What are you most excited about as you start your Laidlaw research summer?
I'm really excited to start working on something that is independent of my classes! While I have done research in the past, it's usually part of the course component, and thus, I'm influenced by how the course is structured. This time, however, I am on my own!
This week, the discussions we held about research cut across the disciplines. How does the interdisciplinary nature of this program, the fact that students are focusing on such a diverse range of projects, help you think about your project and/or your academic interests more broadly?
I am a firm believer that to go in depth, you must go in breadth first. Even seemingly distinct disciplines could give insight in surprising and productive ways. This is especially true for my research topic, because corruption can occur in any field within a society. However, while the phenomenon is universal, the context isn't. This is why it is always helpful to be proficient in multiple contexts, and exactly why the diversity of the program is particularly beneficial.
As you begin your individual research projects this week, do you anticipate any challenges in getting started? If so, what are they?
Consistency is the most difficult component. As for now, I have a reasonable timeline. However, it is difficult to anticipate whether some "accident" might happen. I have recently started to do the readings, but I'm unclear whether I can finish them on time.