Mentorships in the social sciences turn a critical eye towards our cultural institutions, their structures and foundations to better understand how they function and influence those who live within them. This encompasses the "soft sciences" of political science, public health, economics, psychology, sociology, linguistics, anthropology and more. Through a social science mentorship, students who are drawn to gaining deeper insights into the world around us can turn an academic lens onto the questions that intrigue them, using research to develop and propose concrete solutions.

Sample projects

Research paper proposing mitigation strategies to minimize impacts of beauty industry on marine ecosystems.

Fashion & beauty Fashion & beauty

Business Business

Sustainability Sustainability

Environmental Studies Environmental Studies

Marine biology Marine biology

EACH HUGO MENTORSHIP COMBINES AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT WITH EXPERT-GUIDED STUDY

Sample projects

Research paper proposing mitigation strategies to minimize impacts of beauty industry on marine ecosystems.

Statistical analysis and paper examining differential impacts of COVID on education and mental well-being for students with disabilities

Statistical analysis and policy recommendations to combat gender discrimination for refugees entering the US

Policy proposal offering solutions to add protection for agricultural prison workers

Essay addressing the influences and challenges posed by bots within digital platform ecosystems

Review paper exploring complexities of infectious Chagas disease management and global public health

Research paper on forgiveness and the forgiveness process using a neurological / neuroevolutionary approach.

Data-driven analysis of Yelp reviews, revealing how star ratings predict the continued operations of restaurants

Co-wrote an article published in Ms. Magazine on a Texas lawsuit that threatened to bankrupt Planned Parenthood

A young voters' handbook, offering a history of voters' rights, vital information about registration and upcoming elections, and why voting is crucial for our democracy's health

A well-researched analysis of the loneliness epidemic's impact on seniors and how letter writing can ameliorate it, shared on a website encouraging young people to write to the elderly

Constructivist analysis of nuclear weapons as deterrents

Report on food justice analyzing corporate causes and solutions to inequity

Academic research paper analyzing the economics of educational access

Paper exploring the geographical dynamics of the US equestrian economy using game theory modeling.

Presentation highlighting the sustainable architecture unique to Japanese culture

Brochure consisting of NYC map overlaying library locations with pertinent data and actionable recommendations.

Paper sharing local-scale climate and pollution mitigation strategies for Greenwich residents.

Research paper exploring the Chinese American experience with aging in this country, and how it compares to the traditional notion of filial piety in Asian culture

Analysis of how different countries are addressing or failing to address climate change and the important role top greenhouse gas emitters can play on the world stage

Comprehensive literature review paper examining body image, stereotyping, and hiring decisions, documenting negative impacts of sizeism on female job candidates

Creation of a slidedeck for public presentation educating young audiences on individual and public responses to food waste

Course module on mass incarceration in the US from Reconstruction through the present, with a focus on how prison is depicted in our culture and the media

Analysis of union vs. non-union construction outcomes in the private sector with recommendations for the public sector

Research paper analyzing the effect of Ukranian refugees on the economy in Poland, with comparisons to other historic refugee crises

Opinion essay examining the intersection of economics and sports, with a focus on examples of how behavioral economics principles apply in the sports world

Creation of an original website with blog posts discussing the healing power of intergenerational social dance

Policy brief with innovative recommendations for increased access to affordable housing for the workforce in NYC

Research paper including analyses of the counterterrorism policy in the US, the UK, and Jordan, together with policy recommendations

Research paper studying the economics of food insecurity in the US, including an analysis of food insecurity since the COVID pandemic, with proposed recommendations to improve food assistance programs

Research paper analyzing the CityWalk Bishop Ranch development in San Ramon, exploring whether the planning process adequately took into account the needs of service and hospitality workers commuting to the city.

A research paper examining the history of abortion debates in the US since Roe v. Wade and resulting culture wars.

Research paper examining the impact of moral messages on Instagram users' self-esteem and body image beliefs

Research paper on 'false polarization', and how the media impacts people's ideological polarization

Developed an experiment to test how gender and signals of confidence impact entrepreneurial outcomes

Article capturing the menstrual health challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness in the US and the possible strategies that organizations and governments may pursue to better support them.

Op-ed on the potential of public music programs to alleviate hardship at the U.S.-Mexico border

Student-led curriculum focused on educating high school students about mental health, with a focus on stress and anxiety management

Policy memo on violence against women in the workplace

Research paper and accompanying policy brief on the environmental impact of cryptocurrencies

Research paper documenting how youth voting is increased by automatic pre-voting registration

Research paper on juvenile sentencing under the Eighth Amendment, addressing Supreme Court rulings

A comparative analysis of India and China's respective responses to COVID-19 and the resulting economic impact

Comparative study of perspectives on Covid-19 based on ethnographic interviews between native Hawaiians versus residents of Los Angeles county

A research-based guidebook that provides useful tips and informations for high schoolers coping with anxiety

Policy memo on vaccine diplomacy comparing case studies from Saudi Arabia and Taiwan

Collection of op-ed pieces examining the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their associations with adult criminality

Policy memo for congressional representative that supports implementing Stepping Up, an initiative to reduce the number of mentally ill people in jails, within Richmond County

Social emotional learning (SEL) after school program curriculum for Kindergarteners, with accompanying informational website to teach parents and teachers how to support kids with social emotional learning tools at home and in the classroom

A policy recommendation targeting Egyptian universities to increase gender parity, based on research of Egyptian women’s experience of sexual violence, workplace harassment and discrimination and the nation’s growing #MeToo movement

Academic paper comparing the 2014 Ebola Epidemic in West Africa to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020

Website on body positivity offering resources for schools looking to add body image literacy to their health curricula

Policy memo for US Congressperson based on cutting-edge environmental science research that addresses key environmental needs of their district

An economic analysis of cryptocurrency's potential to provide economic relief to citizens of Venezuela and other oppressive authoritarian regimes

Historical deep-dive into the work of Jane Adams, a pioneer of the Settlement House movement and modern philanthropic work

Phone app that uses principles of emotional intelligence to help teenagers achieve more positive emotional states, impacting both their well-being and academic performance

School-based curriculum for suicide prevention using interventions identified as “best practices” in academic literature

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