This year, Dr. Romo Perez took part in the Instituto Superior Tecnológico ARGOS (ISTA) annual call for research projects in Ecuador, where she presented a proposal that was recognized and accepted due to its relevance to the country's objectives aligned with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 4, as well as her areas of expertise in intersectional experiences of privilege and marginalization, gender and diversity, and organizational behavior.

The project titled "Análisis del temor al crimen y su impacto en la concentración en el aula y en la vida de estudiantes y docentes de dos IES en Guayaquil. Una aproximación interseccional" quantitatively investigates two main aspects: firstly, it examines the extent to which three dimensions of fear of crime (FOC) affect classroom concentration disruption (DCC). Secondly, it explores how variables at an individual level such as sociodemographic characteristics, previous victimization experiences, incivilities perception, police effectiveness assessment etc., moderate the relationship between FOC and DCC.

Furthermore, this study qualitatively explores the effects of the FOC on the working and academic lives of higher education students and faculty members of the two aforementioned HEIs, as well as the mechanisms they have developed as a consequence of their FOC, taking into consideration the intersection of their different social identities. Dr. Romo will start the data collection process in January 2024.