I was fortunate enough to conduct academic research under the supervision of Stephen Gethins, former MP and Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St Andrews. Stephen introduced me to a truly fascinating yet often overlooked area of International Relations: sub-state and regional actors and their place in global politics. Through this, I have developed an interest in Scotland's place in the world as a nation without an independent foreign office, but as a nation with extensive international influence and a powerful global diaspora. This topic formed the basis of my Laidlaw project and future research. 

In my second year of university, I founded The Drew, an online student publication based in St Andrews which publishes articles on Scottish politics and culture. There was an unfortunate lack of Scottish issues being discussed in St Andrews (despite bearing the name of Scotland's patron saint and being home to Scotland's most ancient university), and so The Drew was set up to help foster more discussion. 

I take a keen interested in other academic fields such as politics, history, and philosophy. Although an International Relations student first and foremost, I had the opportunity of studying Ancient History and Classics alongside my degree for two years. If I were to ever win the lottery, you would find me endlessly cycling University, spending my remaining days studying Ancient History and Philosophy, Politics, Anthropology, Theology, Theoretical Physics and Maths, or whatever subject I develop an interest in down the line.