ASU students recognized in Institute for Social Science Research poster contest

Every year the Institute for Social Science Research holds a poster contest highlighting the social science research from Arizona State University graduate students in any field. The School of Politics and Global Studies within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences had two students recognized during the virtual event out of 99 submissions.

Camila Páez Bernal, a political science PhD student at ASU, was awarded third place for the Proposed Research category for her poster on “Homicides Rates and Claims Over Land: Colombian Case (2005–2019).”

“All the posters are amazing research projects, so I am thrilled that mine was acknowledged as one of the best,” Páez Bernal said. “It is also important because this award makes visible the actual problem facing Colombia regarding violation of human rights.”

Páez Bernal’s research interest are women’s political participation and political violence in Latin America. This project focuses on if “rural leaders' homicides in Colombia have a causal relationships with the rate of land claims of restitution made by the citizens.” She is currently working on an article on this topic.

“With the support, comments, and recommendations of some of the School of Politics and Global Studies' professors, I am developing the research and improving it,” Páez Bernal said.

Political science PhD student Netty Herawaty was recognized with an honorable mention in the Proposed Research category for her poster on “The Role of Familial Ties in Electing Women: Evidence From Indonesia’s National Parliament.”

“I feel surprised and happy because I did not expect to be one of the honorable mention winners in this large poster contest,” Herawaty said. “My main motivation to join this event is actually connecting to others in social science academia, especially during this hard and unpredictable situation caused by pandemics.”

The poster that Herawaty submitted is part of her dissertation project. Funding like this will contribute to continuing her research after passing the compressive exam next year.

“I think contributing to this kind of event helps keep graduate students on their track while at the same time, it is an opportunity to connect and make networks.”