2023-2024 Undergraduate Research Fellows

Alyna Januarius

Alyna Januarius is a second year at George Washington University double majoring in Asian Studies and Korean Language and Literature. She is local to the DC area and grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. She is passionate about numerous issues on the Korean Peninsula including reunification, Korean identity, gender dynamics in society, and the feminist movement in South Korea. Her other academic interests include the global issues of imperialism, postcolonial cycles, degrowth, sustainability, and human rights. She visited Seoul this past summer as part of the GWIKS Study Abroad program. Aside from academics, she enjoys learning languages as a hobby. Alyna is eager to develop meaningful research and hopes to pursue a career in academia.

Research Topic:

Gender Disparities in the Context of Military Service and the Workforce in South Korea

Jerry Ji

Jerry Ji is a junior double-majoring in International Affairs and Economics at the George Washington University. He is from Nanjing, China. His areas of interest include the Cold War history, modern MENA and East Asia (China and Korea), as well as political economy in the Global South. Last summer, he went on a study abroad trip to South Korea with GWIKS, where he took a deep dive into historical, economic, political, cultural and societal aspects of Korea and found a genuine interest in it since then. In the past summer, he was a Research Intern at the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK), where he focused on North Korea and its connections with countries around the world, especially in the forms of arms trade, political assimilation, and construction projects. He also researched on US-China POW/MIA issues in the aftermath of the Korean War. During leisure time, he likes reading, snowboarding, and travelling.

Research Topic:

North Korea’s Overseas Activities in Southeast Asia: From History to the Sanction Era

Nigella McConnell

Nigella McConnell is a sophomore student from Grand Rapids, MI. She is an English major with a minor in writing. Nigella’s plans after graduating from Spelman are to pursue a career in journalism or nonprofit work. She believes in solving national issues, such as the numerous discrepancies towards black women. However, one must first start at the local level. This is why she has pursued political science until now. She has always been interested in drawing attention to political issues, especially those that cause danger to black and brown communities. She has always been interested in writing since she was young.. To her, writing is like second nature. Nigella decided to pursue journalism because she wanted to communicate with audiences through her writing. In high school, McConnell focused on her community by improving her poetry skills with an organization called the Diatribe in West Michigan.

Research Topic:

The Blind Spots in Korea

Anna McIntyre

As a transracial adoptee from China, I have gradually developed a passion for learning
about East Asia, particularly the languages and cultures of China and Korea, as well as the United States’ relationship with them. In the summer of 2022, I enrolled in the two-month Middlebury College language immersion program for the Korean language. And I continued my experience with Korean language and culture through a fall semester abroad at Ewha Women’s University in Seoul. This past summer I worked remotely as a Korean Language Program Intern for The Korea Society where I conducted research on other language programs and performed various administrative tasks. Outside of classes and in my free time I love to read, exercise, and eat food while watching shows with friends.

Research Topic:

The Role Civil Society Organizations play in the Relations between Japan and South Korea or The Affect of Social Stigma on Korean Women and Korean Adoptees (since the Korean War)

Mia Perlman

Mia Perlman is a senior from Austin, Texas, pursuing a B.A. in Art History and Korean Language & Literature. Her areas of interest include modern and contemporary art, Korean art, the art market, and graphic design. At GW, Mia is President and Co-Founder of the Korean American Student Society (GWKASS) and is a member of Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority, Inc. From 2019 to 2020, she studied Korean in Seoul through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). After graduation, she plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Art History and Art Business.

Research Topic:

Women Artists During Democratization

Elias Pinkes

Research Topic:

The economic implications of war over Taiwan for The Korean Peninsula

Nyla Rahman

Nyla Rahman is a senior from Prince George’s County in Maryland, pursuing a BA in International Studies with a concentration in Cultural Studies and a minor in Asian Studies. Nyla is pursuing her academic journey with a passion for advancing women’s rights internationally. She has cultivated an intense curiosity and a determination to excel in every endeavor. Nyla is the President of the Chinese Cultural Club at Spelman College and was a member of the Georgia Women’s Policy Institute 2022-2023 cohort, where she worked to propose policies to the Georgia State Senate that would defend abortion rights for women in Georgia. After matriculation, Nyla plans to attend Law School and obtain her Juris Doctorate. In her free time, Nyla loves reading, taking care of her plants, and listening to K-pop.

Research Topic:

The history of Feminism and Misogyny in South Korea and their modern developments in Korean society

Mikaili Senwah

Mikaili Senwah is a junior biology major from Baltimore, MD attending Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. Although her long term career interests are centered around medicine, both research inside and outside of the lab have worked to aid her in her personal and professional development as a multifaceted student. Her recent sparked interest in K-pop ultimately led her to her GWICKS Undergraduate Research Fellows project. This project will work to uncover the intricate relationship between African American culture and K-pop, analyzing the influence of African American music, dance, and fashion on the development and global success of K-pop. Through this study Mikaili seeks to contribute to the understanding of how cultural exchange shapes the music industry and facilitates global cultural appreciation and understanding.

Research Topic:

Intersection of African American culture in Korean Pop

Haley Stanks

Haley Stanks is a senior in the Elliott School, double majoring in International Affairs and History, along with a concentration in Contemporary Cultures and Societies. Originally from Ocean City, New Jersey, Haley has enjoyed living in DC and exploring the city as a self-proclaimed foodie. Through GWIKS, Haley traveled to Korea in the summer of 2022, which has been one of her favorite memories. During her time at GW, she has combined her interests in diplomatic studies and contemporary cultures through looking at historical events in different contexts, including how history is portrayed today as well as how specific events have affected women. When she is not in Gelman Library, Haley can be found in the student section cheering with George’s Army, at events for Kappa Delta, or making day in the life TikToks. Haley plans to attend graduate school and become a history professor.

Research Topic:

Analyzing the Impacts of the Korean War on Motherhood and Adoption

Elias Varn

Elias ‘Ellie’ Varn is a Senior from Asheville, North Carolina majoring in Korean Language and Literature with a double minor in History and Sociology. Ellie is an alumnus of the National Security Language Initiative in South Korea and has also spent time volunteering at 화엄사 temple. Her research interests span from Choson Dynasty literature to convict labor in America’s Reconstruction era. Ellie’s research motivations lie in exposing the intentional erasure of history’s dark details that have prevented reconciliation. Outside of her academic interests, Ellie enjoys hiking, gardening, and contra dancing.

Research Topic:

DC Cherry Blossoms: Japan stole from Jeju Island

Michelle Wang

Michelle Wang is from Portland, Oregon and is a sophomore at the Elliott School studying international affairs and computer science. She is a research contributor at the US-China Strategic Studies Organization and is involved with GW Women in Cybersecurity and GW UNICEF. Michelle’s areas of interest include US-China relations, cybersecurity policy, and international development. She hopes to pursue a career in public service.

Research Topic:

The Role of Arms Sales in South Korean Foreign Policy

Kiandra White

My name is Kiandra White and I am a Junior at GW, originally from El Paso, Texas. A large part of my childhood consisted of learning the Turkish Language and Culture. I thought I would continue learning Turkish in college, but after finding interest in the Korean language Freshman year, I became interested in learning more about Korea and its rich history. I became particularly interested in learning about how things like the patriarchy and feminism effect the people of Korea, but also the similarities and differences in which we see them in the U.S. In the future, I would like to combine my love of Public Health and Korean to translate medical information as well as create policy to make healthcare more accessible to underrepresented minorities. Outside of my studies, I am a part of Delta Epsilon Mu, the GW Sirens, Capital Peers, and Program Board on campus.

Research Topic:

The Patriarchy, Feminism, and Societal Views in Korea