‘Centering community voices in research’

Cora Farra, who graduated in May as a sociology and anthropology major, has made waves in intercultural communication through her collaborative research with Dr. Benjamin Bates. Their work, centered on rural communities in Ecuador, explores how culture-centered and art-based approaches can redefine education, development and childhood success. From examining murals as tools for community expression to advocating for locally grounded development strategies, Farra’s research bridges academia and real-world impact—earning her a Provost Undergraduate Research Funds (PURF) Award, Top Paper honors, and now, publication in the peer-reviewed journal Communication Quarterly.

This year, Farra and Bates achieved a remarkable milestone, winning two Top Paper Awards from the  (SSCA) for their studies in Ecuador. One paper, presented at SSCA’s 2025 conference, highlighted how murals articulate childhood visions in rural Ecuador, while the other proposed a culture-centered framework for development in the city of Cariamanga. Bates said Farra's long-term research was unique for an undergraduate.

“Cora drafted her PURF proposal, worked with the children of Chaquizhca, Loja, Ecuador to create a mural on the theme of quality education, turn that experience into a conference paper, and then turned that into an academic journal publication,” he said. “Doing this, Cora showed that our outstanding undergraduate students are able to perform the kind of work that is normally expected of doctoral students or even faculty. It was an ongoing multi-year partnership in which Cora created an original contribution to knowledge.”

“What I think was most rewarding about mentoring Cora through this process was that Cora was not simply a laboratory assistant or a worker bee on an existing project, but instead created an original project in which her ideas were just as important as those that were brought by other members of the project team,” he said. “Seeing a student move from learning materials to becoming an active participant in the knowledge creation process was extremely rewarding, and I very much look forward to what Cora is going to do in the future.”

For Farra, the recognition has been both validating and motivating. From her early PURF-funded project to presenting at national conferences and securing publication, Farra’s journey exemplifies the power of student-faculty collaboration and the global reach of OHIO's research initiatives. As she prepares to graduate, she leaves behind a legacy of innovative scholarship—and a clear message: that research can be as creative as it is transformative.

Q: Congratulations on your PURF award win with your project. What does winning that award mean to you personally and your research journey?

A: Winning the PURF award was incredibly meaningful because it marked an early turning point in my development as a researcher. It proved to me that I was capable of conducting my research and that I could be competitive. It also affirmed the importance of centering community voices in research and encouraged me to keep pursuing projects that are deeply collaborative and socially engaged.

Q: Presenting at SSCA and winning two Top Paper Awards — what was the experience like, and how did audiences respond?

A: It was both exciting and nerve-wracking. Top Paper Awards are a big deal, and I knew I needed to deliver a strong presentation to represent my work well. As an undergraduate, that felt especially daunting. I worried I wouldn’t measure up to the professors and experienced researchers presenting their work,  but being accepted as a Top Paper reassured me that I did belong. Once I got up there, the audience was incredibly receptive and supportive, especially after it emerged how young I was. There was a lot of excitement and encouragement about seeing students engaging with the field at a young age, making the whole experience even more rewarding.

Q: Your paper was accepted for publication in Communication Quarterly. What does this milestone mean to you, and how do you hope it impacts the conversation around culture-centered approaches?

A: The publication in Communication Quarterly was a huge milestone. It’s an achievement that reminds me I can contribute to meaningful conversations in the field. The people who live in their environments are intimately connected to the strengths and the challenges of their homes — they are the true experts. If we truly respect the communities we work with and want to create lasting change, the first thing we must do is listen to the members of the communities.

Q: Working on these two papers, what challenges did you encounter and how did you navigate them?

A: One of the biggest challenges was balancing school expectations with the additional demands of academic research. Academic writing is very different from the kinds of papers you write in class. There was a learning curve. I had to find my academic voice, understand the structure of a full-length article, and learn different methodologies, like interviews, statistics, and arts-based research. Committing to this on top of coursework and a job was a lot, but I was lucky to have a patient mentor who believed in me and was willing to walk me through each step.

Q: How was the experience working with Dr. Bates and how did his mentorship help you on this research journey?

A: I wouldn't be where I am today without Dr. Bates. When he first met me, I was a microbiology student — and I hated it. He reassured me that it was okay to change my path. Ever since, he’s been helping me forge a new one. I've always been driven, but I never would have had the opportunities I did if he hadn't created them for me and encouraged me to try.

Q: How has this experience influenced your academic or career goals? Do you see yourself continuing this line of research in the future?

A: I want to pursue graduate studies, focusing on health communication and community-driven research. This experience has made me passionate about working internationally and collaboratively to address health and social challenges. I see myself continuing to build on this work, centering community voices and finding creative, arts-based, and participatory ways to advocate for sustainable, meaningful change.

Q: From PURF Award to Top Paper Awards and now publication — What advice would you give to other students embarking on research, especially with an international focus?

A: Say yes to opportunities. Get involved with study abroad programs, research labs, faculty projects — anything that sparks your curiosity. Show your enthusiasm and your willingness to learn and take on new experiences. So much can happen just by showing up and saying yes. Especially for projects with an international focus, study abroad experiences are invaluable. They open your eyes to new perspectives and allow you to build relationships that make research richer and more authentic.