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
Unimaginable Future? Spectatorship and Metatheatre in
Ibrahim’s Two Palestinians Go Dogging (2022)
Author: Judit Salas Adell
Affiliation: University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Abstract: This paper examines Sami Ibrahim’s play two Palestinians go dogging (2022) through the intersecting lenses of political dramaturgy and metatheatre, arguing that the play’s formal strategies constitute a coherent politics of spectatorship that refuses both passive consumption and redemptive resolution. Drawing on Liz Tomlin’s framework of political dramaturgies, the paper contends that Ibrahim constructs a metatheatrical apparatus that simultaneously demands and frustrates audience engagement
Keywords: political dramaturgy, metatheatre, Palestinian speculative fiction, spectatorship
Stem Cell Therapy in Athletes with Skeletal Muscle Overuse Injuries
Author: Sarah Gluzman-Chuang
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Abstract: Overuse injuries account for 50% of the annual 3.5 million injuries sustained by athletes ages 6 to 18 in the United States. Traditional treatments, including the RICE principle, NSAIDs, physical therapy, and surgery, often fail to fully regenerate damaged tissue due to their reliance on the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Keywords: biomedical engineering, cell and tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, mesenchymal stem cells, skeletal muscle
Poverty Penalty: How the Cash Bail System Consistently Violates the 14th Amendment
Author: Nyra Thakkar
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Abstract: The United States adheres to the principle of innocence until proven guilty; however, the cash bail system undermines this presumption by conditioning pretrial freedom on an individual's financial resources. Critics argue that this system produces wealth-based disparities in pretrial treatment, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals.
Keywords: cash bail, Fourteenth Amendment, pretrial detention, equal protection, wealth-based incarceration
How Effective are Large Language Models at Detecting Security Vulnerabilities?
Author: Stuart D. Tioniwar
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research
Abstract: With the prevalence of software systems and digitized information, (cyber) security vulnerabilities have also become an important focus. Large Language Models (LLMs) have been seen as potential agents in detecting these vulnerabilities. However, the question of "how effective can LLMs be in this role?" arises.
Keywords: LLM (Large Language Model), vulnerability detection, prompts, performance
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.