“Sarah has conducted research as an undergraduate that is equivalent to where a third- or fourth-year PhD student would be.” – Brian Lai

Hometown: Germantown, Wisconsin

Faculty mentor/advisor: Brian Lai, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Degree program and anticipated graduation date: BS in political science, Spring 2026

Sarah Guilfoyle investigates how economic sanctions—penalties imposed by one country or group of countries to influence another nation’s behavior—affect income inequality and how the sanctioned country’s government type shapes these effects. Her solo-authored research paper, a rare achievement for an undergraduate, aims to uncover the unintended consequences of sanctions, offering insights that could help policymakers design more effective and equitable foreign policy strategies.

“My involvement in research at the University of Iowa helped me to explore statistical techniques and develop more connections within the Department of Political Science, which will have lasting impacts on my future career,” says Guilfoyle.

Guilfoyle has also studied generational differences in foreign policy attitudes, presented at the American Political Science Association’s annual meeting, and contributed to two major research labs, analyzing historic public opinion data and coding data on civil war negotiations while mentoring other students.

After graduation, Guilfoyle plans to gain experience in data analytics before pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy, with the ultimate goal of a career in policy analysis.