The story began almost 2 years ago when I received an email talking about a Leadership and Research program. At EPFL, as we receive a lot of emails, I still don't know how this one didn't end up in my trash. I want to believe that at some point I was meant to experience something like this. Fortunately, I got accepted.

Laidlaw Annual Conference 2023

First Impression, First Lesson:

At first I was a little skeptical about what I was going to gain from this story. Yet, this was the first lesson that I learnt. One of the key points that led me towards fully immersive growth was understanding that my background and perception could be an obstacle if not challenged. From then on, I was all about questioning assumptions and I was certain that it was all I needed to be a good leader or at least a good person. As a math student impressed by logic and rigorous reasoning, I thought that giving some time to think about everything, including assumptions, must imply taking the right decisions. Guess what? The next step was to challenge this assumption. It is not clear whether a good decision always exists or even if it has a universal definition.

Open Up To Others 

That was a critical point in the process. At this stage, welcoming all the information and emotions coming from others shows you how relative a good decision can be. Highlighting others' ideas and perspectives not only gives you more information but it also makes them feel important and appreciated which can only improve the collective performance. In parallel to the Laidlaw program I had the chance of leading Polympiads a student association in EPFL that promotes mathematics with competitions and conferences. It was just perfect being able to apply all the theory I learnt and see its real impact. 

Cultural Agility

Agility and culture are key parts of the Laidlaw Leadership Program, it helps to adapt and work well with others. Agility taught to stay open flexible, while culture highlights the need for teamwork and understanding different perspectives. These skills helped us understand the backgrounds differences in a group and the process of group culture creation where everybody should belong to.

Ethics

I always find it hard to talk about ethics. I think it is more about conviction than something else, it lies somehow in the concept itself. Sometimes I want to believe that without ethics the growth should end at some point. But this is probably not true. Moreover, if that's what brings you towards ethics, then you've clearly got it wrong. Maybe ethics is just coded in our humanity and as every code it is sometimes not immune to hacking and bugs. More seriously, it is essential to have good values, as I don't see real meaning in life without ethics.

Technical Skills 

An important component of the program was the research internship. I had the pleasure of working under the supervision of Prof. Kathryn Hess where I delved into topological data analysis with from a category theory perspective. Being technically strong makes you more reliable to your peers and makes it easier for them to follow you. Moreover, the leadership component elevates your technical skills and makes them more useful and valuable. So that was exactly the right combo to build a very effective and useful program.

Photo by Alain Herzog, math by W.G. Dwyer and K. Hess Bellwald

In search of impact

The Laidlaw Leadership Program taught me to challenge my views, listen to others, and apply leadership in practical ways. This was important during my internship at the African Leadership University, where the focus is on developing future leaders to tackle Africa’s challenges. Learning to adapt, understand different perspectives, and work together helped me contribute to the university’s mission of creating solutions for Africa.

A lifelong practice

The skills I gained from the Laidlaw program have become part of my daily life. I constantly question my own assumptions and try to see things from other people’s perspectives. Listening to others and valuing their input has helped me build stronger relationships and work better in teams. These habits aren’t just useful in leadership roles, but in every situation I face. Over time, this approach has shaped the way I make decisions, handle challenges, and work toward my goals, both personally and professionally. It’s become a lifelong practice that guides me in everything I do.