The goal of my research project was to determine whether land use regulations affect the location of subsidized housing developments. Our specific hypothesis was that stricter land use regulations at the city level would lead to subsidized housing units that are concentrated in low-opportunity neighborhoods within the city. The project involved understanding the current research on the topic through academic journals and conducting literature reviews, finding applicable datasets and creating descriptives of the data, and the beginning stages of regression analysis. Through this experience I learned several valuable skills, such as the ability to summarize and create literature reviews of dense academic texts. I also learned how to use Stata, a statistical analysis program, where I managed, combined, and regressed several datasets. This research has had a significant contribution to my educational experience because I feel more comfortable than ever handling academic texts and writing for an scholarly audience. I was also able to dive into the specifics of an academic subject which allowed me to understand the material better than ever. Furthermore, it allowed me to evaluate whether academia is a career path I would like to pursue in the future, and whether I should major in Urban Studies. Finally, I received funding from the Penn Undergrad Research Mentorship program (PURM), which contributed a valuable asset to my academic experience. Through this program I developed a close relationship with a Penn professor who is very knowledgeable on both his area of research and the college experience, providing me with a valuable “mentor” for my undergraduate studies.
The goal of my research project was to determine whether land use regulations affect the location of subsidized housing developments. Our specific hypothesis was that stricter land use regulations at the city level would lead to subsidized housing units that are concentrated in low-opportunity neighborhoods within the city. The project involved understanding the current research on the topic through academic journals and conducting literature reviews, finding applicable datasets and creating descriptives of the data, and the beginning stages of regression analysis. Through this experience I learned several valuable skills, such as the ability to summarize and create literature reviews of dense academic texts. I also learned how to use Stata, a statistical analysis program, where I managed, combined, and regressed several datasets. This research has had a significant contribution to my educational experience because I feel more comfortable than ever handling academic texts and writing for an scholarly audience. I was also able to dive into the specifics of an academic subject which allowed me to understand the material better than ever. Furthermore, it allowed me to evaluate whether academia is a career path I would like to pursue in the future, and whether I should major in Urban Studies. Finally, I received funding from the Penn Undergrad Research Mentorship program (PURM), which contributed a valuable asset to my academic experience. Through this program I developed a close relationship with a Penn professor who is very knowledgeable on both his area of research and the college experience, providing me with a valuable “mentor” for my undergraduate studies.