Through a variety of departments and organizations, I’ve been able to develop key research skills across a number of disciplines. In particular, I’m most familiar in research concerning political science, philosophy, and legal issues. In the following positions, I’ve composed literature reviews, book chapter drafts, memos, topic analyses, and more.
Notre Dame Political Science Department
American Politics Research Lab (Jan 2022 – Present)
In the research lab, I help Notre Dame political science professors and graduate students on a variety of research projects related to the health and preservation of American democracy. These projects often involve data collection, coding, and other assignments related to data analysis. Currently, I’m analyzing state level changes in election law under Alejandra Campos and Dr. Jeff Harden.
Undergraduate Research Assistant (Sep 2021 – Dec 2021)
I aided Dr. Vincent Muñoz update his casebook on church-state First Amendment law, Religious Liberty and the American Supreme Court. I reviewed existing cases against original Supreme Court opinions, edited church-state Supreme Court opinions for inclusion in the casebook, and gained insight on constitutional law and religious liberty issues.
Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study
Undergraduate Research Fellow (Aug 2020 – May 2021)
The URF Program is a competitive position open to undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame. In this program, I served as a research assistant to NDIAS Faculty and Ph.D. Fellows while developing my research, communication, and networking skills through frequent seminars and training opportunities.
In the Fall 2020 semester, I worked with Dr. Barbara Lauriat from King’s College on researching international standard setting for modern technological innovations. This involved researching, cataloging, and synthesizing the laws of different nations and international organizations regarding patent regulations.
In the Spring 2021 semester, I worked with Dr. Paul Blaschko from the University of Notre Dame’s Philosophy Department on developing his new course, The Working Life. The course examines the role of philosophy in navigating one’s career and professional journey.
Research Assistant (Jan 2020 – May 2020)
Prior to the fellowship, I was a research assistant to Dr. Blaschko. In this role, I provided research and feedback on books and articles in preparation for Dr. Blaschko’s co-authored book with Dr. Meghan Sullivan, The Good Life Method. I researched articles, compiled summaries and bibliographies, and provided general feedback.
Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
Research Assistant (May 2020 – Aug 2020)
In this internship, I worked as a research assistant for Judge Fredericka H. Wicker. I researched how the use of fines and fees as a method of court funding, particularly in New Orleans, acts as a barrier to justice for citizens, particularly those who lack financial means. I also focused on alternative methods of court funding. The work involved researching court cases, statutes, and other documents through LexisNexis to compile summaries that was formed into a research paper. I also contacted and met with experts on the topic.
Blake Ziegler 