Luis Quiroga

Luis (he/him) is a senior majoring in International Relations. His specializations are International Security and Economic Development/World Economy. He spoke with us about how he became interested in IR, his primary academic/research interests, and his advice for future IR students!

What sparked your interest in IR?

I have been fascinated by history and politics since high school in Bolivia. I also did Model United Nations for several years. When I finished high school, I planned to major in Political Science. But, I changed my interests when I moved to the United States. A couple of months before starting college here, I went to a speaker event on "US elections security," and right after, to another event with Uighur refugees. It was the first time I learned about the Uighur crisis, and I was intrigued to learn more about it. That experience made me reflect that I wanted to gain a perspective from various regions of the world, as opposed to only the US. This would make it easier for me to work outside the US if I wanted it in the future, and allow me to keep learning about the problems other countries face that we might have no idea of. That is why I decided to major in IR.

What are your primary academic/research interests?

My specializations are International Security and Economic Development. Through International Security, I take classes focusing on the history of the US as a world power, and its role in shaping the international system. Through Economic Development, I take courses that study countries in the developing world. I did a directed reading with Professor Herbert Klein on Bolivian History. It was a huge honor to learn the history of my country under his guidance and be introduced to various scholars who study it. Currently, I am taking a practicum class INTNLREL 192 with Professor Erica Gould, where I am part of the team that analyzes International Accountability Mechanisms, and the role of non-governmental organizations in helping communities harmed by development projects. Finally, I am part of the ID2 Lab, with Professor Soledad Prillaman, where we study the impact of Self-Help Groups in women's political behavior in India. The research uses qualitative methods, and I code the interviews so they can be translated into numbers. The IR department gives you so much freedom and opportunities, so taking advantage of that and exploring professional experiences is important.

Can you tell us a little bit about your internship experience this past summer (or any time in the past)?

IR gives you a diverse set of skills that allows you to explore very different types of internship positions. I interned for the World Bank's Bureaucracy Lab, where I created an informational video, participated in meetings with government officials of other countries, and coded two of their surveys. Last summer, I interned for Learn@Ease, a tutoring company in Nigeria. This was part of a SEED fellowship from the GSB. There, I tutored high school students on how to write their college application and essays, and wrote a guide for future tutors.