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
Environmental Action: Understanding Psychological Behavior in the Age of Climate Anxiety a Narrative Review
Author: Lachlan E. McConnell
Affiliation: Cambridge Centre for International Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Abstract: As climate change continues to destroy ecosystems, it is imperative to understand the psychological factors that drive action. This narrative review examines psychological factors associated with pro-environmental behavior (PEB) among individuals who express environmental concern to identify drivers of sustainable action. Nine peer-reviewed studies (2022-2025) were selected from PsycINFO, using narrative methods aligned with SANRA and PRISMA frameworks.
Keywords: pro-environmental behavior, environmental concern, climate anxiety, environmental identity, motivation
Colonising the Conditions of Thought: Civilisational Hierarchies and Literary Form in the Soviet Periphery, 1924–1929
Author: Vanesa Valcheva
Affiliation: University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2JD, United Kingdom
Abstract: This paper argues that Moscow’s developmental classifications determined the institutional conditions of cultural production in the Soviet periphery and penetrated the epistemological conditions under which peripheral intellectuals could work, shaping which modes of understanding remained structurally expressible. Through a direct comparative analysis of Ukrainian writer Mykola Khvyl’ovyi’s 1929 satirical short story Ivan Ivanovich and Uzbek intellectual Abdalrauf Fitrat’s 1924 allegorical drama Satan’s Mutiny Against the Lord, the paper finds that civilisational hierarchies produced fundamentally different..
Keywords: Soviet nationalities policy, civilisational hierarchies, comparative literature, Soviet periphery, cultural production
Future Projections in Uruguayan Adolescents: Navigating Climate Anxiety and Uncertainty
Authors: Miranda Carpenter Achugar, Paloma González Paredes
Affiliation: Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Abstract: Adolescence is a key stage in the construction of identity and planning of a life project, when these processes unfold in contexts perceived as uncertain, embedded in global crisis, youths’ capacities to envision future projections may be affected. This study is guided by the question: How do adolescents in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 15 to 19 years old, build their future projections in a context characterized by climate anxiety and a broader culture of crisis?
Keywords: Climate Anxiety, Future Projections, Risk Society, Adolescents and Youth, Crisis Culture.
Waiting For Help: Farmer-Extension Misalignments Within a Climate Resilience Development Program in Central Aceh
Author: Aditya Chandra
Affiliation: Cambridge Center for International Research, Jakarta Intercultural School
Abstract: This study explores how farmers and extension workers in Central Aceh interpret climate resilience within a SCOPI–BPP agricultural program, and how these differing interpretations may shape trust, collaboration, and the uptake of adaptation practices. Farmers tend to value short-term assistance and responsive crisis aid over long-term development due to the disastrous impacts of increasing climate shocks in recent years.
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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.