Richard Flores Jardines, a senior Latina/Latino studies and political science major with a minor in minoritarian aesthetics, received second place for an undergraduate research talk at the 2026 Illinois Summer Research Symposium (ISRS).
The ISRS provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to explore careers in academic research while learning about graduate education and the graduate school application process.
Flores Jardines presented their senior honors thesis "En Defensa De Madres: Addressing Intergenerational Gaps in Latinx Mental Health Discussions and Somatics."
"Their research and presentation is beautiful and culturally rich. I look forward to following their work, as I believe their theory will further clinicians and researchers understanding of cultural healing practices and inform clinical praxis," said the judge for the symposium.
This summer, Flores Jardines also completed a summer research internship with the McNair Scholars Program. After graduating this fall, they will be applying for PhD programs in Latina/Latino studies or Chicana/Chicano studies.