Ananya Nipane
3rd Place
Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, 2025
I navigated multiple challenges during my project, like finding a suitable database and learning how to code, but I overcame them by seeking the help of my peers, advisors and campus resources. The library was a major resource and helped me immensely at all stages of my research.”
— Ananya Nipane
Feminization and Racial/Ethnic Diversification of the Legal Field, 2005 – 2020
Honors thesis in Sociology
Project Description
Nipane explores whether increasing representation of women and women of color in the legal profession, traditionally dominated by men, is accompanied by income growth, reduced wage gaps and sustained professional equity. Through research consultations with librarians William Cuthbertson and Qian Liu, Nipane discovered IPUMS, an open-source database of American community surveys, which served as the foundation of her thesis.
In Their Own Words
Read Ananya’s reflective essay (pdf) from their Lang Prize application.