Paul Vaughan - University of Houston
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Paul Vaughan

  • Degree: Economics, B.S. ('22)
  • OURMA Programs: HERE, SURF
  • Major Awards and Fellowships: Gilman Scholarship, Fulbright Research Award

Current Pursuits

Fulbright Student Researcher based at the University of Warsaw in Poland. I am focused on understanding the likely post-war architecture of Ukrainian reconstruction, and how the conditions that enabled the Marshall Plan’s success are unlikely to be replicated today.

Undergraduate Research Projects

SURF: Examined the impact that the Great Recession had on increasing the frequency of informal work arrangements among the millennial cohort

HERE: Looked at how Houston could position itself to become a leader in the energy transition

Favorite Undergraduate Research Memory

Taking part in the collaborative process of formulating our HERE group’s research topic and the lively discussions we had while putting together the presentation.

What do you value most about your undergraduate research experience?

The fact that research invites you to ask interesting questions and then challenges you to find novel answers.

How did undergraduate research prepare you for what you are currently doing?

OURMA gave me the ability to self-pace and construct disciplined research questions, a pivotal skill to succeeding in my current posting as a Fulbright Researcher.

Advice for Students Interested in Undergraduate Research

When sketching out a research project, don’t hesitate to consider a range of questions. The first idea one has is not necessarily the best. It is also beneficial to run potential research topics by your professors (even if they are not directly affiliated with the project), as they may raise new points or implications you had not previously contemplated.