Tiger Prints

The senior thesis requirement is unique to Princeton, providing a memorable opportunity for students to delve into topics of their interest. Essential to this process is a mentor or advisor, and Princeton faculty are among the top experts in their fields, ready to help budding researchers.

In this bonus episode, SPIA faculty talk about their experiences advising student work and how they help students produce their best work. This episode features Marta Tienda, Maurice P. During Professor in Demographic Studies, Emeritus; Rory Truex, assistant professor of politics and international affairs; and Paul Lipton, associate dean for undergraduate education at SPIA.

Tiger Prints is a podcast series highlighting tomorrow’s leaders solving today’s problems. The show features recent SPIA grads and their senior research projects. After four years at Princeton, these students are prepared to take the next step in their careers, with their theses serving as the foundation. The show was produced, hosted, and edited by Hope Perry ’24, SPIA podcast production intern, with production assistance from B. Rose Huber, communications manager and senior writer at SPIA. The show was supported by summer interns Jenna Thompson and Riis L. Williams with design by Imaan Khasru '23.

Climate change and migration are deeply interrelated; extreme climate conditions compound factors like disease, economic insecurity, and violence in countries that already face land inequality issues. Regina Lankenau ’21 and Lindsey Schmidt ‘21 studied these trends and argued that more interdisciplinary research is needed. 

Tiger Prints is a podcast series highlighting tomorrow’s leaders solving today’s problems. The show features recent SPIA grads and their senior research projects. After four years at Princeton, these students are prepared to take the next step in their careers, with their theses serving as the foundation. The show was produced, hosted, and edited by Hope Perry ’24, SPIA podcast production intern, with production assistance from B. Rose Huber, communications manager and senior writer at SPIA. The show was supported by summer interns Jenna Thompson and Riis L. Williams with design by Imaan Khasru '23.

Does social activism have a tangible effect on justice in policing? This was the question on Alaina McGowen ’21’s mind as she embarked upon her thesis: “Policing the Police.” Most police contracts offer protections that are not legal for civilians and are also often negotiated behind closed doors. McGowen advocates for more transparency in police contracts, which could lead to more police accountability. 

Tiger Prints is a podcast series highlighting tomorrow’s leaders solving today’s problems. The show features recent SPIA grads and their senior research projects. After four years at Princeton, these students are prepared to take the next step in their careers, with their theses serving as the foundation. The show was produced, hosted, and edited by Hope Perry ’24, SPIA podcast production intern, with production assistance from B. Rose Huber, communications manager and senior writer at SPIA. The show was supported by summer interns Jenna Thompson and Riis L. Williams with design by Imaan Khasru '23.

Pollution is a pervasive global issue that impacts every community. Julia Ilhardt ’21 and Emily Reinhold ’21 tackled this issue in their undergraduate theses and recommend that people who are disproportionately affected by environmental harms — such as low income and communities of color — should have a more prominent role in the policymaking process. Listen to hear which solutions they recommend.

Immigration is a heated and deadlocked policy issue in the U.S. Abraham Waserstein ’21 studied its history, noting that after 1965 and the Immigration Nationality Act, people who traditionally came to the U.S. for economic workflows were deemed illegal or “undocumented.” After conducting a case study in Iowa, he believes a community-based visa plan that focuses on community input and integration could prove successful for immigration policy.

Tiger Prints is a podcast series highlighting tomorrow’s leaders solving today’s problems. The show features recent SPIA grads and their senior research projects. After four years at Princeton, these students are prepared to take the next step in their careers, with their theses serving as the foundation. The show is produced, hosted, and edited by Hope Perry ’24, SPIA podcast production intern, with production assistance from B. Rose Huber, communications manager and senior writer at SPIA.