Meet Mary Vlamis ’20, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) double majoring in Economics and Political Science.

What is the focus of your research?

I am a part of two current research projects. One focuses on gender and ethnic discrimination in the Peruvian labor market, the other focuses on tort reform and public opinion.

Why did you get involved in research activity?

I have always been a curious person, and I have a genuine interest in most of the classes I take. Working hard and showing interest in my classes lead professors to approach me to assist them in their projects. Research is a long and difficult process, but my love for the topics I research helps me to stay focused!

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Put yourself out there! Ask questions in class if something interests you, or go to office hours and talk with faculty on their research. This is the only time in your life you will be surrounded by people who know so much about things you elect to study. Take advantage of it!

What do you enjoy the most about participating in research?

I most enjoy figuring out a creative way to solve a problem. In social science research, it is often difficult to measure your subject of interest. You have to think outside of the box to construct a project that properly analyzes what you intend.

Describe the impact your research experience has had on you.

My research experience has taught me to be patient with myself and be patient with the process.  In this, I have learned that I am capable of much more than I once believed. My research experience has also added a new dimension to my interest in public policy.

Meet Brendan Hogan ’21, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Political Science, Psychology, and Philosophy.

What is the focus of your research?

In my Freshman and Sophomore years, I participated in research that revolved around the influence of intellectual humility upon public discourse. Essentially, when someone engages in a conversation with another person over a political issue in today’s political climate, the conversation tends to go into one of two directions. When a conversation begins, it can either end with both parties either agreeing or both parties disagreeing. When both parties disagree over a topic, a hostile conversation usually is created where both sides become angry and attempt to force their opinion on the other. Thus, the researchers I worked with were trying to create a third outcome where parties instead agreed to disagree. With this, an attempt was made to have both sides acknowledge the facts of the other side and ultimately end the conversation with a humble realization that we are all trying to find a solution. Thus, the overall goals were to promote this idea that we are all attempting to solve the issues of today and need to work together as a society to compromise.

Currently, I am beginning to participate on a project that will examine the role of race and the far-right in the making of the US-led postwar ‘liberal international order’. In particular, through theoretically-informed empirical analysis, the manuscript that I will be helping edit will show how the far-right contributed to the crystallization of a distinct racialized anticommunist politics at home crucial to US power-projection abroad.

In the future, I hopefully will be able to carry out a research project where I can intertwine my love for photography with this current project I am working on. I may look towards the area of political journalism to find a more solidified direction for my project.

Why did you get involved in research?

When I was provided my initial opportunity to carry out research, I saw it as a chance to become exposed to a real life research project. From that opportunity, I hoped that I would be able to take what I learned and then carry out my own project. While the research experiment was an important aspect of the project, it was also pertinent that I became accustomed to the behind-the-scenes management and organization of a project.

In addition, I chose all these research opportunities as I felt a desire to understand these areas of political science and attempt to figure out how researchers are trying to solve the political issues of today. Without this desire to take part in these specific projects, I would not have gotten involved as the work and research may not have been enjoyable.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

When you are jumping into college, it is easy to sign up for and commit to many extracurricular activities. If I could give you any advice, it would be to try to find a few things that you love the most and stay committed to those activities throughout your undergraduate years. Work to improve those clubs, positions, and opportunities, but also look to find a balance between your own personal life and college career. The next few years will be some of the most enjoyable years of your life, so don’t forget to take the time to not only build your resume, but to grow as an individual and find yourself. If you can do this, you will be able to graduate with an idea of what is important to you and what you want to do after your time at UConn.

Describe the impact your research experience has had on you.

After I finished my research around intellectual humility, I found that I have begun to approach arguments from the perspectives of both sides. This concept has really shed light on the issue of political polarization for me and has shown me that it is important to work towards compromises. With this real world application of research, this experience has left a lasting impact on my outlook in my everyday interactions with others.

What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?

After I graduate, I hope to go to law school and eventually practice law in Connecticut, D.C., or New York. From this research, it has inspired me to try to see both sides in debates and conversations so that the facts of the argument can first be examined. From there, it has shown to me that no one side is necessarily always right, but rather both sides should try to meet in the middle and overcome any divides. Without people attempting to reach a middle ground, our polarized political climate will only worsen in the future. Thus, as my previous research was applicable to my area of studies, I have found that it has allowed me to grow as a political scientist, a potential lawyer, and even as an individual.

Meet Brendan Hogan ’21, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Political Science, Psychology, and Philosophy.

What is the focus of your research?

In my Freshman and Sophomore years, I participated in research that revolved around the influence of intellectual humility upon public discourse. Essentially, when someone engages in a conversation with another person over a political issue in today’s political climate, the conversation tends to go into one of two directions. When a conversation begins, it can either end with both parties either agreeing or both parties disagreeing. When both parties disagree over a topic, a hostile conversation usually is created where both sides become angry and attempt to force their opinion on the other. Thus, the researchers I worked with were trying to create a third outcome where parties instead agreed to disagree. With this, an attempt was made to have both sides acknowledge the facts of the other side and ultimately end the conversation with a humble realization that we are all trying to find a solution. Thus, the overall goals were to promote this idea that we are all attempting to solve the issues of today and need to work together as a society to compromise.

Currently, I am beginning to participate on a project that will examine the role of race and the far-right in the making of the US-led postwar ‘liberal international order’. In particular, through theoretically-informed empirical analysis, the manuscript that I will be helping edit will show how the far-right contributed to the crystallization of a distinct racialized anticommunist politics at home crucial to US power-projection abroad.

In the future, I hopefully will be able to carry out a research project where I can intertwine my love for photography with this current project I am working on. I may look towards the area of political journalism to find a more solidified direction for my project.

Why did you get involved in research?

When I was provided my initial opportunity to carry out research, I saw it as a chance to become exposed to a real life research project. From that opportunity, I hoped that I would be able to take what I learned and then carry out my own project. While the research experiment was an important aspect of the project, it was also pertinent that I became accustomed to the behind-the-scenes management and organization of a project.

In addition, I chose all these research opportunities as I felt a desire to understand these areas of political science and attempt to figure out how researchers are trying to solve the political issues of today. Without this desire to take part in these specific projects, I would not have gotten involved as the work and research may not have been enjoyable.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

When you are jumping into college, it is easy to sign up for and commit to many extracurricular activities. If I could give you any advice, it would be to try to find a few things that you love the most and stay committed to those activities throughout your undergraduate years. Work to improve those clubs, positions, and opportunities, but also look to find a balance between your own personal life and college career. The next few years will be some of the most enjoyable years of your life, so don’t forget to take the time to not only build your resume, but to grow as an individual and find yourself. If you can do this, you will be able to graduate with an idea of what is important to you and what you want to do after your time at UConn.

Describe the impact your research experience has had on you.

After I finished my research around intellectual humility, I found that I have begun to approach arguments from the perspectives of both sides. This concept has really shed light on the issue of political polarization for me and has shown me that it is important to work towards compromises. With this real world application of research, this experience has left a lasting impact on my outlook in my everyday interactions with others.

What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?

After I graduate, I hope to go to law school and eventually practice law in Connecticut, D.C., or New York. From this research, it has inspired me to try to see both sides in debates and conversations so that the facts of the argument can first be examined. From there, it has shown to me that no one side is necessarily always right, but rather both sides should try to meet in the middle and overcome any divides. Without people attempting to reach a middle ground, our polarized political climate will only worsen in the future. Thus, as my previous research was applicable to my area of studies, I have found that it has allowed me to grow as a political scientist, a potential lawyer, and even as an individual.

Meet Kavita Rana ’20, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology and minoring in Psychological Sciences.

What is the focus of your research?

The focus of our research is on parasitic organisms and how to hinder growth and replication in order to avoid disease on a macroscopic level.

Why did you get involved in research?

I became involved in research because I thought it was interesting to see science applied in real life.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

I would tell freshman to get involved in research early in their college career so they can start getting a better idea of the field they want to go into. Another benefit of starting early is that you can become more independent by the time you are an upperclassman.

What is your greatest accomplishment so far?

My greatest accomplishment in research was being an author on a publication. I was especially happy to contribute to the project in a major way. It really opened my eyes to research and the field, which was good for me as a premed student. I’m always learning about physiological processes, and it is great to see the things I’ve learned in class be applied in the real world.

What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?

My plan after graduation is to attend medical school. Being involved in research has exposed me to a microscopic level of medicine that I didn’t know existed. For example, I was researching the relationship between sickle cell diseased patients and bone health. I learned about both of these topics, but I had not thought to investigate the relationship between them.

Meet Ian Sands ’20, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Biomedical Engineering.

What is the focus of your research?

Using nanoparticles as vehicles for drug delivery into biological tissue that is normally difficult to penetrate.  I work with chondrocytes, neurons, astrocytes, and microglial cells with the hopes of delivering nucleic acids at a high penetration efficiency.

Why did you get involved in research?

I began research in order to become more involved with the particular interests I had within biomedical engineering.  As an undergraduate studying within a broad major with many avenues of specialty, I was able to take time to settle on a topic that truly interested me which just so happened to be tissue engineering via nanoparticle drug therapy.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

My advice to freshman would be to remain unbiased towards opportunities that come their way.  Speaking academically, keep an open mind to subjects and research opportunities that may arise because you never know the types of collaborations and perspectives you can gain through the various fields of study.

Describe the impact your research experience has had on you.

Research as an undergraduate has helped me stay focused and consistent, especially as a senior that is nearing the end of my four years at UConn.  Any worry that I had about losing motivation as time goes on has disappeared completely and I am continuously motivated by the results, both retrospective and prospective, that I produce on a week-to-week basis.

What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?

My post-graduate plans involve pursuing my Ph.D in biomedical engineering with a specific focus in nanomedicine and/or drug therapy.  There is increasing demand in the research community with respects to nanomedicine in cancer treatment and tissue regeneration applications and I would like to take my skill set and perspective into a lab that focuses on some of these topics.  My experience as an undergraduate researcher will be invaluable especially due to the many publications and presentations that I will have authorship on.  There are also multiple opportunities for me to present at both Frontiers conferences and even a few international ones which will further assist me in my outreach and connections process.

Meet Abigail LaFontan ’20, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Political Science and minoring in French.

What is the focus of your research?

The overall focus of my research is food policy and the environment. I want to move on to do environmental law and public health so I have tailored my research projects to be related to these areas.

Why did you get involved in research/creative activity?

I got involved in research because it allowed me to pursue my interests independent of any classroom setting or grading system. Research has always appealed to me because I like to have a broad base of knowledge and I like to pursue my interests as I see them, not by following a course curriculum. So, I use my major courses and requirements as my way to learn about political science and french, and then I use my research to learn about the intersection between these areas and my other passions, and their overall applicability to reality. Research, in the end, brings you deeper into reality.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Don’t be afraid to reach out. Research was the best thing I got involved with here at UConn and it all started because I got an email from a political science professor the July before I began my freshman year about an offer to apply for a political science research assistant position. I look back on that opportunity and consider myself lucky for how the research came to me and I consider how much differently my undergraduate career may have gone had I not applied or had I never received that email.

Even if an opportunity doesn’t present itself automatically, realize that there are so many ways you can pursue all of your interests. Don’t let yourself become too focused on one path and miss the chances all around you to expand your perspective and do some learning to advance your passions. Research can truly help you find the connection in this world between all of your interests.

What do you enjoy most about participating in research?

I most enjoy the community that comes with conducting research at UConn. Whether you are working with a professor, a mentor, your friends, or a research advisor from the Office of Undergraduate Research, you are surrounded by people who are interested in what they are doing and truly want to be there. It is a unique community in which you can truly get to know someone through their interests as presented through their research endeavors.

What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?

After graduation I plan to go to law school and pursue the intersection between public health and environmental law with my main focus staying on food policy. My involvement in research has helped me define my personal interests and goals by giving me the opportunity to go outside of my classes and learn through doing. Through my different projects, I have been able to refine my passions so I better understand how I can accomplish my personal goals and how I can apply my interests to my future career.