Amy Vandyken!

Amy Vandyken majors in Political Science and minors in Disability Studies and Education and is in our Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP)! The title of her project is “Incorporating Accessibility into Critical Media Literacy Curriculum for LAUSD Ethnic Studies courses.” She focuses on how Ethnic Studies educators can fuse both Critical Media Literacy and Accessibility education. Her best piece of advice is to not conform to arbitrary standards of “typical research.”

How did you first get interested in your research project?

During fall quarter of my third year, I took an EDUC 187 titled, “Introduction to Critical Media Literacy.” The class focused on analyzing media representations, questioning the process of “normalizing” dominant ideologies, and creating counter-hegemonic media texts. The class was actually taught by Professor Jeff Share, who is now my faculty mentor (as well as an amazing human being)! Then, this past Fall Quarter, I took DESMA 171: Disability, Design, and the Web, which focused on universal design, assistive technology, and disability justice. I hope to merge the knowledge I acquired in both of these courses and in my outside experiences to develop a mock curriculum/base guidelines on how Ethnic Studies educators can fuse both Critical Media Literacy and Accessibility education in order to question the power of the word, image, and sound bite to represent social injustice.

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

My faculty mentor, Jeff Share, is one of the biggest advocates for Critical Media Literacy education to be a required part of LAUSD’s general curriculum. I am excited to contribute to this work, and push for disability studies to be included in this development. Additionally, it’s been an honor getting to work with so many educators (I want to be a teacher in the future), Critical Media Literacy experts, and Disability Studies experts.

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

I’ve been surprised with how much autonomy, and in turn, individual responsibility, I have as a student researcher. I honed in on my research question, developed my own research timeline, and cold emailed various experts in the field, with support/guidance from my faculty mentor, but not oversight. It’s been interesting finding a balance between meeting all the deadlines but also recognizing that you can also afford yourself some flexibility.

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

Don’t conform to arbitrary standards of what “typical research.” Also, there will always be people out there who care about your work – make the first person yourself!

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

Disability/Access is often left to the wayside when it comes to social justice topics – however, it is intricately interwoven with other injustices facing vulnerable communities. I hope for my research to be the first step in my lifelong journey of incorporating disability advocacy and uplifting disabled voices in practice, research, and theory.

Student Spotlight – Steven Bech

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Steven Bech!

Steven Bech majors in History and minors in Film, Television, Digital Media and is in our Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP). The title of his project is “The Reactions of East and West Germany to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.” His focus is to contribute to the historical narrative of the Cuban Missile Crisis by exploring the narratives of people from different strata and countries. His best piece of advice for those interested in research: Don’t be intimidated.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

As a community college transfer student, I knew I wanted to participate in the History Honors Program before I applied to UCLA. Once I have been accepted, I did not hesitate to fulfill all the necessary requirements to be able to participate in the program and seek out a faculty mentor who was willing to work with me on this project. After dozens of emails and office hours, I was fortunate enough to land in Professor Kevin Y. Kim’s class, a Cold War historian at UCLA. Knowing that I was interested in a research project about any recent conflicts of the twentieth century, including World War II and the Cold War, Professor Kim helped me to develop a topic that has not been explored yet in the existing Cold War scholarship—the reactions of East and West Germany to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. As an international student from Germany, this particular topic immediately spoke to me as I would not only be able to rely on German primary sources to develop my thesis, but also learn about the upbringing of my parents during these turbulent years of the Cold War. Now, I could finally begin the research process.

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

What I truly love about my research is the fact that many of the sources that I incorporate in my thesis of this event that occurred in October 1962 are largely unknown to the greater public. I especially get lost in the littlest details that really allow me to put myself in the shoes of the people who lived through these uneasy times, allowing me to see the world through their eyes. Creating something entirely new and diving into a previously unexplored topic can be intimidating at times, but the experience itself and the knowledge acquired by the end of the project is worth the time and effort.

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

Having worked on this research project for almost a year now, including archival research, I quickly gained an appreciation for the work historians do. When I read any history book today, I look at the words and phrases that the author wrote with great respect. Now that I understand how much work goes into the research and writing process and recognize how challenging it can be to put these puzzle pieces together to create a narrative that is not only true to its core but also entertaining to read, I truly admire those who dedicate their lives to share with the public what has previously been hidden or unknown.

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

The greatest piece of advice that I would like to share with the UCLA community and anyone who is interested in this endeavor is: Don’t be intimidated. In my case, the Cuban Missile Crisis is one of the most studied events in Cold War history, as hundreds of books and academic articles have been written about this international incident. Needless to say, I was enormously overwhelmed when I started out, also because I needed to deal with the challenges of conducting research during a worldwide pandemic. I cannot even count how many times I doubted myself and started to contemplate whether or not I made a mistake by signing up for this program. Fortunately, Professor Kim reassured me time and time again that it is only natural for historians to feel this way, encouraging me to keep going. With his help, I eventually found ways to effectively face this mountain of literature and scholarship and actually enjoy the research and writing process.

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

Beyond hoping to encourage other students to engage in the research process, I am hoping that my thesis will not only find a place in the existing scholarship and contribute to the historical narrative of the Cuban Missile Crisis, but also encourage other researchers to add to this ongoing conversation. With a primary focus on the key participants—the United States, Soviet Union, and Cuba—in the contemporary scholarship, there is so much more ground to cover from different angles that could significantly change how we view this military standoff. Being part of a new wave of historic scholarship that explores the narratives of people from different strata and countries, the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis is far from complete.