I have loved being a Laidlaw Scholar, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience and I could not imagine my undergraduate university experience without it.

 The application experience taught me so much, pushing me to synergise my thoughts, writing and goals amidst settling in to a completely new environment, style of learning and country. It is wonderful to look back at what I envisioned my future, career goals and academic pathway to be and to see how it has developed and evolved into my current aspirations. My application stands as living proof of my dreams as I began a brand new chapter of my life and it is a beautiful memento to keep of this precious time.  

 Being accepted onto the programme was a moment of such vivid, ecstatic celebration. I felt so proud that all my hard work had come to fruition. Moreover, I was also bursting with excitement to meet my fellow scholars and start my research project later that year. Before I get too ahead of myself, I cannot continue this recount without mentioning the warmth, humanity and uplifting nature of the Durham University Laidlaw Team, especially our Programme Coordinator, @Kelci Jacoby.  From the moment I met Kelci, (which was on a Teams call to clarify some questions I had about the application) I was floored with how present she was, how much she wished for the success of every applicant and how supportive she was. Kelci is a powerful exemplar of Character-Driven Leadership and the Laidlaw Values, which we at Durham have all been so blessed to see and learn from. So, thank you so much Kelci!

 The next big event that occurred was our residential, in a lovely outdoor centre called Peat Rigg in surrounded by the York National Park. This was the first time we all had the chance to get to know each other better, and it was a weekend filled with fun, comradery and thought-provoking discussion! My group were some of the most supportive, kind people that I have ever met, and if there was ever a case of us working on a project in the future, that would be a dream team! I left the residential feeling this great sense of excitement, as I could see that the Laidlaw Scholarship had brought together these incredibly passionate changemakers, and I felt honoured to be a part of this empowering community.

 The Research component was challenging, inspiring and gave me an understanding of what a career in lab-based, scientific research would look like. My research supervisor and lab team were so welcoming and I felt part of the lab from day 1. This research experience deepened my understanding of numerous concepts in chemistry, enhanced my ability to objectively analyse academic papers and data, and increased my intellectual flexibility and problem-solving capability, an experience which I am very grateful for. 

 The Ethical Leadership training we received was honestly life changing. The ideology of Character introduced to us in the duration of the Oxford Ethical Leadership Programme has completely changed how I view and engage my own personal development. I have seen great strides in my growth as a person, global citizen and leader. Through this programme I really worked on my bravery and my self-compassion, and I saw my listening, openness, awareness and flexibility blossom to new heights. This compounded in the Durham-Leeds Mini Conference, where we met the amazing scholars from the University of Leeds, some of which are really good friends of mine now! 

 One thing I love about this community is that it can lead to great synergies through creating and finding opportunities with other scholars. I spoke at the University of Leeds Student Sustainability Conference because of an incredible conversation with @Soluna Stojanovska  at the global induction, where we saw areas of overlap in our research projects and said we should do a conference together! Productive and supportive study sessions were so helpful in exam season with @Aditya Jindal. Thought-provoking brunches and meet up with the Durham Laidlaw Scholars were highlights of my week. Another brilliant scholar, @Cai Jin  put forth my name to be the student representative with her on net-zero innovation in the North-East panel which was an amazing, thought-provoking experience and we competed in a Sustainability Game-Changer with @Addy Shah. It is fantastic to be participating in the 2024 SUAD Youth COP with @Vaibhav Pramode Nair, who is an incredibly driven and inspiring teammate. I also joined in on a catch-up call of the Laidlaw Near Peer Initiative group with @Trisha Bhujle, @Oliver Pugh and @Batool Wajiha Zaidi which was just so inspiring to chat with such magnificent people.  

A snapshot of memories of my time as a Laidlaw Scholar

Reflecting on my LiA Project, I am filled with both pride and humility as I have had the honour of developing a proposal for a Climate Change & Sustainability Leadership Programme at Durham University in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy (CSDLP). This project has been a deeply thought-provoking and rewarding experience, as I have been tasked with creating a multidisciplinary curriculum that fosters a holistic understanding of climate change and sustainability. This process highlighted for me how critical it is for leaders to approach challenges with humility, actively listen, and draw on the insights of others and shown me that individual efforts can have a ripple effect, and we all have the capacity to create meaningful change if we take action.

 I stand tall and I am proud to be a Laidlaw Scholar Alumni. I cannot believe that the two years have already passed and I am incredibly sad that this part of the story is coming to a close, but it is not over. The lessons I have learnt, my development as a global citizen and ethical leader are inherently part of me, meaning I’ll always be a Laidlaw Scholar at heart, which is incredibly curious and passionate about the world and uplifting others as we climb. 

Thank you Laidlaw