Political Science student seeks unique international research experience

We caught up with Mia Tamayo Higinio after her recent presentation at FURCA (Festival of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities) to learn about the research project and a bit about her!

What program, department and year are you in? 

I am currently an International Research Visitor at the University of Alberta, working in the Department of Political Science under the supervision of Dr. Feo Snagovsky. I am also an Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) Scholar originally from Lima, Peru.

Describe your FURCA research project and what your goals are/were for your presentation?

My FURCA research project was about affective polarization and social trust in Canada. In co-authorship with Dr. Snagovsky, our main objective was to determine whether the individual variations in the levels of affective polarization may affect people's trust in other members of society. In a world when political polarization has been on the rise and shaped the capacity of democratic institutions to manage diverse political conflicts, this research emerges as a huge endeavour to understand not just the determinants, but the consequences that polarization has for our democratic bases. 

Was this the first time presenting your research to an audience?

Yes. While it is true that I have presented some assessments and writings at my home university, it has been my first time doing a research poster presentation and explaining it in an international audience. I really enjoyed the experience, people from different backgrounds showed huge interest in the research and I could share my findings with each of them. 

Did you use any unusual mediums (like painting, etc) for your presentation?

Not at all. I prepared my poster presentation using data visualization with particular focus on the methodology part with Dr. Snagovsky. We constructed some graphs in order to share our regression results in a friendly way, as well as histograms and so on. As a result, everyone could understand our results without being an expert in statistics or mathematics.  

What are you most looking forward to getting out of the event?

The opportunity to establish new connections with my peers from a variety of disciplines, learning new research topics and of course, being a source of motivation to other students who would like to explore our topic in a deeper way in comparative perspective. The FURCA presentation was one of the best experiences that I've had during my stay in Canada. 

Why are you interested in showcasing this project and, in general, what drew you to your program of study?

I applied to the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) Scholarship to pursue a unique international research experience under the supervision of Dr. Snagovsky. Throughout this process, his guidance and support have been fundamental to my academic development. I am deeply grateful for his mentorship and dedication, which have made this project possible. I am particularly interested in showcasing this work as it reflects both the outcomes of our collaboration and the training I have received. In the near future, we plan to publish this paper in an international journal and continue working together on new research lines within political science.  

About Mia

Mia Alexandra Tamayo Higinio holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL) from the University of Arizona. She has completed international training at the University of Cambridge and Hogeschool Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. She received a Canadian government ELAP scholarship to conduct a research fellowship in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta. She has experience in both the public and private sectors, with a focus on public affairs and technical policy analysis. Her research interests focus on political behavior, political philosophy, and the use of quantitative methods in the social sciences.