At NYU, Research Is for Everyone (Part Three)

NYU Shanghai students Alicia Arango and Xuan Lin (Global China Studies), Alexandra Kogler (Business and Finance), and Guilherme Cangiano Machado (Interactive Media and Business) learned about jiehua (界画), an ancient form of Chinese art, in their NYU Shanghai course China Encounters the World. Jiehua is a unique style of painting with origins dating back to 770 BC. The art form was widespread throughout China for thousands of years. And its influence even extended to Korea and Japan. Moreover, surviving works provide critical information about lost architectural structures.

The NYU Shanghai Undergraduate Research Symposium inspired the group to take their class project a step further. The team set out to answer the question: how can existing research about jiehua reach more scholars globally?

Under the mentorship of Professor Shuang Wen, they began by exploring the bibliography of a book recommended by Professor Lala Zuo, who is a specialist in jiehua. “We tracked down many of the book’s sources and further supplemented our findings with resources from the NYU Shanghai Library,” explains Alicia. “Our team encompasses both English and Chinese speakers. So, given our linguistic diversity, we were able to conduct searches in both languages,” Xuan shares. “The outcome of our research proved to be incredibly fulfilling.”

The team earned Best Presentation at the symposium and launched a Wikipedia page. What’s more, the entry includes over 90 source citations and representative examples from across dynasties. Prior to this launch on Wikipedia, there was no information available online in English.

Tom Abi Samra is a Literature and Creative Writing major at NYU Abu Dhabi who wanted to understand what shaped the art scene in 1960s Beirut beyond the question of abstraction. Thanks to an opportunity through NYU Abu Dhabi’s al Mawrid Arab center for the Study of Art, Tom was able to conduct archival research at in the Nicolas Sursock Museum. Through his research, Tom shed light on overlooked intellectual debates about art and politics taking place at the time.

While studying abroad for a semester at NYU London, Nicholas D’Souza, a Psychology major at the College of Arts and Science, worked as a Global Equity Fellow, seeking to improve the study away experience for LGBTQ+ students. “I needed to find physical, sexual, and mental health resources that were accessible to the LGBTQ+ community and openly accepting of queer allyship,” he explains. After taking stock, he created a guide to LGBTQ+ life in London and hosted events like walking tours, panels, and discussions.

“I’m interested in the politics around the preservation and protection of antiquities,” explains Alexis Tretschok, an International Relations major at the College of Arts and Science. At the NYU Yeronisos Island Field School in Cyprus, Alexis collaborated with a diverse team of archaeologists to find, preserve, and record antiquities. “I understand now how to properly handle antiquities and am able to conduct better analysis while working with museum collections.”

The Stern Program for Undergraduate Research
Engage one-on-one with Stern faculty to learn research methodologies used in the field. Your findings directly support groundbreaking research.

Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund
Receive a grant for independent research. These grants help with data gathering or resources to attend and present your results at an academic conference.

Fulbright Open Study/Research Awards
Design your own projects and work with advisers at international universities or other institutes of higher education.

Global Equity Fellowship
Create an original research project focusing on diversity and inclusion within the context of your NYU study abroad location.

Interested in learning more about NYU’s research network? Check out Part One and Part Two of this story for more NYU student research highlights.