Matthew Klausner ('26), a Hispanic Studies and Political Science double major, conducted regulatory research under the mentorship of Dr. Cary Coglianese (Penn Carey Law School, Department of Political Science). This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring (PURM) Program.
I was drawn to the Penn Program on Regulation (PPR) at the Penn Carey Law School because of my interest in pursuing a career in law, as well as my unfamiliarity with the particular research topic. Part of the description for this opportunity was to learn about regulatory processes rather than regulation itself, and this interested me because I had never really thought about “regulation” at a deep level before. During my PURM experience, I specifically worked on data-based research involving the public perception of regulation over time, as well as trends in media coverage of regulation. This was such an enriching experience because it allowed me to learn more about government regulation while expanding upon my data experience, which I have gained through minoring in Survey Research and Election Studies.
The connections I gained this summer were some of the most meaningful aspects of my PURM experience. In addition to having regular meetings with Dr. Coglianese, I worked on a daily basis with Dr. Andrew Coopersmith. Having two advisors who mentored me taught me a great deal about regulatory research, and made it easier for me to progress and overcome obstacles in my research. Additionally, I worked in a cohort with two other PURM students, and even though our assignments did not overlap, it was nice to connect with them and bond over our shared interest in regulation and the law in general. I am excited to continue building upon these professional relationships through my work as a student research assistant at the PPR this year.
Furthermore, my PURM experience challenged me to explore several different avenues in data-based research. Due to the relative obscurity and vagueness of the topic I was researching, it was quite difficult for me to find adequate sources of data. Researching media coverage of regulation over time, for example, was challenging because most online databases did not contain data that went back far enough to analyze trends from the past 50 years. Some sources had data available, but challenges arose when I attempted to locate data on the total volume of news over time. I ended up reaching out to librarians from Penn as well as Vanderbilt (which owns the Vanderbilt Television News Archive that I used) to find data that would meet the needs of the research. Apart from drastically improving my data research skills, this experience taught me the importance of constant trial and error in research. It also helped develop my problem-solving skills and made me more comfortable with seeking out advice from research professionals like librarians, who were incredibly helpful. These are all skills that I intend to use in my future research endeavors, both with the PPR and elsewhere.
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