Affiliate Spotlight: María Ballesteros

María is a graduate student and, as a resident affiliate, someone you might see around our main floor. Get to know one of our resident affiliates in the latest spotlight, and be sure to say hello if you see her the next time you visit IQSS.

What is your program?

PhD (G2) in the Department of Government

What is the focus of your work?

I'm interested in the political economy of conflict and crime. Specifically, I am interested in studying the micro-effects of exposure to political violence and conflict termination on social and political outcomes, with a focus on gender. Currently, I'm working on using the breadth of telecom data available to study internal displacement patterns in conflict zones.

What's something you like about IQSS?

IQSS has given me access to a tonne of resources that have allowed me to pursue research interests that far surpass my computational expertise. As an IQSS affiliate, I find that I feel much more comfortable pursuing ambitious projects knowing that there are centers of experts who I can consult for guidance.