About Gersely Rios Carmona
Hi! I am a first-generation sophomore at Columbia University studying Sociology and Human Rights. My interests are on public policy, education, and immigration.
I was born in Venezuela, and live in Wisconsin. In my free time I love crocheting, watching movies, and exploring the city with my friends!
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Project Outline: From Barriers to Bridges, Language and Inclusion for Spanish-speaking, Newly-arrived Migrants in NYC
Researching New York City's response to current newly-arrived migrants, with a focus on language barriers and opportunities for inclusion for Spanish-speaking populations as they navigate bureaucratic and cultural areas at a local and federal level.
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Currently, my research is focused on reading experimental psychology studies which does not have many ethical concerns. However, when I conduct my research in the fall I will be working with human subjects which raises ethical issues about structuring scenarios and framing questions while also being mindful and respectful. If I chose to create a scenario to test the threshold of forgiveness, I would also need to be explicit in laying the guidelines for informed consent and disclosing the processes of the experiment to researchers. To respond to these questions, I have been working with my faculty advisor and reviewing ethical guidelines to design my experiment.
Originally my research was focused on the intersection of the Asian American identity with the concept of forgiveness from a philosophical lens. Yet, as I have considered several sources and other viewpoints my project has narrowed its scope to Korean American communities with a focus on the health impacts of religion, acculturation, and levels of forgiveness. It has been enriching to explore beyond my intended beginnings to reach a more comprehensive view of the way forgiveness manifests itself in the Asian diaspora.
Justin, I wholeheartedly agree with, and relate to, your concerns for ethical framing of questions during interviewing. It is very important to take into account the populations we are studying and not only think about what is or isn't relevant, but also what things might involuntarily cause harm, or regurgitate past trauma. I am sure your faculty advisor will be of much help in finding these questions! Best of luck :)
Currently, I am not dealing with a lot of ethical issues necessarily as I am reading papers to complete my literature review. I believe that my experience and past knowledge with my topic, as well as the current political happenings surrounding asylum in the US, have impacted my bias when vetting sources to read. In order to have a comprehensive lit. review, I am going to be focusing on analyzing the argument and content of my sources rather than try to argue with them, especially in the early stages, so that I am able to look back at my notes and take the original source for what it is, and what it represents.
Yes, as my topic has been discussed from different schools of thought and different areas in the world, I will still take into account a social work paper, for example, about UK asylum-seekers, or a philosophical perspective on refugeeness as a whole because they can offer great theoretical content, as well as different interpretations of common themes and trends we see in the US, and NYC.
One of the most thrilling aspects of the Laidlaw Scholars program for me has been the diverse range of interests and passions among the cohort. In a world that is increasingly complex and divided, this diversity is invaluable. As potential leaders across various fields, we have the opportunity to collaborate and merge our distinct goals. This collaboration not only enhances our individual projects but also fosters a sense of unity. By working together, we can bridge gaps between different groups, helping to open minds and build connections that might not have existed otherwise. This synergy is essential for creating a more inclusive and cohesive society. However, this inclusive and cohesive society only results if researchers themselves are willing to work with others and not solely focus on their own interests. Researchers need to function as collaborative teammates within the global leadership team, rather than focusing solely on being standout stars in their own individual fields if we want to see this change enacted.
Engaging with my fellow Laidlaw Scholars has transformed my view of research from a mere summer project to a powerful tool for impacting children’s lives nationwide. While my current research focuses on clinical and genetic aspects, the diverse projects within my cohort have sparked my curiosity about integrating various ideas and disciplines into my future work. Specifically, for my second summer research project, I am inspired to explore the psychological aspects of returning to sports after being labeled as high-risk. Liza’s project in particular, piqued my interest as it relates to perceived pain. If the brain's perception of pain differs from the actual physical sensation, how might this impact children who are pushing their bodies to the limit in inherently risky environments? My ultimate goal is to develop a comprehensive approach that addresses both the mental and physical challenges faced by young athletes as they return back to sports if cleared by cardiology. This interdisciplinary perspective not only broadens the scope of my research but also enhances its potential to effect meaningful change.
Tatum, I completely agree with the sentiment of unity and being part of a team, especially with so much division in our current world. I think that research and our own passions are certainly tools that not only require but also innately drive people to be collaborative. When I think of your project, I am always amazed with the ways all aspects of life intersect with healthcare, especially as you mention the new psychological ways of being conscious of one's body and involving in risk analysis at a young age. With my interest in sociology and social work, I think of existing or missing resources to help immediate families of patients with Cardiomyopathy. At the end of the day, anyone who cares about the wellbeing of children, regardless of their background or school of thought, can and will commit to working as a team to achieve it! Excited to hear more about your project, especially as you transition for the second summer :)
My project is very concerned with current issues, focusing on immigration from specific populations to New York City. Throughout my research so far, a lot of interdisciplinary ways of thinking, including philosophy, journalism, urban planning and more have really expanded my understanding while also narrowing my focus. I think the beauty about diverse disciplines and backgrounds is how helpful different ways of thinking about an issue can come along. I greatly appreciated the conversations we had with Malick Gai and Professor Anette Wu because they helped me understand the different ways someone can go about interviewing, getting the truth, helping patients, and that unity allows for that individual knowledge to pass down into groups and teams that can comprehensively and holistically go about solving an issue. Immediately, I became interested in looking at my project from the lenses of journalism and public health. This is because our interests are not dull or one-sided, but rather multi-faceted problems that require a team of people with various skills and ways of thinking to solve.
Question 1)
I thought that the discussion of the different styles of leadership was quite interesting because often times you hear about two types of leaders, one that is more or less just delegating and another that is leading by example, where the first is often labeled as a bad leader. However, I found the discussion of the different types of leadership provided a much more realistic perspective on how leadership actually works, particularly with the leading beside framework. I also thought that thinking about those different styles of leadership in the context of what factors that may motivate leaders was quite interesting, as they both lead into and influence each other.
Question 2)
Since I'm in a scientific lab environment, there are many people who have more relevant experience compared to me, so the styles of leadership that require me to be the main leader such as leader in front may not be the most conducive. However, the styles such as leadership beside and within will be very important since I will need to take initiative on my project but will also need to bounce ideas off of the other people in the lab since they have a greater knowledge base from which to draw.
Question 3)
I really enjoyed being in the lab part-time during the semester because I found the environment was very conducive to me putting out high quality work and being motivated to work hard, so I'm looking forward to having that be full-time. I also really like the people in my lab, so I'm looking forward to integrating more fully into the lab group, since I will be there regularly.
I found really interesting how the models of leader “within” and “beside” work together, especially in a lab setting (as a social science person, myself). Excited to hear more about your experience with these models in the next weeks!
Pamela's workshops and hearing my peers discuss their experiences, struggles, and thoughts on leadership really inspired me to do a lot of self-introspection. I learned that leadership is broad and ever-changing. Good leaders understand this complexity, know the different roles leadership can take form on, and understand when is the right time to step in or out of that role. It helped me observe the ways I act in group settings, such as my communication style, and how to best adapt for groups of diverse types of communication and leadership.
I think that in this stage of my project, the leader within model really stands out to me because I will be spending lots of time doing research on my own, and so I want to be both patient and understanding of myself, but also be accountable and push myself forward.
I am excited about creating my literary review on language experiences in migration. Especially finding sources that draw connections between past migration experiences that explain or contrast today’s wave of asylum seekers in the city.