From the Peruvian Amazon to Moroccan healthcare systems, Kellogg International Scholars are translating their research experiences into real-world impact. At academic conferences worldwide, these undergraduates – in conjunction with their ISP faculty mentors – are sharing research that challenges assumptions and drives change.
Last fall, Kellogg International Scholar Evie Garces-Foley '25 presented preliminary findings from her independent research project at the Forests & Livelihoods: Assessment, Research, and Engagement (FLARE) Conference in Rome. Her study examined how trust is established and perceived between international conservation organizations and local Indigenous communities in the Alto Mayo region of the Peruvian Amazon.
She also was chosen by Keough School of Global Affairs faculty member Daniel Miller, a Kellogg faculty fellow, to be a closing plenary speaker at the event, representing the youth perspective on the future of forests and livelihoods.
“I immediately thought of Evie. Her rich experience studying abroad, working as a researcher, both in the field and in the library, and as a student activist on climate change issues made her an ideal choice,” says Miller, whom, as part of the International Scholars Program (ISP), Garces-Foley worked with as a research assistant. “She was the youngest by far on a distinguished panel that included a lawyer-leader of an Afro-descendant People in Suriname, a scholar-filmmaker from Madagascar, a leading scholar on rural livelihoods from the UK, and a senior official from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.”
In the summer of 2024, Garces-Foley traveled to Peru for six weeks funded by a Kellogg/Kroc Undergraduate Research Grant to conduct fieldwork for her capstone project. In addition to speaking at FLARE, she will present a report of her findings along with recommendations to Conservation International, the organization she observed during the study. She additionally is writing the results of this research as a senior capstone, exploring trust between conservation NGOs and local Indigenous communities through the lens of environmental restorative justice.
Garces-Foley, who is majoring in anthropology, peace studies and Spanish, found these opportunities through her participation in Kellogg’s International Scholars Program (ISP). The program trains undergraduates in research skills, funds travel for research projects, and provides one-to-one mentorship and hands-on research experience with Kellogg faculty fellows. Students can apply for ISP in April of their first year.
“I think it’s really important for undergraduates to see what else is out there,” says Garces-Foley, who is currently doing an internship with the Environmental Peacebuilding Association and is a Fulbright semi-finalist. “You can learn a lot in a classroom, but at the end of the day, you learn so much more out in the field. I was exposed to different types of people, different ways of life, and, coming back from that now, I’m so much more confident about pretty much everything I do.”
Garces-Foley is one among several exceptional International Scholars, including Sonia Zhang '26 and Jacob Harris '25, who also recently presented their research at academic conferences, showcasing the potential for undergraduate students to contribute meaningful work within scholarly communities.
“These kinds of opportunities for ISP students illustrate one way Kellogg is helping the University of Notre Dame meet the goals of its University Strategic Framework,” says Rachel Thiel, senior program manager for undergraduate programs.
“Goal II calls for a growing number of research opportunities for undergraduates,” she explains. “Kellogg has been answering this call and helping students present their work to a greater academic community at conferences, giving them great experiences and an appreciation for the impact their research can have.”
As part of ISP, Zhang, a double major in economics and global affairs with a minor in data science, has been working alongside Associate Professor of Global Affairs Erin Graham, a Kellogg faculty fellow, for almost two years on a project that examines how international organizations have shifted their climate efforts toward mobilizing private capital from institutional investors, like hedge funds, pensions, and investment firms, in order to fund decarbonization.
Together they presented their findings at the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) 2024 Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Philadelphia in September 2024 and have submitted their co-authored paper to a journal for review.
“These opportunities to share research are important markers on the long and winding road of research,” says Graham. “I was excited for Sonia to have the opportunity to interact with and receive feedback from faculty and PhD students interested in our project. My sense is that it deepened her already strong interest in conducting research and she relished the experience.”
Zhang has more than four years of experience working at an education NGO in China and is a junior working toward developing her own independent research project to be completed during her senior year.
“Presenting at APSA was a milestone for my journey as a researcher since it was my first time attending an academic conference and presenting as a co-author,” says Zhang. “This conference allowed me to deepen my understanding of international collaboration through the lens of political economy and climate change and learn from some of the brightest minds in the field.”
Zhang adds that working with Graham through ISP and Kellogg’s financial support and supportive interdisciplinary community have helped shape how she approaches research and how she thinks about her future education and career.
“I am so thankful for the faculty mentorship that ISP provides. I have learned so much through my work with professor Graham, and this work has confirmed for me that research and further education in this field are something I want to pursue,” says Zhang. “Kellogg’s support has helped me explore how I can contribute to addressing global social issues that the world is facing right now.”
Harris, who is majoring in anthropology and global affairs, also benefited from the opportunity to present the results of his independent research project at an academic conference in the fall. During the summer of 2023, Harris traveled to Rabat, Morocco, through the Kellogg Experiencing the World Fellowship, conducting exploratory fieldwork on palliative care and opioid use among vulnerable populations in the country with George Mason University Professor of Global Affairs Cortney Rinker. Together they presented their findings at the American Anthropological Association 2024 Annual Meeting: Praxis in Tampa, FL.
“Whether over lunch, in the conference hallways, or in late-night conversations, I was able to discuss my project and gain new insights from other anthropologists,” says Harris. “The conversations I was able to have and the relationships I have been able to form have been invaluable both for my current research, my professional development, and my personal growth, and all of it has been made possible by the unmatched support of the Kellogg Institute.”
Harris is now collaborating with Kellogg Faculty Fellow Aidan Seale-Feldman, assistant professor of anthropology, on a project focused on user/survivor movements and disability studies within the field of global mental health. He intends to pursue further education in psychological anthropology, mental health, and public health policy.