Hi there! I'm a University of York undergraduate studying History. I'm really passionate about anything to do with History or Politics, and I love to learn about others' backgrounds, cultures and ways of life! I speak French to an intermediate level, and I compete in both rowing and other sports and societies like Model UN. I'm really easy going though so I'd be interested in whatever anyone else has to say/is passionate about :)) My research project is looking into whether popular culture divides or unites peoples and societies.

My Laidlaw Research is set to explore World Cave art as an emotional and educational vehicle to decolonizing practices through the use of new technologies. Starting with a documentary pilot, I only hope to help shed more light onto conversations that are today more vital than ever, in such a beautiful yet maddening world unquestionably still lost in the dark. Currently chasing my childhood's 'American dream' with an enduring will, I am currently studying for a BA of Archaeology & Heritage at the University of York with the aim of pursuing a career in Museums in the United States. I previously worked professionally in the international film and television industry in Australia and France, including film productions as an independent filmmaker where I have focused on Australia’s colonial history. My ambition is to unite my creative side to a career in Heritage Archaeology to explore decolonizing practices in global context, and help blaze new trails towards a more inclusive future.

I am an undergraduate Laidlaw Scholar studying Philosophy and Politics at the University of York. I am very interested in climate education. My project investigates collective responsibility regarding climate change in the primary years of school.

Hullo! I'm postgrad student in St Andrews reading Sustainable Development with a focus on urban planning. My bachelor's degree at Durham centred around Chinese & French language, culture, and literature, which I'm still involved with on the side, along with photography and Continental & Eastern philosophy.

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.

My name is Etienne NTAMBARA I am from Rwanda. I studied Computer Science at the University of Rwanda and I was a Laidlaw Scholar of 2019 apart from that I am a computer Science Teacher at MINEDU since 2022 after graduation. Now, I was admitted to pursue a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence at Nanyang Technological University (NTU-Singapore) in the academic year 2023-2024. My research/leadership project was about Open Inventory Management System (O.I.M.S) I chose this project because I wanted to secure all assets owned by my university and other institutions. When I'm not studying/working, I like to watch movies, listen to the news and play football. One thing about me that surprises people is how I trust things with their proof. I'd love to connect with someone who tells me my weakness and advice me to upgrade from it.

I am an Archaeology student at the University of York. My main areas of research interest are focused around using primatology to teach us about the origins of our own species and our behaviours. However, my Laidlaw research project is giving me the unique opportunity to explore another area of Archaeology, ancient plant DNA. My project, entitled, 'Historic Corn Smut: Using ancient DNA methods to understand the risk to UK agriculture', is allowing me to learn about ancient DNA methods during my undergraduate degree. This is something I would not normally get the opportunity to do until masters level. The project is an exciting insight into the evolution of a particular fungal pathogen and looking at the risk this evolutionary progress poses to farming in the UK. As well as being a busy student, I am also a mother of two children under five years of age. Combining these two things has taught me the importance of time management, prioritising and has made me even more determined to succeed.

I am a Politics, Philosophy and Economics graduate who is greatly interested in peace-building and its direct impact on immigration policy. I have always had a strong strong passion and motivation to make a positive social impact, for my Laidlaw Research Project I was researching alternative and cost-effective education system that could be embedded in the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) to guarantee refugees’ educational rights. This required me to conduct extensive research, economic modelling and to think outside the traditional norms of education to find a solution. This is a project I am still working to develop further- if you have any interest in this, reach out and let's have a virtual coffee. I am currently spending my gap year working for Business Plan for Peace to encourage disinvestment in the industry of war, and instead pushing for private funding in initiatives that make peace profitable for the investors. If you are a part of a private company that would like who would like to expand their philanthropic commitment while being an active part of making peace-building a profitable industry- please do reach out!

Since 2015, I have been passionate about ending poverty in the UK. I began my journey as a campaigner against poverty in my local area with Poverty Ends Now, a young person lead group ran by Children North East. Since then, I have represented the UK in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and other positions of influence with poverty as my main focus point. My Laidlaw Scholarship research project is all about the relationship between language, meaning and poverty. By understanding and changing unhelpful public discourse about poverty, we can start to shift power.

Bethany is a practising screenwriter and film producer who was a Laidlaw Scholar in the University of York's first cohort in 2017-18. She set up a production company with her partner Patrick the Isle of Man, where they now produce films and write screenplays. Their first short documentary, MERA, premiered at Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany in August 2019 and their short drama, The Lost Wife, is in postproduction. Their scripts have placed in multiple international screenwriting competitions. Bethany is passionate about helping others to develop, especially those considering writing or the film industry as a career path.

I am studying a potential new species of testate amoeba from Cors Fochno, a sphagnum peat bog in North Wales.

Research and Academic Administration

I am a human rights defender focusing on children's rights. I am the vice chair and empowerment and involvement officer of the Amnesty UK Children's Human Rights Network. The network is a dynamic, and change-making group of activists who campaign with children to make their rights real. My research this summer has focused on understanding how certain linguistic structures are used by organisations, movements, and individual activists to take action on human rights issues.

Final year at York, studying French and Spanish. Passionate about international relations and intercultural communication. My research project used post-structural feminist theory to explore female agency in Le Morte Darthur.

Organic geochemistry, analytical chemistry

The Laidlaw Scholars Programme has been made available to HKU students (HKU Laidlaw Scholars) in 2019 by the generous funding support from Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay. As a prestigious scholarship programme embedded at the Universities of Leeds, Oxford, UCL, York, to name just a few, the Laidlaw Programme equips students with research and leadership skills to help them pursue their academic and professional aspirations beyond their current course of study.

The Laidlaw Scholarship Programme in Research and Leadership is sponsored by a generous donation from The Rt Hon Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay, an honorary graduate of the University. This exciting programme equips students with the skills and values to become the leaders of tomorrow in their chosen discipline and beyond University. Over two years Scholars complete a bespoke, intensive leadership training programme. In addition, they participate in two periods of research during which they work on designing, pursuing and reporting a research question in collaboration with an academic in their chosen School. This programme is open to undergraduate students in their penultimate year of study. Please see the Laidlaw website for more information at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/go/laidlaw