I am an undergraduate Physics student at Durham University and I am very passionate about developing and progressing sustainable energy solutions. I believe we can tackle the global energy crisis through focused research, adequate funding and widespread education on the need for a systemic change. I also firmly believe that it is only by creating the sparks of passion and understanding through the education of our wider community that we set alight the fires of progress for our sustainable and progressive future.

Hi there! I'm a finalist English & History undergraduate at Durham looking for challenges and experiences that will enable me to network with a diverse range of people and learn more about the world. I had the pleasure of completing my Laidlaw Scholarship in 2023.

Joel was the Laidlaw Programme Coordinator for Trinity (2018 - 2024). In this role he managed leadership development activities, student coaching, programme design, and the day-to-day support of the Laidlaw Scholars. He is currently the Equality Officer for Trinity, and works to promote equity, belonging, and non-discrimination for Trinity staff, students, and the wider Trinity community, in all areas of university life and with particular regard to the protected grounds in equality legislation. He has previously worked in a range of higher education development roles including student services and global engagement. In 2026 he is a supervisor for a Laidlaw Scholar research project entitled 'A Class Education: How does Trinity engage with class and socioeconomic status in 2026?'. He is a founder and current Co-Chair of Trinity's LGBTIQ+ Staff Network and is committed to Trinity's mission of fostering excellence and creating social good by championing an accessible, diverse higher education environment. A graduate of Trinity, he holds a B.A. (Mod.) in English Studies, and further qualifications in Learning, Development and Coaching (CIPD), EDI Policy and People; Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Academic Practice (TCD), and as a Certified Student Affairs Educator (HECSAC).

I am a Chartered Occupational Psychologist and the lead for the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme at The University of York.  Prior to joining the University of York, my career was in policing focusing on selection and assessment, leadership development, organisation change and culture, and diversity, equality and inclusion.  I completed my BSc Psychology course at The University of Manchester and went straight on to complete my MSc Occupational Psychology course at Northumbria University. I then completed the Qualification in Occupational Psychology (QOccPsych) with the British Psychological Society (BPS) to become a chartered Occupational Psychologist. 

Hello! I'm Kunj and I am a fourth year student studying Integrated Masters in Chemistry at Durham University. My research project was evaluating how slight changes in the structure of the solid state electrolyte and cathode can impact the ionic conductivity of lithium and sodium-ion batteries and using my research findings to develop NASICONs of high energy density, with maximum compatibility.

I am a recent BSc Psychology graduate from the University of Durham, with an interest in cognitive and biological psychology. My research with Laidlaw aims to contribute to the process of diversifying psychological research with the development of a translated visual perception screening test, using data from South-East Asian participants. 

My name is Ruby Palin. I am a second-year undergraduate student at Durham University studying BSc Biological Sciences. This is my favourite quote from a biologist... “The known is finite, the unknown is infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability…our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land” –Thomas Henry Huxley, Evolutionary biologist.

Laidlaw Scholar Alumni (Durham University Cohort 6, 2022-24) Current Endeavours: PhD candidate in Environmental Economics at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Studied MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change at the LSE (2024-25).  --- My time as a Laidlaw Scholar: I graduated with First Class Honours in BA Economics from Durham University. My foremost interests are Development Economics and Environmental Economics. This is reflected in my research project which explored Demographic Economics, titled "The Shifting Distribution of the Global Population in the Twenty-First Century: an Econometric Analysis of the Projected Fortunes of Nigeria and Japan, with Policy Recommendations for Sustainable Development". I have experience working in economic consulting, specialising in competition economics, and am also a Zumba instructor. During my time on the Laidlaw Programme I have also served as a Laidlaw Schools Trust Mentor for Excelsior Academy in Newcastle. In 2023, I completed a six-week international ‘Leadership in Action’ project in partnership with Think Pacific for my Laidlaw Scholarship. For this, I participated in a multi-faceted programme, comprising the building of a health centre, collaborations with Diabetes Fiji and Youth Champs 4 Mental Health, and a Fijian Culture Course. The project ended with a Think Tank where we planned how we would sustain progress. In my sub-group’s case, we are working on a new project to build a multi-purpose building to act as a kindergarten and evacuation centre, for which we are currently fundraising. We have had multiple meetings with the Laidlaw Foundation CEO and the Laidlaw Schools Trust, and we are presenting at the Conversations Conference in Dublin in October 2023. Our project took place in Vunimaqo and Waisava, Dreketi Settlement, Nalawa district, Ra province, Vita Levu island, Fiji. I attended the Impact 2022 conference at the LSE and (virtually, after flight cancellations) the Conversations 2023 conference at Trinity College Dublin.

I’m a Postgraduate Research Student at Durham University, specialising in soft matter and biological physics. For my Laidlaw Scholarship research project, I worked on a project to determine the mechanical properties of bimolecular condensates in the cytoplasm of cells. Specifically, I developed simulations to test our assumption in the main analysis pipeline that all condensates were imaged at their equator. For my LiA, I will worked as an assistant instructor on the Elevating Agricultural Technology programme with the Timothy Smith Network in Boston, teaching 3D modelling and 3D printing I LOVE talking about anything related to physics / technology and am also really passionate about education and F1, amongst other things!

Hello! I am a first year Durham PPE student, and this summer will be researching NGOs that tackle modern slavery, who wields influence within them and whether this influence has led to them making suboptimal decisions. Besides research, I am interested in pretty much everything from physics to poetry to philosophy.

I was a History undergraduate at Durham University, where I was part of the 2021-22 Laidlaw Scholars cohort (2020-23). Afterwards, I studied MSt in Global and Imperial University at Oxford University (2023-24) with a specialisation in postcolonial Anglophone African history and English-speaking Caribbean under the British empire. Now, I'm currently working in digital marketing. For my research, I investigated the use of the Crusades within far-right organisations and what it reveals about the readings of crusade history. During my second summer, I was a part of the ThinkPacific Youth and Community project in Fiji from June to July 2022.  If you have any questions about my research, LiA, or history stuff in general, feel free to contact me here! Also, I like music, video production, and photography.

Hi everyone! I am currently a LLB student at Durham University.  My research is focusing on whether the Bar Training Course (the vocational component on the path to becoming a barrister) sufficiently prepares prospective barristers for online advocacy and an increasingly digitalised workplace. This research project stems from my interest in the future of the legal profession, and also my questioning of why there is not much research done into the future of the English Bar more broadly.  Interestingly, my research is a blend of law and business as my supervisor is an academic within the Business department.  Hopefully bringing in this different perspective will help to open up my research further and help me to approach the law from a different perspective.  Please feel free to reach out to discuss anything related to law or business or just to have a general chat because I'm really looking forward to getting to know more Laidlaw scholars! 

Interested in the interplay between History and Politics and the damaging effect History can have when abused in our political climate.

I am a psychology student at Durham University. I am interested in the field of social psychology and its relation with our environment.

I believe in ground-breaking research, innovation and teaching. I am passionate about learning difficult concepts and breaking them down to their core; simplifying them and being able to convey their essence to anyone willing to listen. As an undergraduate chemistry student, researcher on synthesis of Blatter Radicals and volunteer tutor, this is exactly what I am doing. And I love it. There’s always more to research and learn in chemistry and I am always up for the challenge. My hobbies and interests range form hiking, running and swimming, to art and reading.

About Me Currently about halfway through my Chemistry MChem at Durham University (graduate 2023) and I still love every second of it. I am conducting research into amide bond breaking and forming reactions, and similar mechanisms to try to solve fun and tricky synthetic issues (thanks to Laidlaw). Prior to a Chemistry degree, I worked as charity fundraiser/team leader for 7 years. I have personally raised over £1mil for various charities, and have a huge amount of leadership experience (training and management). I am super friendly, love to learn, happy teaching, and I am keen to make the most out the Laidlaw Foundation. So, feel free to get in touch about anything; whether you are looking to support, be supported, or just discuss. Always on the lookout for good research opportunities and ideas. Main interests include synthetic peptide,and organocatalytic chemistry. Nearing the point where I will start applying for doctoral candidate positions. So, if you think you can offer or direct me to a good fit, I would be very happy to hear from you. Laidlaw Research My planned Laidlaw research aimed to develop a series of trans-amidation reactions using azanides (amino, R2N- anions) to cleave/trans-amidate at amide bonds. During lockdown, these reactions were independently developed elsewhere. I am happy the reactions work, even if someone else got to do the work. Feel free to compare the proposed reactions in the research proposal, published on my profile, with the article they published. [M. Fairley, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 6500.] Due to Covid, the time spent familiarising myself with this very niche set of reactions afforded a sensible option with an easy transition into a literature review of novel reactions that could be used to solve the synthetic peptoid (R3N-amino acid molecules and polymers) formation issues when bulky/electron-withdrawing residuals on N are used. I had great fun trying to think my way around the problem and the lit. review was passed onto my supervisor and his team to (hopefully) produce literature worthy solutions. Happy to discuss, share findings and collaborate. Just, get in touch. Other Interests I was doing outreach work with children through the university pre-Covid and I am really looking forward to being able to help out again soon. I am a huge sci-fi nerd. I also run 2 student societies and organise events, socials, talks, etc. for each. Both societies have a broad range of aims with activities that support community inclusion, safeguarding, wellbeing and harm-reduction. Future Plans I made the tough choice to suspend my university studies for the 2020-21 academic year as I feel ensuring access to the full MChem experience is too important to miss. I have been taking the opportunity of spare time to engage with private study and develop some peripheral skills to compliment what I learnt in the first 2 years. I will start 3rd year in October.  My second summer with Laidlaw will now be in 2022 and I am hoping that international collaboration will be possible by then. Seeking doctoral training or relevant internship possibilities to start summer 2023. I am very comfortable being contacted to you are welcome to get in touch, and feel free to pass my details on. Research Interests - Innovation of synthetic mechanisms. - Peptides and peptidomimetics. - Organocatalysis.

Hello! I am a penultimate year French and Politics student at the University of Leeds with the drive and tenacity to effect positive change on a global scale. My research focuses on identifying West African resistance fighters in the Second World War. I have also developed a keen interest in the Francophone world, French philosophy and Post-colonial Feminist security studies.