SBU Senior Discusses Her Honors Thesis on Middle East Reform Efforts

Lana Gouda - the URECA researcher of the month for March -is a senior double majoring in political science and economics with a minor in philosophy. She is completing a departmental honors thesis with Jason Rose, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science, on "Middle East Reform Efforts in Specific Countries Focusing on Social Change, Gender Roles, andEconomic Freedom."

Goudawas the recipient of the inaugural Harsh Bhasin Scholarship given by the Department of Political Science and has served as a teaching assistant for POL380: Government and Politics of the Middle East. In Fall 2024, she was selected to receive the Edward Guiliano Global Fellowship from the College of Arts and Sciences, which provided her with the resources to travel to Nice, France, to enhance her language skills.

When asked what advice about research she would give to other political science majors, Gouda replied: "I would say start early and actually do it. If you find a research project with a professor that you're actually interested in, go for it. When it feels like it's hard to get involved, talk to the department, and more likely than not, they will be helpful to you if they see you're actually interested."

Gouda has had internships as a translator/interpreter, worked as an economic research intern for the U.S. Department of State-U.S. Mission to Yemen and is active as a member/outreach coordinator with the Collegiate Institute of Middle East Affairs.

Following graduation, she will be joining a global equity research firm as a research coordinator.

Be sure to look for Gouda's poster at the upcoming URECA Symposium on May 5.

Read the full interview with URECA Director Karen Kernan and learn more about Gouda's research journey.