CISS Research Interns Archive

Nathaniel Clizbe (CAS’25) is a senior in Computer Science with a minor in History. His academic interests are algorithms, probability, and American history, and his professional goal is to work on novel applications of technology to the social sciences. This summer, Nathaniel will be a Summer Writing Intern for the Center on Mind and Culture (CMAC). Nathaniel enjoys editorial work and will spend his time this summer writing articles, profiles, and blog updates for the Center for Mind and Culture’s Lawson Interviews project. 

Anne Joseph (CAS’25) is a senior studying Sociology and African American and Black Diaspora Studies with research interests in anti-capitalist/anti-imperialist resistance movements, gentrification studies, and racial justice. They previously interned at the racial equity focused educational non-profit Trinity Boston Connects last summer and can’t wait to continue their experience working in communications as a SWIP intern for the Center for Innovation in Social Science (CISS). Anne also is an enthusiastic lover of musical theater and afrofuturist novels.

Devin Rauscher (CAS’26) is a junior currently pursuing a degree in History, with a concentration in American history. They have research interests in labor, incarceration, identity, and environmental justice, and they are excited to explore these topics during the Summer Writing Internship Program. This summer, he will be working with the Center on Forced Displacement (CFD) to promote research, profile associated faculty and students, and increase engagement with center programs. In his free time, he enjoys reading, writing, and hanging out with his cat, Kiwi.

Mika Yao (CAS’25) is a senior studying Political Science and International Relations with a minor in Chinese. This summer, Mika will be a Summer Writing Intern at the Center on Forced Displacement (CFD). Prior to joining the CFD, Mika interned with the American Immigration Council, focusing on finding policy-oriented solutions to social challenges. With a strong passion for immigration justice, she is excited to work with other researchers in the field to develop her own research project this summer. 

Rayea Jain (COM’26) is a sophomore currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. She has a concentration in socio-cultural anthropology, which primarily revolves around the study of communities outside of her own. Being able to connect her passion for journalism with anthropology has only strengthened her opportunities to use my platform to tell the stories of other people. She’s looking forward to finding a career as a broadcast journalist. She loves working in social settings and is comfortable working on multi-media platforms. Rayea will be working with the CAS Communications Team over the summer to help promote social science research and expertise of faculty, tell stories of student experiences, publicize achievements of faculty, staff, and students, and build community within our diverse liberal arts school.

Natalie Hawkins (CAS’25) is a senior in Political Science & Philosophy, minoring in Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies. This summer she is working with Dr. Lida Maxwell with research for a new book, A New Sex Ed: A Politics of Desire for The Future. Dr. Maxwell’s project seeks to develop a philosophy of sex education grounded in feminist, queer, and anti-racist work, in order to investigate how sex and sexual desire matter to citizenship and democratic theory. The book plans to address the needs of young people who desire a new form of sex education, one that prioritizes the exploratyion of sexual identity, sexual autonomy, and sexual pleasure that is rooted in feminist and racial theory. Natalie is researching sex educatin policies at the state and federal level and comparing each state policy and passing legislation to each other based on how effective the mandate is in creating healthy and safe sex practices. Natalie’s research also involved archival work in queer and lesbian history, as Professor Maxwell’s book focuses on intimacy and desire in queer forms of love, and how to subert structural constraints through these connections.

Martin Aucoin (GRS, Anthropology)  is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociocultural Anthropology with a focus on food, economics, transnational supply chains and migration. He is currently conducting dissertation fieldwork in The Gambia and the United States on the exporting of American poultry products to West Africa. To learn more about Aucoin’s research and publications, visit his webpage.

Jessica Garber (GRS, Anthropology) is a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology. Her dissertation project works with current university students and recent alumni of higher education institutions in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Specifically, she explores the affective attachment university students have with education and how their attachment to education has impacted their lives beyond school, including their social networks as well as romantic and family relationships. This summer, Jessica will be working with Partners in Health (PIH) to edit and publish a journal article based on research about increasingly the visibility and incentives for academic medical doctors to conduct engaged and public work. She is excited to learn from the research conducted for the article and to coordinate conversations with others about how to make engaged or public work more incentivized for medical faculty.  

Lilian “Lily” Connor (CAS ’25) is majoring in Political Science and History with a minor in Classical Civilizations. For the duration of her CISS research internship, she’ll be working on a project concerning the evolving U.S. constitutional identity and how social and institutional forces influence this evolution. She hopes to discover how our understanding of our own national identity factors into current conversations surrounding the rise of authoritarianism and illiberalism. Additionally, she hopes to gain insight into the academic research process, from research design to data collection and synthesis, in order to prepare her for graduate studies. The project: Historical Changes in the U.S. Constitutional Identity. (Mentor: Amber Vayo, Political Science/CAS)

Alexis Flores Pineda (CAS ’26) is a Political Science and Government major. His project investigates the influence of social support and stigma on the health outcomes and HIV care trajectories of Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals living with HIV in South TexasThe project: Familial Stigma and Social Support among HIV+ Latinx LGBTQ+ Individuals and their families in South Texas. (Mentor: Luis Alvarez-Hernandez, SSW, Department of Clinical Practice/SSW)

Kaitlin “Katie” Howlett (CAS ’25) is a junior studying History with minors in French and Sociology. Since beginning her undergraduate degree, she has demonstrated a particular interest in studying the history of secondary social studies pedagogy and reform in the US and has plans to enter the field after she graduates. Using digital archival repositories and newspapers, Kaitlin and Dr. Austin will work to locate and map the lives of Black youth and their families who lived in a segregated, Jim Crow, Washington, D.C. during the late Progressive Era. The project: Mapping Southwest: Counter-Mapping (Segregation and) Black Life in the Jim Crow Capital. (Mentor: Paula Austin, History & African American and Black Diaspora Studies/CAS)

Ana Camila Morán Alvarez (CAS ’26) Camila is an international student studying Economics and Sociology. She will be conducting interviews with siblings from Central and Latin America, seeking to understand how sibling dynamics are impacted by migration, as well as what motivates some to leave their home. Camila’s interested in the socioeconomic implications of migration, as well as understanding the impacts migration has on family relations in Central America. The project: Siblings Across Borders: Transnational Intimacy and Support. (Mentor: Nazli Kibria, Sociology/CAS)

Dara Oliveira (CAS ’24) is a Psychological and Brain Sciences student with a minor in Portuguese and Brazilian Cultural Studies. She works as an undergraduate research assistant in the Child and Family Health Lab at Boston University. She is currently contributing to an anti-racism project aimed at characterizing and mitigating disparities in social determinants of health screening within primary care family health clinics. Dara is passionate about studying the various mechanisms that propagate inequity, especially within the healthcare system. The project: Qualitative Inquiry into Patient Perspectives of Racism & Discrimination in Primary Care Settings (Mentor: Kristin Long, Psychological and Brain Sciences/CAS)

Tia Perkins (CAS, ’25) is a double major in Sociology and Power, Community, and Queer Futures. They also work as a health educator at the Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY). As a research assistant intern through CISS, Tia will be working on a research project focusing on change within prison reform legislation in the US. They’re excited to bring their passion for social justice and equity to this work.The project: 21st Century Justice: The Struggle to Decarcerate in the U.S. States. (Mentor: Heather Schoenfeld, Sociology/CAS)

Diana Reno (Pardee, ’24) is a student at the Pardee School of Global Studies majoring in International Relations, focusing on Africa and the Middle East and Business and Economics. Through the CISS Research Internship, she is working to establish a research-based foundation for the new Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience. The Alliance will seek to promote Afghan women’s access to employment, entrepreneurship, and quality education globally. Diana is passionate about studying the intersections between gender, policy, and economics, especially in the context of forced migration. The project: Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience (Mentor: Rachel Brulé, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies)

Kaitlin Shih (CAS ’24) is a senior majoring in Economics at the College of Arts and Sciences. Through the CISS internship program, she will support the construction of the humanitarian access obstruction dataset by reviewing, analyzing, and coding relevant reports. The research explores how humanitarian organizations negotiate with governments and non-state armed groups to access conflict zones with the goal of providing emergency relief. Kaitlin is passionate about human rights, foreign affairs, and data analysis, and she is excited to incorporate these interests into the project. The project The Promise and Tragedy of Humanitarianism: How Aid Workers Negotiate the Politics of International Emergency Relief. (Mentor: Rob Grace, Political Science/CAS)

Stephen Snekvik (ENG ’26) is a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering. Born and raised in Boston, Stephen is passionate about contributing to the local abolitionist movement. Through this CISS internship, he will research organizations in Massachusetts that fit within a holistic view of public health and safety. The goal of this project is to map out the work already being done outside of policing and carceral systems, in order to create leverage for funding and inform efforts to move away from policing. The project: Mapping the Landscape of Alternatives to Policing. (Mentor: Spencer Piston, Political Science/CAS)

Project: The Rise of Immigration Raids: Spatial, Temporal and Demographic Patterns. Staff Postdoctoral Associate Tatiana Padilla (CISS) aims to shed light on the complex landscape of immigration raids, offering a thorough depiction of their prevalence, patterns, and the diverse impacts on communities, ultimately contributing to a more nuanced comprehension of immigration enforcement experiences in the United States by 1. documenting the frequency and geographical distribution of immigration raids over time in the United States to provide a comprehensive understanding of their dynamics and 2. unveiling the characteristics of communities affected by these raids, aiming to gain deeper insights into how various communities experience and cope with immigration enforcement practices within the United States.

Isabella Alvarado (CAS ’27) is a freshman at Boston University studying Sociology paired with a double minor in Human Rights Studies and Business Administration. Bella is a dedicated advocate for social justice and addressing systemic inequalities, with a particular interest in criminal justice reform. In her junior year of highschool, Bella undertook a research project focused on the history of institutional racism and its relationship to mass incarceration. The project stirred a passion for inquiry melded with initiative—joint pursuits that she hopes to further cultivate throughout her undergraduate career. Using her education, Bella aspires to work both domestically and internationally to address human rights violations and prevent mass atrocities. Outside of her research position, Bella writes for the Daily Free Press and is a member of both the Undergraduate Student Sociology Association and the BU Outdoor Club. In her free time, Bella enjoys listening to music, exploring national parks, reading, and cooking with friends!

Miguel Feliciano (CAS ’26) is a sophomore studying Political Science with a minor in Latin American Studies. Miguel, a proud Boricua, is a passionate advocate for progress and social justice. They are majoring in Political Science with a minor in Latin American Studies at Boston University. Miguel is dedicated to serving marginalized communities. In addition to his role as a Research Assistant, Miguel holds the position of Co-Chair of the IMPACT Committee in the BU Student Government. There, he leads the Latine Student Task Force, diligently working on a report analyzing the Latine student experience at Boston University and advocating for necessary improvements within the administration. Beyond campus, Miguel actively participates in Yorktown for Justice and Lakeland RISE, two local nonprofits dedicated to advocating for progressive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in public schools. His diverse interests include reading queer and Latine literature, writing poetry, gardening, and modeling. The project: Immigration Raids project. (Mentor: Tatiana Padilla, CISS/CA)

Xinyao “Jessica” Guan (CAS ’26) is a sophomore studying political science. Jessica is a passionate advocate of immigrants’ rights, youth development, and access to higher education. Hailing from Shanghai, she is a first-generation student majoring in Political Science and Education at Boston University. Jessica is committed to addressing global population challenges by conducting research at the intersection of international law and immigration law. She aspires to utilize research focused on community needs to elevate political consciousness and improve children and families wellbeing. In the community, Jessica is committed to fostering engagement and education access. Jessica serves as a Mentor engaging first-year students transitioning to higher education, educates adolescents on positive approaches to navigating puberty, and improves access to early childhood education among families in precarious living situations.

Nathaly Lemus (CAS ’24) is a first-generation senior studying Political Science and Psychology as a double major interested in Latin American Studies and U.S. Policy. Nathaly is deeply passionate about immigration and social justice. She is a first-generation, honors student double majoring in Political Science and Psychology at Boston University. Aspiring to become a researcher, her academic focus revolves around exploring the complex interplay between psychology, policy, government and  demography– with a specific interest in Latin American Studies. Off campus, Nathaly has engaged in comprehensive research and analysis of local, state, and federal policies pertinent to the welfare of marginalized communities, including immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities. Nathaly’s research has informed solutions for local and state government. Beyond her academic pursuits, Nathaly is a musician with training in both classical and contemporary music. During her free time, she indulges in her love for photography.

Yeabsera Mekebeb (CAS ’26) is in her second year studying political science and data science in the pre-law track, working hard to achieve her dreams.  Since Yeabsera was 10 years old, she has dreamed of being an immigration lawyer. Raised in a vibrant Ethiopian community, Yeabsera is passionate about law, technology, and social justice. She is double majoring in Political Science and Data Science at Boston University. Yeabsera aspires to be a lawyer which informs her passion for blending social sciences with data analytics. She is committed to  addressing legal complexities with a global perspective. Active on campus, Yeabsera serves as the Treasurer for the Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association and is a member of Women In Law. As an associate of “Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization,” Yeabsera engaged in a prestigious law program, honing legal advocacy skills and fostering connections within the legal community. She is proficient in English, Amharic and Spanish.

Bella Moreno (Pardee ’26) is a sophomore studying International Relations with a concentration in Latin America. Bella’s upbringing in a vibrant Latino community ignited her dedication to championing immigration causes and shedding light on social disparities. She is pursuing a major in International Relations coupled with a minor in Business Administration, all while being a part of the Kilachand Honors College at Boston University. Driven by an unwavering passion to effect change, Bella aspires to forge a path as an immigration lawyer or lead a non-profit organization committed to empowering marginalized communities.  Within her community, Bella advocates for diversity in higher education, catalyzing change on the Admissions Student Diversity Board. Additionally, she holds a position on the E-Board for the First-Generation Low-income partnership, where she works to cultivate a sense of belonging and facilitates access to essential resources for fellow students. Beyond her academic pursuits and community engagement, Bella finds enjoyment in running and exploring diverse culinary experiences.

Paul Birmingham (CAS, ’25) is majoring in history and political science. Through the CISS grant, Paul is pursuing research in the field of defense procurement, studying the political economy of the Indian military and how globalization affects national defense policy. (Mentor: Florian David Bodamer, Political Science)

Ashley Carhee (CAS, ’25) is double majoring in International Relations (Pardee) and Sociology. Through the CISS Research Internship, she will be conducting textual analysis for Olivia’s dissertation research on refugee integration in Southern European countries. With Ashley’s interest in human rights and transnational migration, this internship will allow her to explore her passion for sociology on a global scale while building on her qualitative research skills and is she very excited to have this opportunity. (Mentor: Olivia Britton, Political Science)

Ellis Hamilton (CAS, ’25) is pursuing a degree in Mathematics with minors in Data Science, Public Policy Analysis, and Business Administration.  This summer, Ellis is working on analyzing the California Redistricting Process after the 2020 Census, including the process of redistricting as well as the resulting districts themselves. After college, Ellis hopes to continue to work in Data Science or Analytics. Outside of research, Ellis is an Ambassador and Scarlett Speaker with BU Admissions and is deeply passionate about the application of data in learning more about the world around us. (Mentor: Maxwell Palmer, Political Science)

Sora Heo (CAS, ’24) is a senior studying International Relations with specific concentrations in Foreign Policy/Security Studies and Asia. As a CISS research intern, she is analyzing a collection of speeches dating back from the former Agha Khan, an Ismaili Muslim religious leader and businessman. Outside of CISS, Sora also conducts research with UROP and has completed a number of think tank and government internships. Sora is passionate about inclusive, sustainable economic development. (Mentor: Zachary Mondesire, Pardee School of Global Studies)

Raeann Idle (MET College, ’24) is a graduate student majoring in Criminal Justice and Corrections with hopes of joining the FBI as a Special Agent or pursuing a J.D. to become District Attorney for the state of Massachusetts. Previously she worked with Dr. Kristine Artello to research Corporation Misconduct and the use of non-prosecution/deferred prosecution of corporations by the Department of Justice. She currently works full-time at TJX Companies as an Administrative Coordinator, with over 10 years of work experience. (Mentor: Danielle Rousseau, MET)

Eve Kleiber (CAS, ’25) is majoring in psychology and minoring in English, focusing on developmental psychology and creative writing. She is an undergraduate research assistant at BU’s Child Cognition Lab (CCL), working on the Evolving Minds project. Through the CISS Research Internship, she will be finalizing the data coding for the CCL’s scientific curriculum aimed at teaching natural selection to 3rd graders. She will also help investigate how a teacher’s mindset may produce differences in the curriculum’s efficacy. Eve is interested in how people in a child’s microsystem (parents, teachers, peers) may influence cognitive and social development, including mindset, family systems, attachment, and school performance. (Mentor: Léa Tân Combette, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences)

Elizabeth Luongo (CAS, ’25) is pursuing a degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration. This summer, she will be focused on the under representation of woman and racial and ethic minorities in the academic field economics, and aims to helping reduce sexism, racism and nationality biases in the US university economics departments. Outside of academics, Elizabeth is a project manager for the financial consulting track in TAMID, a club aiming to promote student learning as it works directly with start up companies. Elizabeth is also a contributing writer for the BU Buzz and in their free time loves to travel and explore Boston. (Mentor: Randall Ellis, Economics) 

Dante E. Pettinato (CAS ‘25) is a junior studying International Relations and History in the Pardee School of Global Studies focusing on foreign policy and security studies in Asia. Dante also has a background studying political economy and business. Through the CISS Research Internship Dante hopes to help build a strong foundation of qualitative data for the research methods used in published political science journals. This work will culminate in the creation of a data set which can be used to help analyze any trends that exist within the research methods used in the Political Science field. (Mentor: Mehmet Hecan, Political Science)

Ethan Singer (CAS, ’24) is pursuing a degree in Computer Science. (Mentor: Maxwell Palmer, Political Science)

Anya Bounar (she/her) is a student in the Department of Anthropology. Stemming from an interest in structural and personal legacies of French colonialism, Anya’s research is focused on French citizens who reside in Senegal, specifically their experiences and expectations before, during, and after migration, their perception of Senegal and the Senegalese, and Senegalese perceptions of their presence in the country and capital. Her interest lies in the tensions between retirement-age French residents of Dakar and their Senegalese neighbors, and delves topically into concepts of colonialism, neocolonialism, race and racism, linguistic dynamics, and spatial organization of residences and social spheres. This summer, Anya will be working with Partners in Health (PIH)

Elizabeth Grumer (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in History. She studies twentieth-century cultural history. Her dissertation looks at paranormal interest in the US and UK during the mid-twentieth century. This summer, under the supervision of Rachel Bacon, Elizabeth will be working with the Center for Mind And Culture (CMAC) working on the Modeling Religious Change project. She excited to work on such an interdisciplinary project and hopes to gain insight into how other disciplines understand religious history, and learn more about how to integrate their perspectives into my own work.

Nicolina Fusco (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in the Counseling Psychology PhD program (CPAHD) at the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. Her research focus is on social science research, particularly bias-based harassment research in adolescence with a focus on identity formation and bullying behavior surrounding sexual orientation and identity in youth. This summer, Nicolina will be working with Adriana Paz, Co-Chair of the committee of Lynn Racial Justice Coalition, where she  will support police reform efforts in Lynn county, particularly focusing on supporting the team in understanding the use of School Resource Officers in schools and providing regional and national data on the impacts of having officers in schools and community settings. Nicola hopes to support these extremely powerful and beneficial community efforts towards police reform as well as gain insight into the process of community based work particularly understanding how to work with schools and community members to enact change. 

Eleanor Oser (she/her) is a rising second-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Philosophy. Her research focus lies in the intersection of ancient epistemology, ethics, and social philosophy. This summer, Eleanor will be working under the supervision of the Assistant Provost for Academic Data and Decision Support (ADDS) Dr. Neena Verma in the BU Office of the Provost as a Data Analytics. She will be extracting and formatting data for analytical processing, developing data visualizations, and creating methods of analysis to better support decision-making processes across campus. Eleanor is looking forward to a fantastic opportunity for developing her skills in data review and research analysis. The research results will serve to inform policy-development and strategic decision-making at the higher-level at BU. She is hopeful that her intern experience as a graduate student in the Department of Philosophy, which has honed my ability to creatively review, analyze, and synthesize large swaths of data and information, will contribute positively to my work in this role. She is excited to see how that plays out this summer! She very much looks forward to the relationships she will be building and the lessons she will be taking away from this invaluable experience, as well as incorporating those lessons into my ongoing work as a graduate student in philosophy here at BU.

In 2023, CISS awarded four faculty pilot grants:

Project: Transnational Populism: Religion and the Radical Right among Brazilian Migrants. Faculty investigator Taylor Boas (CAS/Political Science) will examine why Brazilian migrants to the Boston area, as well as their sending communities back home, have been disproportionately supportive of right-wing populists such as Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump. It focuses on the political implications of transnational ties, especially those of a religious nature, between Brazilians at home and abroad, drawing on surveys, focus groups, and qualitative interviews.

Project: Improving Healthcare Services for Gay and Bisexual Latino and Black Male Sexual Assault Survivors in Boston. Faculty investigators Daniel Jacobson López (School of Social Work) and Steven Meanly  (University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing) seeks to explore what current protocols are available and being implemented for gay and bisexual Black and/or Latino male sexual assault survivors who are seeking medical care services in Boston. Findings from this study will inform care that is evidence-based, trauma-informed and culturally-responsive to enhance the well-being of these men who are far too often ignored.

Project: Stigma, Care, and End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) in Racialized Boston Communities Fighting the Syndemic Sequelae of COVID-19. Faculty investigators Merav Shohet (CAS/Anthropology) and Insa Marie Schmidt (School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center) builds on stigma research and combines in-person and remote ethnographic and epidemiological research methods to explore the dynamics of racism, illness, and care for residents of underprivileged urban communities who suffer end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). These data will reveal patients’ and their lay and medical caregivers’ challenges and perceived needs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings will inform front-line medical and community workers, as well as policymakers tasked with providing support for these most vulnerable of patients.

Project: A Gendered Examination of Political Instability in Northern Ireland. Faculty investigator Sandra McEvoy (CAS/Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Political Science) will document the essential role that women played in service to Loyalist paramilitary organizations during the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland known as “The Troubles,” and will provide clarity about how Loyalists understand themselves in a complex political moment in Northern Ireland.

Faisal Ahmed (CAS, ’24) is in the BA/MA program in Economics and is also pursuing a minor in Applied Human Development. As a research intern at CISS, he works to measure the financial implications of extreme weather events on air force bases in the continental United States. The project hopes to better understand the potential cost incurred on military bases by climate change. Outside of the CISS, Faisal keeps himself busy in various clubs, playing basketball, or exploring Boston. (Mentor: Rosella Cappella Zielinski, CAS Political Science)

Avery Bolden (CAS, ’23) is studying political science and is in the BA/MA program. Through the CISS Research Internship, she’ll be working on a research project focusing on Massachusetts’s incarceration.  Avery’s research for her MA will focus on the modern-day educational outcomes due to the racial housing covenants that existed through the 20th century. Avery’s passionate about community service and participating in research that provides actionable policy recommendations. (Mentor: Spencer Piston, CAS Political Science)

Shumita Littlefield (CAS, ’24) is majoring in Psychology, focusing on developmental and child psychology, and minoring in Visual Arts (CFA). She is an undergraduate research assistant at BU’s Child Cognition Lab, working on the Evolving Minds project. Shumita is interested in children’s learning process and how they are shaped by play and toys, and is excited for the opportunity to work with the Child Cognition Lab. (Mentor: Deborah Kelemen, Psychological & Brain Sciences)

Valjean Pulido Pardo (CAS, ’24) is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Biology. Through the CISS Research Internship, he will work on the project “Prostitution as a means of Flourishing for Cubans,” examining: can/how Cubans flourish from prostitution? Valjean is passionate about community service, learning about cancer, and how to end world hunger. (Mentor: Makarand Mody, SHA Hospitality Marketing) 

Diana Reno (CAS, ’24) is a student at the Pardee School of Global Studies majoring in International Relations, focusing on Africa and the Middle East and Business and Economics. Through the CISS Research Internship, she is working to establish a research-based foundation for the new Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience. The Alliance will seek to promote Afghan women’s access to employment, entrepreneurship, and quality education globally. Diana is passionate about studying the intersections between gender, policy, and economics, especially in the context of forced migration. (Mentor: Rachel Brulé, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies)

Claire Williams (CAS, ’24) is a double major in International Relations and Economics. Through the CISS Research Internship, she is working on a project focused on measuring the monetary costs extreme weather events create for United States military installations through damages. At the conclusion of her research, this project will show not only the financial consequences climate change has on individual installations, but on US national security as a whole. As a student and research intern, Claire is passionate about studying global nuclear security, international trade, and foreign politics and affairs. (Mentor: Rosella Cappella Zielinski, CAS Political Science)

For more information on previous intern cohorts, visit our CISS Research Interns Archive.

Paul Birmingham (CAS, ’25) is majoring in history and political science. Through the CISS grant, Paul is pursuing research in the field of defense procurement, studying the political economy of the Indian military and how globalization affects national defense policy. (Mentor: Florian David Bodamer, Political Science)

Ashley Carhee (CAS, ’25) is double majoring in International Relations (Pardee) and Sociology. Through the CISS Research Internship, she will be conducting textual analysis for Olivia’s dissertation research on refugee integration in Southern European countries. With Ashley’s interest in human rights and transnational migration, this internship will allow her to explore her passion for sociology on a global scale while building on her qualitative research skills and is she very excited to have this opportunity. (Mentor: Olivia Britton, Political Science)

Ellis Hamilton (CAS, ’25) is pursuing a degree in Mathematics with minors in Data Science, Public Policy Analysis, and Business Administration.  This summer, Ellis is working on analyzing the California Redistricting Process after the 2020 Census, including the process of redistricting as well as the resulting districts themselves. After college, Ellis hopes to continue to work in Data Science or Analytics. Outside of research, Ellis is an Ambassador and Scarlett Speaker with BU Admissions and is deeply passionate about the application of data in learning more about the world around us. (Mentor: Maxwell Palmer, Political Science)

Sora Heo (CAS, ’24) is a senior studying International Relations with specific concentrations in Foreign Policy/Security Studies and Asia. As a CISS research intern, she is analyzing a collection of speeches dating back from the former Agha Khan, an Ismaili Muslim religious leader and businessman. Outside of CISS, Sora also conducts research with UROP and has completed a number of think tank and government internships. Sora is passionate about inclusive, sustainable economic development. (Mentor: Zachary Mondesire, Pardee School of Global Studies)

Raeann Idle (MET College, ’24) is a graduate student majoring in Criminal Justice and Corrections with hopes of joining the FBI as a Special Agent or pursuing a J.D. to become District Attorney for the state of Massachusetts. Previously she worked with Dr. Kristine Artello to research Corporation Misconduct and the use of non-prosecution/deferred prosecution of corporations by the Department of Justice. She currently works full-time at TJX Companies as an Administrative Coordinator, with over 10 years of work experience. (Mentor: Danielle Rousseau, MET)

Eve Kleiber (CAS, ’25) is majoring in psychology and minoring in English, focusing on developmental psychology and creative writing. She is an undergraduate research assistant at BU’s Child Cognition Lab (CCL), working on the Evolving Minds project. Through the CISS Research Internship, she will be finalizing the data coding for the CCL’s scientific curriculum aimed at teaching natural selection to 3rd graders. She will also help investigate how a teacher’s mindset may produce differences in the curriculum’s efficacy. Eve is interested in how people in a child’s microsystem (parents, teachers, peers) may influence cognitive and social development, including mindset, family systems, attachment, and school performance. (Mentor: Léa Tân Combette, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences)

Elizabeth Luongo (CAS, ’25) is pursuing a degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration. This summer, she will be focused on the under representation of woman and racial and ethic minorities in the academic field economics, and aims to helping reduce sexism, racism and nationality biases in the US university economics departments. Outside of academics, Elizabeth is a project manager for the financial consulting track in TAMID, a club aiming to promote student learning as it works directly with start up companies. Elizabeth is also a contributing writer for the BU Buzz and in their free time loves to travel and explore Boston. (Mentor: Randall Ellis, Economics) 

Dante E. Pettinato (CAS ‘25) is a junior studying International Relations and History in the Pardee School of Global Studies focusing on foreign policy and security studies in Asia. Dante also has a background studying political economy and business. Through the CISS Research Internship Dante hopes to help build a strong foundation of qualitative data for the research methods used in published political science journals. This work will culminate in the creation of a data set which can be used to help analyze any trends that exist within the research methods used in the Political Science field. (Mentor: Mehmet Hecan, Political Science)

Ethan Singer (CAS, ’24) is pursuing a degree in Computer Science. (Mentor: Maxwell Palmer, Political Science)

For more information on previous intern cohorts, visit our CISS Research Interns Archive.

Graham Albert is a Ph.D. candidate in the Anthropology Department, focusing on biological anthropology. Albert looks at how facial appearance affects interpersonal perceptions. In particular, he looks at how certain facial characteristics affect dominance perceptions.

Albert interned with the Data Analytics Intern for the Boston University Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs. He worked with Neena Verma, Assistant Provost for Academic Data and Decision Support (ADDS) to apply the skills he has gained from his Ph.D. to analyze survey data. As an intern, he strengthened his data science skills, bringing him closer to a career goal as a data scientist conducting research for governments to inform energy and natural resources policy.

Sean Case is a Ph.D. candidate in the American & New England Studies Program. Sean’s primary field of study is modern U.S. political history, and he studies the balance of power as an ideology from the interwar period to the Cold War. His dissertation focuses on the balance of power as an ideology animating conceptions of international society and traces. Realist thought through the twin ascendancies of the military and defense intellectual.

Chawannuch Chaikulngamdee is a Ph.D. student in the School of Communication, focusing on emerging media studies. Her research examines the intersections of digital technologies and race, specifically how racial attitudes are shaped and expressed in virtual spaces.

Chaikulngamdee was an intern with the Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts. This nonprofit and anti-racist organization advocates equity and the humane treatment of incarcerated people in the Commonwealth. To further their Racial Equity in Corrections Initiative (REICI), she helped to analyze the 1,300 surveys sent out to Massachusetts BIPOC prisoners asking about their experiences with institutional racism. The survey results are being used to advocate for legislation to remedy discrimination in the prison system. This opportunity provided her with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted systemic issues that black Americans face to guide her future research goals and evoke change.

Leyla Jafarova is a Ph.D. candidate in the Anthropology Department, focusing on socio-cultural anthropology. She is researching social legacies and consequences of the Nagono-Karabakh war, focusing on the emergence of alternative forms of knowledge as well as gendered experiences of uncertainty.

Jafarova interned with the Lynn Racial Justice Coalition, a local grassroots organizing in Lynn, Massachusetts. She worked with the  Coalition to develop an alternative to police response to mental health crisis situations. The position offered Jafarova an excellent opportunity to gain experience and skills on the path to becoming an applied anthropologist.

Rachel Monsey is a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department. Monsey studies seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Great Britain with a focus on intellectual history under Dr. Arianne Chernock.

Monsey interned with Partners in Health (PIH) on an intentional effort to apply interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems in global health. She researched historical moments of change for critical donors in their funding initiatives that pertain to community health workers. By applying the skills she has acquired during her Ph.D., she assembled a comprehensive narrative of the past to show that PIH can effectively deploy in service of its universalist mission of health and hope.

Yunjie Song is a Ph.D. student in Economics Department. Her research interests lie in industrial organization.

Song interned with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, designing a survey to evaluate the Emergency Rental Assistance Program launched during the Covid pandemic. The internship allowed Song to work in the public sector and solve real-world problems, providing her with new insights into policy design and program evaluation.

Leping Wang is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology Department. Wang’s research interests include occupational mobility, social inequality and stratification, education, and life course trajectories. As a sociologist trained in quantitative methods, she is interested in leveraging statistical models and mixed methods to inquire into the broad subject of social inequality and stratification, particularly in education, health, occupation, and race and ethnicity.

Wang interned for The Center for Mind and Culture, a non-profit research organization in Boston. She used the opportunity to better understand the intersection of sociology of education and sociology of religion focusing specifically on the link between change in religiosity and educational attainment across time to gain more hands-on experiences in longitudinal analysis.

Yibin Yang is a Ph.D. student in the School of Social Work. His research interests focus on preventing mental health challenges and promoting psychological well-being for school-aged children and youth living in socially disadvantaged situations. He is interested in designing and implementing mental health programs and services for young children and their caregivers from diverse backgrounds.

Yang interned with experts in early childhood from the United Way Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley to explore strategies to enhance infants’ and young children’s social and emotional development in the post-pandemic era. Th internship opportunity gave Yang valuable insights into implementing evidence-based practices from both researcher and practitioner perspectives.

Taelor Anderson (CAS ’24) worked with mentor Aarti Bodas (CAS/Psychological and Brain Sciences). She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Statistical Methods in CAS. She has been working in BU’s Child Cognition Lab since the beginning of the Spring 2022 semester as an undergraduate research assistant and is super excited to be continuing her work there this summer. Instead of returning home to Boise, Idaho, Taelor will be assisting the Child Cognition Lab in interviewing participants at the Museum of Science to see how young children feel about kids with various health conditions and varying abilities. At BU, she is music director of the Off Broadway Choir and Director of Administration of Delta Delta Delta.

Marina Barros (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Taylor Boas (CAS/Political Science) on his project entitled “Religion and Political Attitudes Among Boston-Area Brazilians” in which she studied the political beliefs and ideologies of Brazilian immigrants living in Massachusetts, helping to furnish an IRB-approved survey and conduct large-scale data collection at a Brazilian festival. She graduated in May 2023 from BU’s Questrom School of Business with a BA in International/Global Studies. She will be joining Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates this summer as a 1L Scholar.

Avery Bolden (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Spencer Piston (CAS/Political Science). She graduated in May 2023 with a MA in Political Science and Government. Her research focused on the modern day educational outcomes as a result of the racial housing covenants that existed through the 20th century. She is currently a Law Fellow with SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) Law. She intends to matriculate with the University of Chicago Law School in 2023.

Alex Eduarte (CAS ’25) worked with mentor Meghann Lucy (CAS/Sociology). She is from Honolulu, Hawaii and is majoring in Behavior & Health and planning to minor in Sociology. Through the CISS internship program, she researched hoarding, the medicalization of these consumption and accumulation behaviors, and their relation to evictions in the city of Boston. Alex is passionate about the sociology of health, particularly disparities within the U.S. healthcare system and the treatment of mental health issues. In the future, she plans to continue her research in sociology and attend medical school to pursue psychiatry.

Eliana Mugar (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Charles B. Chang (CAS, Linguistics). She is majoring in Linguistics and Computer Science and minoring in Film and Television. Through the CISS Research Internship, she worked on the project “Alcohol Intoxication Effects on Language,” examining the effects of alcohol intoxication, a common experience across cultures, on speech production by bilingual language users. Eliana’s interests include computational linguistics, multilingualism/language acquisition, phonetics/phonology, and sociolinguistics. She is passionate about being able to connect the world of digital technology with the humanities. In the future, she hopes to do further research within the fields of computational linguistics and social data analytics while continuing her passion for film.

Renata Nunes (CAS ’20) worked with mentor Taylor Boas (CAS/Political Science) on his project entitled “Religion and Political Attitudes Among Boston-Area Brazilians” in which she studied the political beliefs and ideologies of Brazilian immigrants living in Massachusetts, helping to furnish an IRB-approved survey and conduct large-scale data collection at a Brazilian festival. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2020 with degrees in History and Political Science. 

Lara Werneck (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Taylor Boas (CAS/Political Science) on his project entitled “Religion and Political Attitudes Among Boston-Area Brazilians” in which she studied the political beliefs and ideologies of Brazilian immigrants living in Massachusetts, helping to furnish an IRB-approved survey and conduct large-scale data collection at a Brazilian festival. She is currently a District Office Intern for the Office of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Learn more about 2021-22 interns’ final research projects in this abstract book, prepared and distributed at the April 2022 research showcase.

Nikki Huang (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Jonathan Mij (CAS, Sociology). Nikki graduated in May 2023 with a BA degrees in Sociology and Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Questrom). She worked on the project “Correcting Discrimination: Experimental Evidence of the Impact of Information Addressing Misperceptions about Ethnic and Racial Inequality in the United States and the Netherlands.” She is currently a Merchandising ConsultantMerchandising Consultant with Rustans Commercial Corporation.

Carly Mast (CAS ’22) worked with mentor Jessica Simes (CAS, Sociology). Carly graduated in May 2022 with a BA in History. She is currently a Social Justice Springboard Fellow with the NYU Bronfman Center in New York City. She worked on the “Studies of Structural Racism in Community Health and Criminal Justice” project. For her honors thesis, she researched the role of Jewish women in the fat acceptance movement of the 1970s and 1980s.

Shradda Pingali (CAS ’22) worked with mentor Ian Sue Wing (CAS, Earth & Environment). Shraddha worked on the project “Heat, Labor and Leisure: Economic Consequences of Climate Change Impacts.” Through the CISS program, she researched the impact of rising temperatures on demands for energy sources and electricity through economic modeling. She was interested in the intersections of social and environmental science, with a particular interest in how climate change affects public policy and social justice.  Moving forward, she hoped to be involved with public policy advising and/or environmental consulting.

Will Regan (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Jonathan Mijs (CAS, Sociology). Will graduated with a BA in Computer Science and Statistics in May 2023. Will, who is invested in using statistical analysis in the sphere of Sociology as it pertains to economic, racial, and housing inequality, worked on the project “Correcting Discrimination”. He took part in the CISS internship program hoping to refine his statistical skills while researching the effect of presenting factual information of changing beliefs on racial inequality.

Kate Sandage (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Wesley Wildman (Theology and Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences). Kate worked on the project “Strategies Against Rural Suicide.” She is from Belmont, Massachusetts and received a BA in Sociology in May 2023. Kate is interested in the sociology of health, particularly disparities in health care based on race, socioeconomic status, and gender. As a CISS intern, she used her background in politics to analyze the effectiveness of suicide prevention policies in rural states. Through this research, she hoped to identify policies and interventions that will make a difference for rural populations struggling with high suicide rates.

Fall 2021 Intern

Rebecca Kielar (CAS ’23) worked with mentor Johannes Schmieder  (CAS, Economics). Rebecca worked on the project “Displacement of Older Workers in the U.S. and Germany.” She is from Lexington, Massachusetts and received her BA in Economics/Mathematics and History of Art and Architecture in May of 2023. Interested primarily in labor economics and international trade, Rebecca decided to participate in the Social Sciences Undergraduate Research Internship program as part of a project investigating the effects of unemployment insurance on retirement patterns in Germany. She anticipated that the experience would not only allow her to explore a compelling aspect of today’s labor economy and the policy decisions that shape it, but would also expose her to the methodologies involved with current economics research.

In 2021, CISS awarded two faculty pilot grants: The Future of Sino-Western Relations is in their Past (Daryl Ireland (STH  Mission) and Eugenio Menegon (CAS History)) and Moving from Precarity Towards Prosperity: An Abductive Analysis of Precarity Management in Service Sector Employment (Makarand Mody (SHA Hospitality Marketing)).

Project: The Future of Sino-Western Relations is in their Past. Faculty investigators Daryl Ireland (STH  and CGCM)  and Eugenio Menegon (History/CAS). The grant will support the expansion of the China Historical Christian Database (CHCD), a platform that provides users tools to discover where every Christian church, school, hospital, lab, museum, orphanage, publishing house, and other important locations were situated in China.

Dan Liu is a Ph.D. candidate at BU School of Theology. He is a native of Northern China. He is interested in Chinese Christianity and Chinese Church History, with a special interest in China’s modern encounter with Christianity. By participating in this CISS project, Dan worked in Boston-area archives to locate and record data on Christian missions.

Aixin Yi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History working under Dr. Eugenio Menegon, focusing on Protestant missionary movements in late imperial and modern China. Her research interests also concern the development of Christianity in East Asia and the global history of science and technology. Yi holds a BA in sociology from Beijing Tsinghua University and an MA in East Asian Studies from Duke University. For her master’s project, which focused on the religious experience of rural-to-urban migrant workers in contemporary China, Yi conducted fieldwork in churches and Christian migrant communities in southeast China. Prior to joining Boston University, Yi worked as a food journalist in Shanghai. This work allowed her to develop a strong interest in food and ethics.

Project: Moving from Precarity Towards Prosperity: An Abductive Analysis of Precarity Management in Service Sector Employment Faculty investigator Makarand Mody (SHA). The grant will support the investigation of strategies that workers in precarious service occupations in the hospitality and long-term care sectors develop and implement to combat the adverse outcomes of precarious employment (PE) for worker well-being and quality of life.

Kasandra Kue-Rojas (CAS ’24) is a student in Anthropology with a specialization in Health & Medicine. She is interested in advocating for more person-centered approaches for cancer patients who deserve to be respected/heard, and addressing structural disparities that may contribute to a vicious cycle of clashing perspectives for doctors. Ultimately, she would like to serve as a middle ground for negotiating for better conditions for individuals who may be sidelined, undervalued, and facing difficult situations that stem from precarious employment. Her CISS internship alloed her to prepare herself for UROP which involved interviewing cancer patients that face difficulties associated with health status discrimination & undergo a long journey toward recovery.

Emily Schwartz (CAS ’24) is an anthropology major focused on sociocultural anthropology and Spanish with a minor in Latin American studies. Emily is originally from Indianapolis, IN. She is particularly excited to apply ethnographic fieldwork interview skills to the study and to gain experience conducting interviews in the field. Outside of this CISS project, Emily worked as a tutor teaching English to immigrants. In the future, she hopes to study abroad and conduct fieldwork research in Brazil.