Sociology, '19 working with Professor Orlando Patterson

Working as a research assistant for Professor Orlando Patterson has been one of the best experiences of my college career! Professor Patterson was working on writing an annual review of the literature on human trafficking, so my job was to research library databases and other sources to find the most recent articles and sociological developments in the field of sex trafficking. As a research assistant I summarized and analyzed hundreds of articles, created Excel spreadsheets to track the information I gathered, brainstormed topics for further research, and met with Professor Patterson on a weekly basis to discuss my progress. Through this experience I learned so much about a topic that I had never really considered before, realizing that human trafficking is a serious and widespread issue that needs to be tackled. I learned about all the different kinds of sex trafficking that take place in different regions of the world, including international sex trafficking, domestic minor sex trafficking, child marriage, and bride trafficking. In fact, I found the research that I had done so interesting and thought-provoking that I am now considering writing a thesis on the topic of sex trafficking, and maybe even working with sex trafficking survivors in the future. Working on this project allowed me to see how sociologists and scholars gather and analyze data, giving me skills that will help me in writing my thesis and other research papers at Harvard. Being part of a real sociological project and enjoying it immensely further convinced me of my passion for sociology. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to participate in such a meaningful project, and I hope that my work has contributed in some small way to fighting the battle against human trafficking.