Over the past six weeks, I have followed my original research question, learned the importance of adaptability, and underwent a rewarding experience that will continue to shape the researcher and student I am today. Coming into my research summer at Laidlaw, I was unsure exactly what the experience of qualitative research would entail. Having past experiences with psychology quantitative research, I mainly knew how to conduct statistical analysis and work with numerical datasets. However, this summer challenged me to dive into research within the social sciences and humanities, allowing me to uncover themes through people’s lived experiences, conduct policy analysis, and remain flexible.
If anything, the past six weeks have taught me the importance of flexibility and adaptability. Though originally I imagined recruitment for interviews to run smoothly, I soon realized that conducting outreach for organizations and individuals across my three different research sites-Queens, Houston, and Gwinnett County might prove to be harder than I thought. However, rather than taking this as a setback, I viewed this experience as part of the research process and instead used the opportunity to dive deep into my network to connect with my research participants. Rather than quantitative research I was used to, where data was easily accessible, I learned that qualitative research is built on trust and patience.
Throughout the summer, my faculty mentor, Professor Sonya Chen, has also evolved and deepened. Having originally been connected with her through another professor at the Barnard Political Science department, I initially relied on her guidance to help develop my methodology and refine my interview questions. However, throughout this summer, I have found our meetings to become more collaborative. As I told her my own interpretations of my results, discussed themes from interviews, and connected my experience as a poll monitor on this past Election day, our conversations have shifted beyond just guidance. Professor Chen continuously supported me through my outreach process, giving me the trust and confidence that my setbacks would turn out to be opportunities.
As September 1 approaches, I am looking forward to finishing up my research and entering the analysis and research paper process. My next steps include coding my data, conducting analysis, and finishing up my research paper and poster. Though there is still work ahead, my research summer has provided me with a strong foundation to understanding the barriers that shape Asian American voter behavior. I am excited to see what the future holds and what my experience as a Laidlaw Scholar will continue to look like.