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Nicole Burek ‘25, a Queens native, is graduating from ������ý with honors in sociology, a second major in statistics and a minor in geographic information systems. Throughout her time at ������ý, Burek combined academic research with community engagement, using data to advocate for more just and equitable cities.

“I’ve always been passionate about learning about how differently people live in cities,” she said. “As a lifelong New Yorker, I’m especially dedicated to supporting neighborhoods in NYC through community-based research and engagement.”

That passion guided Burek’s academic journey and especially her honors thesis, for which she won the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, the highest undergraduate research honor at ������ý.

The study examined how immigrant perspectives on gentrification shift depending on generational status and personal background. Her research focused on the Jackson Heights neighborhood where she grew up, drawing on survey data and interviews to explore how residents experience and interpret neighborhood change.

“I wanted to look at how people’s sense of belonging and community shifts as neighborhoods change,” she said. “It’s not a simple story of being for or against gentrification; people’s experiences are shaped by their community ties, their memories and their opportunities in the future.”

Wendie N. Choudary, a lecturer from the Department of Sociology who mentored Burek throughout the thesis process, praised both her scholarship and her dedication.

“Nicole’s work wasn’t just academically rigorous, it was deeply personal,” Choudary said. “She brought empathy, insight and an unwavering commitment to her community into every stage of her research. That level of passion and purpose is rare, and it’s what made her project so impactful.

“Nicole spent more than a year committed to her community-driven research project. Her work was comprehensive and scholarly but also a labor of love. Nicole cares deeply about creating a just city.”

Under Choudary’s guidance, Burek’s study, “Authenti(city) in the Melting Pot,” explored the unique vulnerabilities and consequences of gentrification in majority-immigrant communities, focusing on the neighborhood traits that attract nonimmigrant newcomers and the contrasting experiences of longtime residents. Her findings reveal how length of residency, immigrant generation and socioeconomic status shape how people relate to and engage with their neighborhood.

“Nicole’s dedication to equity and her ability to connect scholarship with real-world action make her uniquely prepared to tackle the challenges facing cities today,” Choudary said. “She’s already making an impact, and I know she’ll continue to do so.”

Beyond her thesis work, Burek’s commitment to urban equity extended across campus and beyond. She won first place in the undergraduate division of ������ý’s GIS Day for her poster on affordable housing in Buffalo, applying spatial analysis to investigate housing challenges in upstate cities. She presented research on the urban heat island effect at ������ý Research Days as a member of the university’s Remote Sensing Team, contributing to conversations on environmental justice and urban planning.

She also took on leadership roles as campaign manager and treasurer for the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), where she advocated for housing justice in ������ý and encouraged student involvement with the local tenants’ union and homeless outreach team.

One of her proudest accomplishments was collaborating with the ������ý Student Tenants Union and Student Association to create a housing review map to help students and locals find safe, affordable housing in ������ý. The map collects peer reviews and tenant experiences to make housing information more transparent and accessible.

“I wanted to make sure students and locals had access to honest, practical information so they could make informed decisions about where they live,” Burek said. “Safe, affordable housing is a human right, and too often, local landlords undermine that with exploitative and deceptive practices.”

After graduation, Burek plans to continue her commitment to equitable urban development by pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning at New York University. She hopes to translate her passion for research, advocacy and community engagement into a career focused on serving city residents and contributing to long-term social, economic and environmental sustainability.

“I’m excited to keep learning and growing,” she said. “I want to keep using data, research and community engagement to help build cities where everyone cannot only live but thrive.”

As she prepares for the next chapter in New York City, Burek reflects on the work she’s already done — and the work that lies ahead. She plans to carry the lessons she learned at ������ý into her future work: listening closely to communities, using data to inform solutions and advocating for equity at every level of urban planning.

“Planning isn’t just about buildings or infrastructure,” she said. “It’s about people, communities and making sure everyone is empowered in shaping their home.”