Margot

Please provide a brief summary of your research.
My research project explored the rise of emigration from France in the late 20th and early 21st centuries through the creation of a two-part narrative podcast series. The journalistic research project combines over 15 hours of interviews with academic scholars and French citizens to paint a nuanced picture of the economic and educational reasons behind the recent rise in French emigration. Each of the two episodes ranges in length from 30 minutes to an hour and includes background sounds from France, interviews and personal narration. The podcast series is also the culmination of two months of reporting from and living in France.

What made you initially interested in researching your project in particular?
I initially became interested in creating this podcast series due to my family background. I come from a half-French, half-American family and have always been fascinated by both of these cultures. As a result, I wanted to find a way to investigate and document stories that speak to the merger of these two nationalities and the impact globalization had on our political, economical and educational systems. Researching migration became an outlet for me to explore these topics. This is because migration uniquely points to times when cultures mix and individuals are forced to confront their national identities. I then chose podcasting as a medium for research because I wanted to personalize the stories behind the statistics and present my research in an accessible, compelling manner. Secondly, I was interested in gaining more experience with bilingual reporting. I knew this research project would enable me to conduct numerous interviews in French and subsequently translate them, which was proven to be an invaluable experience for me in my development as a news reporter.

What made you interested in pursuing (interdisciplinary) research more broadly?
I have always been fascinated by research and its ability to allow us to understand the world. The grant has uniquely provided me, and many of my classmates, with an opportunity to explore a variety of non-STEM fields. I decided to pursue research in the fields of political science, journalism and economics because those are the fields that particularly pique my curiosity.

Describe your experiences with research thus far. Was it tricky? What skills do you think you’ve gained?
I have loved my research experience thus far. SURG has enabled me to spend two months reporting from France and meet fascinating people in person from a variety of unique places. For example, I spent a weekend in Sarrebourg, a commune in the North of France with a population of around 12,000 people. While there, I met and interviewed Julie Cumin, a farmer and psychology student who moved back to France for ecological reasons after emigrating. Another example is when I visited Station F, the largest startup campus in the world, for a portion of episode one about the startup world in France and how it has incentivized emigration among entrepreneurs. I met Sacha Mourain there, a co-founder and CEO of a Station F-based company. Every interviewee told me something interesting and surprising. These conversations and experiences then enabled me to gain practical skills. For one, it has allowed me to create my first long-form podcast series and tell a concrete, logical and succinct story from many different narratives. Secondly, I was able to learn from my faculty advisor Professor Nettles – a Medill professor and contributor to a variety of exceptional publications, such as New York Times Opinion, Chicago Reader, Chicago PBS station and NPR affiliate WBEZ. Professor Nettles consistently provided feedback and edits that have allowed me to understand the process of a real journalist, such as editing tips and feedback on the scripts. I also learned to report amidst cultural differences. Even though I come from a French family, I still had to learn how to adapt to variations in culture. A huge part of journalism is learning to relate to people who have a different upbringing than you, and this project has taught me how to better approach people in a welcoming way and evaluate the biases I have been taught growing up in the United States.

Any tips or advice you have for students similar to you that are interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
The first piece of advice I would give to students similar to me who are interested in pursuing undergraduate research is to go for it! SURG provides this amazing opportunity to pursue research in a field that interests you. I would then give two additional pieces of advice. For one, I would encourage them to reach out to the URG office and advisors. The URG advisors helped me immensely in drafting my proposal. The writing style of research proposals differs from journalism articles or traditional academic essays, and it can be helpful to learn how to write in this way through URG workshops and or advising. Secondly, I would encourage them to always keep digging. When I drafted the proposal, I had a list of people I said I would speak with; however, I ended up speaking with three times as many people than I planned to as I quickly realized the story is more intricate and nuanced that my proposal could ever outline. I would suggest that every time you conduct an interview ask “who else could I speak with?” Your branch of connections will keep growing if you do this and you will be exposed to stories you never anticipated hearing.

Favorite Breakfast food?
Definitely a good shakshouka with pita bread and tahini sauce. And, of course, a hot coffee on the side!