Category: Office of Engaged Learning – Research

Written by Mustafa Abdul Haque, Student Media Assistant for OEL

Each summer, SMU undergraduate students dive into research experiences through the Office of Engaged Learning, working closely with faculty mentors to tackle big questions in their fields. The Three Minute “Thesis” competition challenges them to distill months of rigorous work into a clear, engaging presentation for a general audience. This year’s winners shared their journeys and reflections on what they accomplished.

Felipe Mancera, the first-place winner of this year’s competition, spent his summer as a research assistant with the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at the Dedman School of Law. His project, GIDEON: Assessing the Success of Funding on Criminal Defense in New York, explored the impact of a major funding boost to indigent defense systems across New York State. Mancera worked closely with Dr. Caitlin Charles, Dr. Andrew Davies, and a cohort of Deason Scholars to carry out this important research.

Reflecting on his experience, Mancera said: “The best part of the experience was getting to work on research that had a purpose beyond academia. Through the Center’s “Research for Reform” approach, I not only learned more about the criminal justice system but also contributed to a project that aims to provide practical recommendations to strengthen public defense—for both attorneys and the people going through the system..”

Walker Homan and Katie Andrews, who were awarded second place, collaborated with Dr. Karisa Cloward (Political Science) on their project, Cutting Aid, Cutting Democracy? Their work examined whether international aid cuts reduce the number of NGO-experienced legislators entering African parliaments—an outcome that could weaken democratic governance.

Homan shared: “Getting to be a part of a professor’s research process is hugely rewarding. I have now worked with Dr. Cloward for over a year, and during that time, I have noticed a shift in how I engage with academic material; I feel like the exposure to her thought process has made me a more analytical student. Dr. Cloward’s passion for her subject is infectious, and being around that energy has made me more excited about my studies-after my first summer working with her, I decided to declare a minor in political science.”

Homan’s research partner, Katie Andrews, shared: “One of our goals was to better understand whether legislators with NGO experience, once in office, have enough political power to make meaningful changes. One of my primary roles involved qualitatively coding their governmental roles, such as ministry leadership, committee memberships, and caucus positions. I think the most rewarding part was just being able to contribute to a project that will have an important political impact.”

Sierra Woolsey and Ananya Anupindi, third place winners, were mentored by Dr. Chrystyna Kouros (Psychology). Their project, Using Observational Methods to Study Families, focused on how family environments impact the mental health of autistic children.

Woolsey shared: “This summer, I worked with Dr. Kouros and my lab partner, Ananya, to work towards determining how family environments affect mental health outcomes of autistic children. We did this by analyzing and coding over 100 video tapes of families with an autistic child play Jenga together and utilized observational method techniques to determine aspects of the families’ interactions. I think the most rewarding part of my summer research experience was getting to connect with other students from various different disciplines and learn about their projects and research. I also really enjoyed learning more about the work done (and the importance of it) in the Family Health and Development lab.”

Congratulations to Felipe, Walker, Katie, Sierra, and Ananya for their achievements, and to their faculty mentors for their guidance. The competition highlights not only the strength of SMU’s student researchers but also the importance of sharing complex work in accessible ways.