Meet Kiran Abraham-Aggarwal '25

I am currently a junior at the ILR School pursuing minors in Health Equity, Law and Society, and International Trade and Development. One of the most remarkable aspects of ILR is its commitment to providing students with cross-departmental research opportunities. I moved to New York City this summer to embark on a research project that delved into the impact of unionization on healthcare professionals, specifically home care aides and nurses. Collaborating with professors from both ILR and Weill Cornell Medical College through the Center for Applied Research on Work, I had a firsthand look at the practical application of what we learn in our classes.

With the guidance of my mentors, Dr. Madeline Sterling from Weill Cornell and Professor Ariel Avgar from ILR, I got to hone my quantitative research skills. Much of my work involved reviewing the literature, uncovering the history of labor movements among home care workers, and identifying the challenges that still need to be addressed. It was an opportunity to see the real-world impact of labor policies and unions and learn invaluable lessons about the field.

I also had the privilege of working part-time with the Scheinman Institute of Conflict Resolution during the summer. My project was to analyze teacher's union contracts in New York State and extract data. This data will play a crucial role in various research projects and papers, shedding light on the disparities in wages and opportunities for teachers across the state.

This summer was a fantastic opportunity to immerse myself in the world of labor, allowing me to grow and develop as a student and researcher. The research projects I worked on allowed me to see a different perspective on labor and opened my eyes to the multifaceted nature of labor policies and unions.