Student Spotlight – Madison Lee
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.