2025 MODULES FOR THE ETHICS CENTER MENTORING PROGRAM:
July 21st, 2025 - August 15th, 2025
The UCI Ethics Center selects a few promising students for a mentoring program each summer. We plan a full online program again in 2025, open to qualified college, graduate, and high school students worldwide. Applications are now open, and students may apply to our online program by completing the application (below). There is no cost for this intense mentoring program. No recommendations are required. You need only to (1) complete the short form at the end of this announcement and (2) pay a small processing fee. Students for whom the fee presents a financial hardship may request a waiver by contacting Andrada Costoiu, Director of the Summer Program, at andradac@uci.edu.
LINK TO APPLICATION:
Online program. While we initially accepted only local students, with the advent of COVID-19, we went online and quickly realized there is an international demand for the personal mentoring we provide. The 2025 summer mentoring program thus will have a few hybrid modules, but most will be exclusively online. Thus, we will accept students worldwide for a virtual mentoring program from July 21st, 2025 – to August 15th, 2025. Students will meet twice a week, in groups of 15-30 students, as part of a mentoring program that will provide hands-on experience in various forms of research. The research activities will teach many different skills, from basic library research that might be used in a literature review to skill sets such as SPSS or other computational programs and introduction to data analysis of various kinds, from archival data, aggregate data, interviews, survey data, and narrative-interpretive analysis. No prior experience with ethics is required. We ask that students be interested in working with a university faculty member or a graduate student mentor.
There is no charge for the program, just a modest processing fee. There is no charge for the program itself. To handle the increased demand and to keep the mentoring experience a high-quality one, small enough to retain its personal aspect, we have been forced to ask for a modest processing fee ($250). Students for whom this fee poses a financial hardship can request a fee waiver from the Director of the Mentoring Program at andradac@uci.edu. Anyone who wishes to contribute further to the Ethics Center to defray costs for other students who may have financial constraints may do so here: Donate Now. We appreciate all your support, which is vital in keeping this program available at no cost.
Modules. Students will be allowed to participate in only one module but may ask to be waitlisted for an over-subscribed module. We will try to assign each student to their preferred module. We will add extra modules if demand requires it to keep the numbers below 30 for each module. (If demand is high for one particular module, then we will try to offer more than one session of that specific module.) We will review applications and send out the first acceptances by January 30th, 2025. Thereafter, admissions will be rolling, with acceptances sent on the 1st and the 15th of each month until May.
Waiver. Participants in the program who are under 18 on July 22, 2025, must have a waiver signed by their parents before they can begin the program. Waivers will be sent out by June 1st via email and must be received before the program begins on July 21st. In the past, Andrada Costoiu has contacted people who forgot to submit their waivers. The program's size now makes this unfeasible, so the student must make sure their parents submit the waiver before July 21st. Students under 18 cannot be admitted to the program until the waiver is signed and submitted.
Application form. The application process is simple and requires no recommendations. Please complete the application (below). Students are allowed to take only one module.
LINK TO APPLICATION:
MODULES
Module 1. Political Trauma, Political Resilience and the Death of Democracy. Kristen Renwick Monroe, Political Psychology and Ethics, UCI Ethics Center Director, UCI.
In this module, students will learn how to (1) craft a literature review and (2) analyze
narrative-interpretive interview data. We do so by working on a book about Jewish
emigres from the Third Reich, people who left their homeland because their lives were
threatened and their country was changing from a republic to a totalitarian state.
Extensive interviews have been completed and will be analyzed to ask what this unique
group of people has to tell us that is relevant today about (1) what causes the politics
of hate, (2) how democracies die, as the Weimar Republic did, (3) how they forged
amazing lives in the new world, despite significant trauma they encountered in leaving.
Students will prepare a literature review of the scholarly work on the demise of democracy.
They will then be taught how to analyze an interview to understand how the speaker
views the world and what that person can tell us that is relevant to our understanding
of democracy and political resilience.
Instructor's Short Bio. Professor Monroe is the founding director of the UCI Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality and Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Political Science. She has published 22 books, the latest with students from the summer mentoring program: Politics, Principle and Standing up to Donald Trump: Moral Courage in the Republican Party. She loves working with the summer students!
Module 2: Social Justice and Social Categories: Understanding Difference and Its Impact. Andrada Costiou, Associate Director, UCI Ethics Center Summer Mentoring Program.
This module will explore the construction of social categories, including race, class
and gender. We will examine how these categories are created, implemented, and perpetuated
through policies, societal structures, and individual behaviors. By analyzing real-world
examples from both the United States and around the world, students will develop a
deeper understanding of social justice issues and the role of social categories in
shaping inequality. The module will incorporate a combination of lectures, discussions,
readings, case studies, and films to engage students and encourage critical reflection.
Week 1: Introduction to Social Categories and Social Justice. Week 2: The Historical Roots of Social Categories and Inequality. Week 3: students will be divided into groups and assigned one of the following films. Each film explores important social justice themes, such as racial inequality, gender issues, and systemic oppression. After watching the movie, students will prepare a group presentation discussing the film's social justice themes and their relevance today. Week 4: students will be divided into groups, and each group will choose one of the following themes to write a paper on. The paper should explore the social justice issue in depth, examining its impact on different social categories (such as race, gender, class, or disability), historical context, and current relevance.
Themes:- Immigration Policy and Colonialism: The Impact of the U.S. Border Policies on Latinx Communities
- LGBTQ+ Rights in the U.S.: Progress and Challenges in Achieving Equality
- Environmental Justice in the U.S.: The Fight for Equitable Access to Clean Air, Water, and Land
- Disability Rights in the U.S.: Advocacy for Accessibility and Inclusion
- The #MeToo Movement: Combating Sexual Harassment and Gender Inequality in the U.S. Workplace
Instructor's Short Bio: My name is Andrada Costoiu and I have background and experience in academics and business. I enjoy teaching classes in human rights, social justice, and equality. In my free time, I like to write, and my latest novel, Under the Iron Curtain, set in communist Romania, was published by Niculescu Publishing House, Bucharest, in July 2021. Outside of academic life, I had the opportunity to be part of different governmental agencies and international organizations. I am one of the founding members of AIESEC Bucharest (International Association of Students in Economics and Business Management). About a decade after the Romanian revolution, I worked for the Romanian Foreign Trade Center in Bucharest, where I analyzed market forecasts, worked to establish goals and strategies for the Ministry of Commerce, and worked on evaluation committees for projects funded by the European Union. Not long ago, I started following one of my lifelong passions: flying. I am taking flying lessons, and I have become a pilot. I am currently flying a Cessna 172, and I am working on my ratings to fly commercially and, of course, the big jets!
Teaching Assistants' Bio:
Hi everyone! My name is Shriya Gandhi, and I’m a rising sophomore at the Orange County
School of the Arts in the acting conservatory. Last year, I had the opportunity to
learn about Social Constructs that Unnecessarily Divide Us with Ms. Costoiu which
expanded my knowledge of social norms and how they affect our world today. This year,
I am grateful to assist her with the “Social Justice and Social Categories” module.
I am a part of the OCSA’s mock trial team, an active member of the South Asian Student
Union, a classical dancer, and co-president of Girl Up OCSA. I aspire to be an attorney
who wants to work in social justice, advocacy, and equality. I'm excited to work with
all of you this summer!
Module 3: Genocide and ethnic conflict: Causes, legacies, and memories. Kiyaan Parikh, Grad Student, Political Science
Students will discuss generational trauma, victimhood, perpetration, and collective
memory. Together, we ask how violence is remembered and processed in a community and
the politics surrounding and informing those processes. The module explores broad
theories while developing writing skills, critical thinking, and contention with texts
in context. This topic space will expose students to essential skills of research
such as hypothesis development, synthesizing theories, and putting ideas into dialogue.
We will also discuss inference, research design, and the strengths of various methodologies
in answering our big idea questions. Readings will be fairly interdisciplinary across
social science and humanities, providing a sampling platter of how various traditions
research, define, and unpack these questions. But most importantly, we will look at
not just the nature of violence, or violence as a “natural” phenomenon, but contend
with the actual impacts of conflict on people's lives and the long-term legacies they
carry forward. Genocide is an emotionally difficult topic to research, so bear that
in mind as you choose your modules.
Instructor's Short Bio: Kiyaan Parikh is a rising 5th year in the PhD program at UCI. This is his third year working as a summer mentor and we are delighted to have him back. Kiyaan’s primary research focus is on the legacies of violent conflicts, political trauma, and the persistence of hateful mobilization. Most specifically, he asks how the memory of violence is politically mobilized in subsequent generations to help nationalist political groups come to power. Kiyaan was born and raised in Long Beach, California, did his undergrad work at UC Berkeley. He enjoys cooking, board and video games with friends, and basketball. Students will also likely see Kiyaan’s cats make guest appearances during group video meetings. He is excited to work with everyone and looks forward to a great summer.
Module 4. There is always something you can do! Citizen Peace Building Initiatives. David Rosten, UCI Graduate, degree in International and Comparative Law from the University of San Diego, former co-chair of the Dean’s Council at UCI.
Instructor's Short Bio. Rosten is superbly networked and remarkable for bringing together people from all
sides of hot-button issues. In this module, he brings together people to talk about
what everyday people can do, from Paula Garb and the Kugelmans, who established UCI’s
Citizen Peace Builders, to Gershon Baskin, an Israeli who negotiated the release of
prisoners between Israel and Hamas. We will try to bring in speakers from diverse
communities and help students learn how to assess their analysis of the flexibility
in the situation. These might include people Rosten knows and can invite personally,
from experts such as David Makovsky (the Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
to Marwan Muasher (Vice-President of the Carnegie Institute for International Peace).
Module 5: Populism, Power and Civil Society: The Case of Contemporary Israel. Tom Lourie, PhD in Political Science, UCI.
Populism has been one of the most influential political phenomena in Western politics
over the past decade, exemplified by the election of Donald Trump as President and
the 2016 Brexit referendum. Israel, too, has experienced the profound effects of populism,
making it a compelling case for deeper examination. In this module, we explore key
questions surrounding populism: What does the term actually mean? What are the primary
drivers of populism? How does populism interact with democracy? Once we establish
a solid understanding of the concept, we focus on populism in Israel—investigating
when and why it emerged and its impact on Israeli politics and society. Building
on this foundation, students will actively participate in my research, examining how
populist politics influence state bureaucracy and civil society. Specifically, we
analyze the effects of recent events, such as the judicial overhaul and the October
7th attacks on Israel’s civil service and societal dynamics. While the study of populism
has advanced significantly in recent years, the relationship between populism and
bureaucratic institutions remains underexplored. This module presents a unique opportunity
for students to contribute to a cutting-edge research project. Participants will engage
in literature reviews, data collection, analysis, and even the development of theoretical
insights on this novel topic.
Instructor's Short Bio: Tom Lourie holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on Israeli politics, with a particular emphasis on populism. His latest publication, “From Begin to Netanyahu: The Rise of Populism in Israel,” is featured in the January 2025 issue of Israel Studies Review. “The Decision Calculus of Donald Trump,” examining President Trump’s foreign policy decision-making, received the Best Author Contribution award in 2019 from the book’s publisher.
Module 6: Understanding the Development of Attitudes Toward Wealth Inequality. Jacqueline Beck, PhD Student | Department of Cognitive Sciences, UCI.
Description: Although wealth inequality has been a topic of ethical debate for a long time, attitudes about wealth disparities still vary. For instance, supporters of the meritocracy system believe that there is equal opportunity for all and that extreme wealth is fair. In contrast, critics of the meritocracy system argue that there is unequal opportunity for many and that extreme wealth is unjust. To understand the root of these differing fairness beliefs, this module will examine how attitudes about inequality develop and discuss factors that may shape such attitudes. Specifically, in the first two weeks, we will familiarize ourselves with current literature on moral development around resource inequality. Then, we will brainstorm research questions students wish to investigate. In the final two weeks, we will learn how to perform a literature search and efficiently read papers to answer the research questions. By the end of the module, students will learn how to extract information through secondary research and think about the literature's limitations.
Modules 7. Ethics and Economics. Sofia Franco, Economics assistant teaching professor UC Irvine.
The price of a good or service plays an important role in how well it sells. An ethical
pricing strategy goes beyond simply following the law. Similarly, not all unethical
pricing strategies are fraudulent or illegal. Ethical decisions are difficult sometimes
because there isn’t a defined line for morally right and wrong decisions. Producers
and retailers practice, for the most part, ethical pricing strategies to earn profits
without defrauding competitors or consumers. This module introduces students to the
ethical and (anti)competitive aspects of different pricing strategies in business
using graphical analyses and newspaper articles. Topics covered include price match
guarantees, price-fixing, and price discrimination.
Instructor's Short Bio: Economics assistant teaching professor, Sofia Franco earned her Ph.D. in environmental science and management with a specialization in urban and environmental economics at UC Santa Barbara. She’s an applied microeconomist who has worked as a consultant to the World Bank and the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education in Maryland on urban development and zoning policies. She came to UC Irvine after a professorial post at the Nova School of Business and Economics in Portugal.
Module 8. Crafting Constructive Dialogues across Deeply-held Political Divides. Professor Kristen Renwick Monroe.
For students who are technologically adept and sophisticated, we offer an opportunity to edit interviews with top scholars who have devoted their lives to understanding how to work to minimize conflict. Danny Bar-Tal has worked with Palestinian and Jewish Israeli scholars to bring peace to that troubled area. Ervin Staub, a Holocaust survivor saved by Raul Wallenberg, has developed techniques for reconciliation after genocide and ethnic violence involving the Khmer Rouge, the Hutus, and Tutsis in Rwanda-Burundi and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Orla Muldoon studies the Northern Irish situation and its oscillating movement toward peace. The goal will be to produce videos that can be shown to students/scholars worldwide. Please do not apply unless you have some basic skills, are highly motivated and able to work creatively with your fellow students, and are dedicated and willing to imagine/create new techniques to use mass media to further ethical aims.
Instructor's Short Bio. Professor Monroe is the founding director of the UCI Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Political Science. Although technologically inept, she loves working with the summer students and learning from them!
Module 9: Surviving High School and College Applications while Maintaining a Modicum of Sanity: Young People and Mental Health. Chloe Lampros-Monroe, George Washington School of Public Health.
This module will focus on learning more about the youth mental health crisis, exploring
concepts of stigma and factors that contribute to declining mental health in young
people, including social media, COVID-19, etc. The module will also involve discussions
of mental health in high school and discussions of how to preserve your mental health
during high school and college applications. The class will involve practical information
about college options, applying, etc. Topics relevant to mental health in young people
can be added based on student interest. Modules will involve some discussion of difficult
topics, such as suicide, self-harm, etc. Specific trigger warnings will be given in
advance.
Note: Please do not sign up for this module if you cannot attend most of the meetings. While, of course, there will always be flexibility around sickness, extenuating circumstances, etc., please do not sign up for this module if you know in advance that you double-booked or will have to miss two or more meetings.
Instructor's Short Bio: Chloe Lampros-Monroe is a graduate student finishing her MPH degree at George Washington University, where she specializes in Maternal and Child Health.
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