不良研究所

I'm in my third year of a double degree in Law and Society and Psychology, and this is my second year receiving the PURE Award. Last year, I explored the relationship between the Canadian Navy and international co-operations. This year, I explored why Canada was excluded from the AUKUS agreement, a naval defense partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US. AUKUS was a trilateral agreement with the US, UK, and Australia regarding nuclear powered submarine procurement.  

 My first year, I felt very unsure of what was happening. I'd be glued to my pen and paper during interviews, following my interview protocol like a script. This year felt different. I memorized my questions and followed where participants took the conversation. When recruitment was rocky, I pivoted to using the snowball method and by the end, I had eleven interview subjects after only seeking five originally. Given the international scope of my topic, their recommendations opened doors for me I did not even know existed. Deeper insights, new perspectives, etc.?] It helped understand different perspectives and gave a deeper understanding of the background and the information surrounding and regarding AUKUS.  

 The most important thing I've learned across both summers is this: trust the process. Even if you don't know what you're doing, just keep going. It requires a bit of blind confidence and courage, but even if it seems like a shot in the dark, persevere. Talk to other researchers in the field and learn from their experience. And accept that there's no such thing as perfect research. You're doing the best you can, and that's what matters.