International Senior Thesis Research Grant Awardees
Northwestern undergraduates can apply for the Buffett Institute's International Senior Thesis Research Grant to pursue independent research abroad for their senior thesis during the summer or during an academic year break. Learn about recent senior thesis research supported by the Buffett Institute.
2024–25
Kaylyn Ahn
Social Policy and Legal Studies, School of Education and Social Policy ‘25
Kaylyn Ahn received the Academic Year International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. With support from the Buffett Institute, Kaylyn travelled to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Belgrade, Serbia to conduct research for her thesis “A Divergent Justice: A Comparative Analysis of Command Responsibility in the Legal Systems of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia.” She investigated how international humanitarian law has been incorporated differently across states, leading to stark contrasts in war crimes prosecutions. Her work assessed the legal and political challenges of aligning international law with local justice systems and explored new insights into how post-war societies confront accountability. Yuliia Chernova
History and Economics, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘27
Yuliia Chernova received the Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2025. With the Buffett Institute’s support, Yuliia travelled to Finland and Germany to conduct research for her thesis “Neutrality and Diplomacy: Finland’s Post-WWII Economic Recovery Amid Geopolitical Tensions.” She examined how Finland’s political balancing act—maintaining neutrality between East and West without formally joining the Non-Aligned Movement—played a key role in its rapid post-WWII recovery. Through archival research, Yuliia highlighted the diplomatic complexities of Finland’s relationship with the Soviet Union as a useful parallel for similar geopolitical pressures faced by Ukraine and Baltic states today. Lula Fox
Anthropology and Environmental Policy and Culture, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘26
Lula Fox received the Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2025. With support from the Buffett Institute, Lula travelled to Guåhan (Guam) to conduct research for her thesis “nafa'maolek Ecologies: CHamoru Resurgence through Environmental Activism.” Her research assessed how Indigenous CHamoru activists resist U.S. militarization by grounding their environmental justice work in Indigenous identity, values, and cultural knowledge. Through participant observation and interviews with environmental justice activists, Lula offered a framework for understanding resistance as both political and cultural survival. Her work challenged dominant narratives that erase islander agency in conversations about Indigenous environmentalism in militarized Pacific territories. Hamza Haq
Political Science and International Studies, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘25
Hamza Haq received the Academic Year International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. With the Buffett Institute’s support, Hamza travelled to Iraq to carry out research for his thesis “Beyond the State: Securing Iraq’s Holy Cities After U.S. Intervention.” He focused on the effects of post-Iraq War border security measures on religious rituals in key Shi’a holy cities such as Karbala, Najaf, and Samarra. . Dan Murrieta
History, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘25
Dan Murrieta received the Buffett Institute’s Academic Year International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. Dan travelled to Santiago, Chile to conduct research for his thesis “Nuevas canciones para nuevas sociedades: Folklore, Utopia, Radical Change, and Music in Chile and Cuba.” His research focused on the New Song Movement, national folklore, and Latin American visions of utopia and revolutionary change during the Cold War. In Santiago, he explored archival collections of textual, audiovisual, and oral histories of Nueva Canción. Dan examined the role of music, culture, and folklore in ideological struggles over the future of Latin America. Jun Park
Political Science and International Studies, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘26
Jun Park received the Summer International Senior Thesis Grant from the Buffett Institute in 2025. In Seoul, South Korea, he carried out research for his thesis “Reclaiming Urban Spaces: Bukchon Hanok Village Amid Overtourism.” His research explored how residents of Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul resist overtourism by asserting their collective urban rights over capitalist interests. Through document analysis and interviews with residents, activists, and policymakers, Jun studied how protests and advocacy against overtourism influence urban policy and provide new insights into the issue of sustainable urban governance amid rising global tourism pressures. Hannah Tsai
History, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘25
Hannah Tsai received the Academic Year International Senior Thesis Grant from the Buffett Institute in 2024. In London, England, Hannah carried out research for her thesis “The Condemned Calico: Weaver Riots and the Moral Economy in the Context of the Calico Act of 1721.” By examining primary sources at the National Archives and British Library, she investigated the Calico Act, which banned the wearing of calico in Britain. She highlighted the plight of working-class weavers and reassessed the social and cultural implications of the Act, a topic that resonates with current debates around globalization, protectionism, and labor. Vincent Xiong
Chemistry, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘26
Vincent Xiong received the Buffett Institute’s Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2025. In Münster, Germany, Vincent carried out research for his thesis “Exploration of Supramolecular Platinum Fluorescence in Hydrophobic and Lipid Film Environments.” Vincent investigated possibilities for the design of supramolecules designed to deliver multiple drug molecules to injured tissue sites to promote healing. At the University of Münster, he used advanced chemical synthesis and purification tools to form an experimental foundation for his research on future clinical applications for drug delivery systems designed to reduce inflammation with fewer side effects. 2023–24
Diana Deng
Radio/Television/Film, School of Communication '25
Diana Deng received the Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. With the Buffett Institute’s support, Diana travelled to China and Chile to conduct research for her thesis “Between China, Chile, and South Africa: A Creative Collaboration in Poetry.” She examined literary and political connections across the Global South during the Cold War and engaged in archival research and literary analysis of three poets: Ai Qing of China, Pablo de Rokha of Chile, and Dennis Brutus of South Africa. The project offered insights into how poetry can build cross-continental connections and reimagine global alliances through shared anti-imperialist struggle. Lilah Goldberg
Human Development in Context, School of Education and Social Policy ‘25
Lilah Goldberg received the Buffett Institute’s Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. In Paris, France and Rome, Italy, Lilah conducted research for her thesis “Not Just Sweet Treats: Exploring the Perceived Socio-Emotional Experiences of Celiac Disease through the Lens of French and Italian Gluten-Free Bakery and Restaurant Employees.” Lilah explored how food service workers in gluten-free bakeries and restaurants interact with the celiac community. Her findings suggested gluten-free spaces can foster community, care, and inclusion.She also offered insights into improving food service practices as employees gain a deep understanding of the emotional toll of living with celiac disease. Suejin Clara Oh
Global Health Studies and Political Science, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘25
Suejin Clara Oh received the Buffett Institute’s Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. Suejin travelled to New Zealand to carry out research for her thesis “Exploring the Intersections of Socioeconomic Factors, Religious Affiliation, and Political Ideologies on the Efficacy of COVID-19 Social Distancing Measures in New Zealand: An In-depth Examination within the Māori Community.” By examining public health records and conducting interviews with Māori leaders and community members, Suejin presented a culturally grounded analysis of how public health policy succeeded—or fell short—in addressing the needs of Indigenous populations. Cate Osborne
History, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences ‘25
Cate Osborne received the Summer International Senior Thesis Grant in 2024. With the Buffett Institute’s support, Cate travelled to the Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal to conduct research for her thesis “Encouraging Environmentalism: Conservation Initiatives that buffer Nepalese Monarchical Legitimacy.” She investigated whether Nepal’s conservation policies have delivered meaningful benefits to marginalized communities. Cate conducted historical research at local institutions and field interviews with local residents to examine how issues of caste, gender, and class intersect with environmental justice in Annapurna and what they reveal about the broader role of conservation in development policy. 
