Lia De Valenzuela is a senior majoring in Psychology with minors in Business Economics and Philosophy. Her current research, conducted through the Kellogg International Scholars Program with Professor Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, examines the relationship between polarization and democracy in Latin America, specifically the directionality of that relationship—whether polarization fuels democratic erosion or whether weakening democratic institutions lead to greater polarization. In addition, she has supported research for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights by coding and managing compliance data on reparations cases.
During the summer of 2023, De Valenzuela worked as a research assistant for the International Race and Human Rights Lab on a project examining Sino-American relations and the Black Lives Matter movement. In the summers of 2024 and 2025, she interned at PwC in New York City in Asset & Wealth Management Consulting, where she strengthened her skills in teamwork, communication, and data analysis. On campus, she serves as an International Admissions Intern and a Distinguished Leader for the Sheedy Family Program. De Valenzuela is passionate about applying psychology to social science research and impact-driven consulting, and she looks forward to continuing to bridge academic research with practical solutions to social and institutional challenges.