A big thank you to our student advisory board and focus group participants for their essential input in shaping this year's Laidlaw Scholars Conference! Their feedback and suggestions have been invaluable to our planning process.
From invaluable feedback to innovative ideas, they played an instrumental role in bringing this year's event to life. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and the unique perspectives they brought to the table.
Scroll down to meet these outstanding students, learn more about their backgrounds, and join us in celebrating their invaluable contributions!
Trinity College Dublin
OLA
Hey! My name is Olamide, and I’m a third year student at Trinity college Dublin, studying Global Business. I’m currently studying abroad in Paris for my Erasmus, at ESCP Business School, where I’m doing a Masters in Management! I’m really excited to go back to Dublin for this year’s conference, which promises to be absolutely amazing. I’m really interested in everything entrepreneurship, and I love long park walks, and listening to podcasts. Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions or even just say hi if you see me! I’m really looking forward to meeting you all soon!
MEHER
Hey everyone! I’m Meher and I’m a Laidlaw scholar at Trinity College Dublin for the 2023-24 cohort. I’m currently in third year neuroscience and my Summer 1 research project was along the same lines, investigating the bioenergetic changes in the brain during delirium in older patients. The part of the conference I’m looking forward to the most would have to be the 3-minute thesis competition and all the fun activities planned for Friday and Saturday! I’ll be around through the duration of the whole conference and would love to help with any questions you might have, or just to say hello. Looking forward to meeting you all soon!
LUKE
Hi! My name is Luke and I am part of the 2023 Laidlaw cohort.
I study Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures with Spanish and Hebrew which is why I am studying abroad in Granada and Jerusalem this year. I am really excited to come back to Ireland for the conference and already had a lot of fun assisting in the shaping of the conference. I mainly spend my free time fencing and listening to old audio books but, since the season is in full swing, I currently spend way too much time watching new and old episodes of University Challenge!
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need anything throughout the conference!
MAIRÉAD
Hi everyone, my name is Mairéad Butler (she/her) and I’m part of the 2022 Trinity College Dublin Cohort. I’m in my final year of European Studies, making me a true liberal arts student (and proud to be!). I’m passionate about empowering marginalised women, both through my research and practically through my NGO work. I’ve found that the most meaningful part of my Laidlaw experience thus far has been the friendships I’ve made along the way, so, as such, I’m really looking forward to meeting you all! If you see me at the conference, come say hello - see you soon!
BILLY
Hi everyone, my name is Billy and I’m a 3rd year student studying Management Science and Information Systems in Trinity. I’m a Scholar of the 2023 cohort and my research project was about the features of disinformation; where I used machine learning algorithms to analyse Tweets! Outside of Laidlaw-related activities I’m interested in chess, business, and learning foreign languages (I’ll actually be going to a language conference the week after the Laidlaw one!).
I’m super excited to meet Scholars from other universities, so if you have any questions at all or want to strike up a conversation please feel free!
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
ALAZNE QAISAR
Alazne Qaisar is a third-year student studying Peace, Conflict & Justice Studies, Political Science and South Asian Studies. Coming from Kashmir, Alazne’s passion lies in furthering developmental, gender, and conflict research. Her Laidlaw research focuses on gendered violence in Delhi, India. She is also a Reach Researcher and an International Fellow for the Centre for the Study of the US Presidency. She received the 2022 Diana Award for her advocacy and work in bolstering youth-journalism.
EMMA HWANG
As a life-long urban dweller, Emma has always loved learning about how cities work. Following this interest, her research examines factories and the transitioning Ontario economy. Emma was first drawn to the Laidlaw program after acquiring an interest in urban research and looking for opportunities to pursue independent inquiry. In her spare time, she loves to collect (and sometimes read) architectural publications.
YOUNESS ROBERT-TAHIRI
Youness is a third-year undergraduate student in the Psychology Research Specialist program at the University of Toronto. He is passionate about children's mental health and the many ways that youth can overcome adversity. Specifically, he is interested in developing interventions that promote resilience within survivors of childhood adversity. He balances this emotionally heavy passion with a deep appreciation of the world of comedy. This entails performing comedic improvisation at various venues in the city. As such, He is also fascinated by the relationship between comedy and mental health.
MRIDULA SATHYANARAYANAN
Hello! I'm a student at the University of Toronto, studying Neuroscience + Philosophy + Buddhism, Mental Health and Psychology. My principal academic interest is the nature of mind and consciousness. I am looking to triangulate on my interest by leveraging scientific inquiry, contemplative insight, and deep conversations—all of which were essential to my qualitative summer research project on Buddhist meditation practices. I'm immensely grateful to the Laidlaw program for this opportunity.
TITO MAFIKUYOMI
Boluwatito Mafikuyomi is a third-year student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Global Health with minors in Immunology and Physiology. Boluwatito serves as a research assistant at the Black Health Equity Lab, where she actively contributes to work aimed at addressing healthcare disparities. She conducted her Laidlaw summer research project on assessing the perceived risks associated with mental health issues among rugby union stakeholders, shedding light on an often-overlooked aspect of mental health. Prior to this, Boluwatito worked as a researcher at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute where she investigated the mechanisms of leukocyte adhesion strengthening during recruitment from blood into tissues, with a specific focus on its relevance to inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Her diverse research experiences reflect her commitment to advancing healthcare knowledge and making a tangible impact on society. She currently serves on the Kensington Health Volunteer Council, a role she assumed after two years of dedicated volunteer work. Her commitment to giving back to the community is further exemplified by her journey from volunteer to Youth Outreach Assistant at UHN STEM Pathways, to provide opportunities for aspiring STEM enthusiasts. She volunteered at Break The Divide Foundation, where she served as a Gender Campaign Programs officer, advocating for gender equity and promoting inclusivity. She dedicates her time to support children with learning disabilities through the Learning Disabilities Association of York Region and the Power to Girls Foundation where she serves as an academic tutor. Outside of research, you can often find Boluwatito nose deep in a book exploring new roles or ideas or eagerly experimenting with and learning new baking recipes.
MEERAB ANWAR
I'm an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto pursuing a double major in Human Biology and Population Health. I have a keen interest in the intersection of medicine and health systems, and I explore this interest through interning with health-based startups and volunteering with non-profit organizations in the mental health, nutrition, and wellness sector.
AUGUSTINE WONG
Augustine is a third-year architecture student from Hong Kong minoring in forest conservation at the University of Toronto. Under the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme, he aimed to determine possibly disingenuous or altruistic acts of urban planning by company towns within historical 19th-century and modern company towns, ranging from Chicago, to San Francisco, to Ludwigshafen in Germany.
While his academic interests range from adaptive reuse of abandoned buildings to implementing denser urban planning solutions against urban sprawl within North American case studies through interventions and policy, Augustine spends time on photography, hiking, investigative journalism, and listening to music.
VALENTINA BRAVO
I am Valentina Bravo and I come from Peru. Because I love my country, I recognize there are systemic issues which deprive provinces from basic services such as healthcare and education. Thus, I focused my research project on Carrion's disease, a neglected tropical disease. In my findings, I expose the lack of knowledge of the disease even by people living in the endemic regions, as well as the poor interest from the government and academia for more research to be done upon this illness. Finally, I stress the importance of tackling Carrion's disease before it is uncontrollable.