Catalysts of Change
Ideas Shaping Tomorrow
Volume 2, Issue 1 — July 2026
Published July 2026
ISSN: 3069-8200
The Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (PJIR) proudly presents its third issue, Catalyst of Change, continuing the journal's commitment to showcasing exceptional interdisciplinary scholarship from undergraduate and early-career researchers around the world.
This issue reflects the transformative power of research to challenge assumptions, advance understanding, and inspire meaningful change across disciplines. Catalyst of Change brings together an exceptional collection of papers spanning fields including artificial intelligence, molecular biology, psychology, environmental science, public policy, law, economics, history, philosophy, literature, art history, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, and global development. Together, these contributions demonstrate how today's most pressing questions are increasingly addressed through interdisciplinary perspectives and innovative approaches.
This issue also highlights the truly global nature of student research. The published papers represent student researchers from institutions around the world, including Phillips Academy, Northeastern University, Dartmouth College, Pennsylvania State University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and many other leading secondary schools and universities across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond.
In recognition of outstanding scholarly contributions, Catalyst of Change presents two Best Paper Awards. The first Best Paper Award is presented to "The Relationship Between Adolescents' Likelihood to Judge, Assist, and Punish Under Omission Neglect" by Seojin E. Ban of Phillips Academy, with Dr. Alireza Soltani of Dartmouth College, for its thoughtful experimental investigation into adolescent decision-making and cognitive bias. The second Best Paper Award is presented to "Nascent vs. Steady-State Sequencing Reveals Extensive but Unstable Antisense Transcription in Yeast" by Nishant Chaparala for its rigorous biological research and original contribution to understanding gene transcription dynamics. These papers exemplify the intellectual curiosity, methodological rigor, and interdisciplinary excellence that define the mission of the Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research.
All accepted articles are published online under ISSN 3069-8200.
Editor’s Note
The beginning of a new volume offers an opportunity to present new scholarship and reflect on the purpose of research. As the Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research enters its second year, we are reminded that knowledge advances through curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to question established ideas.
Today’s most pressing challenges—from technological change and public health to climate resilience and global inequality—rarely belong to a single discipline. Addressing them requires researchers who can connect diverse perspectives, methods, and fields of study.
The articles in this issue reflect that interdisciplinary spirit. Each examines a distinct question, yet together they demonstrate how rigorous scholarship can deepen our understanding of complex problems.
As PJIR continues to grow, we remain committed to supporting undergraduate and early-career researchers whose work challenges assumptions and contributes to meaningful academic dialog. We thank our authors, reviewers, and readers for making this publication possible.
We hope this issue inspires curiosity, encourages new conversations, and highlights the power of building connections across disciplines.
PJIR Editorial Team
Articles in This Issue
Tourism Dependency & Environmental Injustice in Island Economies
Author: Louis Owen Wijaya
Affiliation: Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia
Abstract: Tourism-led development is widely promoted as a strategy for economic growth in small island economies. However, persistent environmental degradation and the uneven distribution of benefits raise questions about its justice and sustainability. This paper examines how global tourism governance structures shape environmental vulnerability in island economies, using Bali as a primary case with comparative reference to other tourism-dependent islands.
Keywords: tourism dependency, structural power, environmental injustice, sovereignty, island economies
Empirical Evaluation of Quantum Support Vector Machines with
Shallow Feature Maps on Classical Benchmark Datasets
Author: Nathan Liang
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research, United Kingdom
Abstract: Quantum machine learning seeks to integrate quantum-mechanical principles with statistical inference to construct models capable of representing complex data beyond the limits of classical feature mappings. This study investigates whether quantum support vector machines (QSVMs) provide measurable performance or representational advantages over established classical classifiers on standard biomedical benchmark datasets.
Keywords: quantum, kernels, support vector machines
Gendered Criminalization and the Feminization of Suspicion in Megha Majumdar's A Burning
Author: Muhammad Rehan Sabir
Affiliation: Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
Abstract: This article offers a socio-legal reading of A Burning by Megha Majumdar, arguing that the novel represents female characters as becoming criminally legible not primarily through evidence or demonstrated conduct but through gendered structures of suspicion. The article draws on feminist legal theory, particularly scholarship on gendered credibility and disciplinary power. Drawing on Judith Butler and Michel Foucault, the article introduces and operationalizes the concept of feminization of suspicion.
Keywords: Feminist Legal Theory, gendered criminalization, feminized suspicion, socio-legal analysis, South Asian fiction.
Behavioral Economics and Consumer Choice on Amazon’s Digital Platform
Author: Yasemin Büyükoğuz
Affiliation: Robert College, Istanbul, Turkey
Abstract: This paper examines how behavioral economics explains consumer decision-making within Amazon’s digital marketplace. The research asks to what extent Amazon’s platform design systematically leverages cognitive biases to influence purchasing behavior and strengthen market dominance.
Keywords: behavioral economics, digital choice architecture, e-commerce platform design, Amazon, cognitive bias
Citation for This Issue
Princeton Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. (2026). Volume 2, Issue 1 — Catalysts of Change. PJIR.
https://www.princeton-press.com/pjir/issues/vol-2-issue-1
Open Access Statement
This journal is fully open access. All articles are freely available to read, download, and share without subscription or access barriers. We encourage scholars to cite and engage with the research published here, as such scholarly exchange plays an important role in supporting emerging and early-career researchers and advancing ongoing academic conversations.