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  6. Tommy Lim

I Am A Researcher!

Student Tommy Lim

Tommy Lim

Year at UC San Diego: 4th

College: Revelle

Majors: Linguistics and Religious Studies

URH Programs: TRELS (Winter '21), UC Scholars (Summer '21)

What are you researching (or did you do in the past)?

An overarching interest I've had has been digital media and its intersection with gender and religion. Specifically, I'm most interested in exploring video games as a kind of digital literature, and how this unique medium catalyzes discussions and expressions of queer and religious storytelling that are meaningful. I want to understand how digitization creates/created a media that is distinct from preceding media, like paper text and music. Digital media really combines these modes of expression together, and I find it interesting to see how this combination enriches the way we understand queerness and religious belief.

Why and how did you decide to get involved in undergraduate research?

I wanted to get involved in undergraduate research because I knew I wanted to go into grad school. These two URH programs were fundamental in enabling me to discover myself as a researcher, scholar, and someone who is prospective about attending graduate school. I heard from my friends who had a positive experience with TRELS that it's a rewarding program, and so I followed in their footsteps in applying for the program. I enjoyed my experience with TRELS so much that I decided to apply to UC Scholars. 

What are your future plans/goals?

Thanks to the UC Scholars Program, I discovered library science and how there are in fact graduate programs for students who wish to get involved in library work. Having worked at Geisel Library since my freshman year – and finding the work there fulfilling – I decided this was the path for me. Fortunately, I also discovered that library work intersects with any academic discipline, especially if one were to become an academic subject librarian (a librarian working at universities and has a specialization in a specific field). So, I'm currently applying to library science programs, hoping to become an academic subject librarian for the digital humanities. In many ways, URH has been one of the most important experiences I've had. It simultaneously fed my intellectual curiosity and demystified my professional trajectory. Wish me luck as I apply to these programs!