Carolyn Chun’22 Sociology major presented her Honors Thesis research: Hidden Universal Right: Dissecting The Digital Divide and Its Impacts on Dryden, New York at CURB Cornell Undergraduate Research Board Poster Session of the Spring Symposium of Undergraduate Research
“I did a case study in Dryden, NY, interviewing Cornell Professor Dan Lamb and Jason Leifer who were both key members of the Broadband Committee there and created this groundbreaking project“ Carolyn explained that it will provide fast and affordable Internet access for all their citizens as they build their infrastructure system.
Chun also surveyed Cornell undergraduates to analyze the effects of the pandemic and online learning on their experiences with the Digital Divide, and she included their awareness and solutions towards mitigating the Digital Divide within Cornell. The opportunity to study a wide survey of locations and conducting qualitative research for her thesis, she explained, offered the opportunity to maximize her passion for Sociology as a Cornellian.
Carolyn Chun worked on her thesis with Professor Joseph Sullivan who highlighted her outstanding Senior Honors Thesis where she exercised excellent quality and organized research covering the topic of the digital divide “from a variety of necessary perspectives” Professor Sullivan explained that the poster was a summary ‘snapshot’ including the best aspects of her thesis and was very nicely designed including various graphic representations of her topic.
For Chun, the Poster Session submission provided the opportunity to think about her research visually, and found the challenge very rewarding “as I got to challenge myself to display my work and see how vast the Digital Divide truly is as a universal issue.” Choosing the key information in her main ideas from the thesis and exposing these topics in a few minutes provided an alternative to the oral defense. “ It was also very encouraging to hear feedback and hear people’s questions, seeing how my topic sparked curiosity in people’s eyes,” said Carolyn.
Carolyn Chun during the CURB Poster Session
The annual CURB Spring Symposium is a yearly public celebration of the outstanding types of research projects performed across the entire Cornell University system by undergraduates. Undergraduate students put their research ‘on display’ and stand ready to describe their research projects and process, answer any questions visitors may have, and engage in insightful discussion related to their research. Professor Sullivan highlighted that “every poster on display was fascinating, every project was interesting!"
For more information read the a
rticle with about the Curb Spring Symposium
