Katie Doran is a Year 11 student at Menlo-Atherton High School in the United States. She is passionate about advocacy, current affairs, and debate. These interests have helped her develop strong research skills.
Katie captains her school’s award-winning speech and debate team. Under her leadership, the team has won championships at several tournaments, including competitions at UC Berkeley. She has also attended debate training at UC Berkeley and Stanford University.
In addition, Katie serves as Chair of the Climate Justice subcommittee on the Congressional Representative Anna Eshoo Student Advisory Board.
Advocacy and Leadership
Katie is also President of Menlo-Atherton High School’s Genders and Sexualities Alliance. She works to educate students about LGBTQ+ history, issues, and rights. She also advocates for a more inclusive campus.
During her leadership, she expanded the organisation from fewer than 15 active members to more than 50. Furthermore, Katie interns at TechSoup Global, a nonprofit that provides technology, services, and training to other nonprofit organisations worldwide.
Katie’s Research on World War I and Women’s Suffrage
At CCIR Academy, Katie conducted a research project titled “This Is Our War…With Banners Instead of Guns: The Impact of World War I on the National Woman’s Party’s Suffrage Rhetoric.”
Her research examined how World War I influenced the National Woman’s Party (NWP). She analysed the organisation’s speeches, publications, and picket signs to understand its advocacy strategies.
Katie identified three major strategies shaped by the war.
First, the NWP highlighted democratic values. It pointed to the contradiction between America promoting democracy abroad and denying women the right to vote at home.
Second, the organisation compared women’s suffrage progress across countries involved in the war. These comparisons helped show how the movement was advancing internationally.
Third, the NWP used war-related imagery and metaphors. For example, suffragists described themselves as an “army” fighting in the “first trenches” of the White House. This language presented the struggle for voting rights as a battle.
Sharing Her Research Journey
Katie recently appeared in an episode of CCIR Academy Student Spotlights. She shared insights from her research project and reflected on her overall research journey.
Congratulations to Katie on her research achievement!
Explore Your Research Interests
Are you interested in history, politics, or social advocacy? An independent research project can help you explore these subjects in greater depth with guidance from experienced professor mentors.
Download the CCIR Research Programme Prospectus to explore our 170+ research areas. Learn about the Cambridge Future Scholar and 1-on-1 Research Mentorship programmes, discover professor mentors and student outcomes, and find information about scholarships and the application process.
