Hi, I'm a Durham University undergraduate studying Economics and Politics. My Laidlaw Scholarship independent research project focuses on 'Youth Employment Experiences in the Informal-Formal Nexus of the Indian Labour Market’ and explores the employment aspirations of India’s youth in an economic environment that is characterised by increasing job precariousness. I am a published author, and my recently-released book ‘Why People Give’ (Sage Publications), which discusses the motivations that drive philanthropy. I am also a NextGen leader at the Aspen Institute and discuss how the potential of artificial intelligence can be realised in an ethical manner with other thinkers. Currently spending my days reading, sketching and watching a lot of Netflix in between planning my next projects!

I'm a 4th Year undergraduate geology student at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UK. My Laidlaw research is focused primarily on understanding how early life interacted with its environment and how this environment may have in turn impacted upon lives evolution. In summer 2019, I undertook 2 weeks fieldwork in South Africa for my Laidlaw scholarship, collected samples and images. My research scope has adapted as I have continued my Laidlaw journey. I started off by looking at what 2.5 billion-year-old (Ga) rocks can tell us about the chemistry of ancient oceans, but after my fieldwork, I changed my focus to look at even older (3.47 Ga) rocks which contain evidence of some of the oldest life on Earth. I am spending summer 2020 investigating how the organisms preserved in these rocks may have biomineralised magnetic minerals and used these to navigate using Earth's magnetic field. I'm a classic crazy rock person, with a passion for the outdoors, rock music, and extreme sports like whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. I grew up in the Scottish Borders and have spent my life exploring the Scottish Mountains. Geology has taken me all over the world so far, from Greenland to the Alps and the U.A.E., and I'm certainly looking forward to more adventures to come!

I work in UCL Education and Student Affairs at UCL as a Project Manager. Our office has responsibility for improvements in education and the student experience, including the integration of teaching and research. I have managed high profile projects including a Graduate Support Scheme and a Review of Postgraduate Education. I currently manage the day to day administration of the Laidlaw Programme.

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.

Final-year Durham student studying Politics; President of Durham Laidlaw Scholars' Organisation; Incoming ESRC-funded MA-PhD student in NINE DTP. My research so far has covered ideological identity in left-wing student activism, examining the interplay of social movement theory and the philosophy of identity, and my general research interests include citizenship education, democratic theory and the occasional bit of political anthropology. Outside of my studies it's mainly twentieth-century literature, cocktails and cooking!

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.

I'm a third-year biology student at the University of York. I'm originally from Switzerland but came to the UK to continue my studies! I am particularly interested in human and medical biology. My Laidlaw research project focuses on the C-terminus of the Tmem184b protein that is involved in neurodegeneration. I aspire to be a great leader and a strong woman who can lead her team towards the goals we want to achieve!

I am an alumna of the Laidlaw Programme at the University of St Andrews, where my research project focused on contemporary literature from the Comoros islands. I am currently a PhD researcher in Comparative Literature at the University of St Andrews, where I study recent literary translations produced in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

I'm a third-year English student at the University of St Andrews! My primary research areas are Early Modern Literature and I am particularly interested in the intersection of religious beliefs and gender roles at that time. In my spare time, I'm a CV adviser with the University's careers centre and I manage the programming at St Andrews Radio - the only radio station in St Andrews!

I'm a third-year student at St Andrews studying English! My research is into spoken word poetry and its connection to politics, particularly in Edinburgh (it's a bit niche but I love it). I am also part of the feminist society and a public face of Nightline. I love to meet new people and bake what is objectively too much shortbread at odd hours.

Economics scholar researching my own alternative to GDP!

I am a Laidlaw and University of Leeds Alumni - My Laidlaw research project investigated if a community-based dance programme could improve the physical and psychological wellbeing of socio-economically disadvantaged older adults. Here is a link to a short film of my research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNOL8AuAKRs&t=3s I am interested in sport, health, performance, injury prevention and personal development. I currently coach strength and conditioning to youth athletes to improve their athletic performance.

I am currently doing my MPhil in Sociology & Demography in the University of Oxford. My research interests lie in the intersection between genetics and social structures in the production of inequalities. 

Graduate in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Durham University. Have conducted research on climate security in the Israeli-Palestinian context. Experience in public speaking in an academic context, journalism, and journalistic editing.

I have spent the last 10 years working on the concept of mental fitness, as counter to the old stigmatized concept of mental health. I am hugely interested in how people can develop resilience and endurance. This has led me to studying applied psychology. My Laidlaw scholarship research project has been looking into the effects of emotion on the performance of Ultramarathon runners at distances of both 60 miles and 110 miles. This is the first sports psychology study that has attempted to measure this actually within-race rather than just pre and post race. Since suffering a nervous breakdown in 2009, and finally admitting to himself his own mental health and alcohol problems. A period of his life that is now looked upon as the positive beginning of a new chapter. Paul has gone on to build an awarding social enterprise BCT Aspire CIC, completed numerous high-profile endurance challenges and applied his learning to helping others and now supporting his academic journey as a mature student. BCT Aspire CIC has over the last decade delivered thousands of successful youth sessions and activity programmes for local children & young people on Teesside. Currently BCT Aspire delivers five youth sessions every week in Billingham including; Youth clubs, fitness sessions, music lessons, Duke of Edinburgh Awards and community events all with a voluntary team. A former talented Rugby player who represented England North at his peak, Paul’s attempt to get to grips with his problems led him to begin walking. This resulted in a 3000 miles adventure spanning the length of Europe, from the Southern Tip of Italy to the edge of the Orkney Islands, also passing through France, England & Scotland. All completed without support and relying on the human kindness of strangers. This has been followed up by running single stage ultramarathons up to 160 miles and last year completed the Wainwrights Coast to Coast completely barefoot to raise funds for his work and supporting his belief in positive thinking. Paul’s first two EBooks from the “Jumping the Cliff” series have topped the Amazon EBook charts for both Depression, Anxiety & Mental Health sections, with his next book from his six-week journey across Italy now out in paperback. Paul started his speaking career talking to pupils at a school with children who had behavioural problems, a place where Paul gained the courage to talk about his own way of trying to reset his own learnt behaviours. Since then he has given talks to a cross section of people including business people, professional sportsmen, youth groups, colleges & universities. Paul has also won numerous Business & Community Awards for his diverse range of work including; Entrepreneurs Forum Emerging Talent 2012; Evening Gazette’s Community Champion for Children & Young People 2012; Gazette Community Awards Finalist twice (Ambassador & Fundraising), Teesside Philanthropic Charity – Teesside Hero Paul is a qualified outdoor leader with BCT Aspire CIC who enjoys sharing these skills with people aiming to build confidence and also relaxing on the hills with his dog Molly and now his young son Pavel. Paul currently mixes his role as Managing Director of BCT Aspire, with speaking work, and studying applied psychology at Durham University. This also includes holding a prestigious Laidlaw scholarship for emerging global research talent, currently researching the mental approaches of endurance athletes. Furthermore, a trustee of Catalyst Stockton on Tees the VCSE infrastructure body for the area.

It is only fitting that a leading university offers a prestigious course in leadership. The Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Scholarship at the University of York equips self-motivated and ambitious undergraduate students with the knowledge, skills and experience to become leaders in their chosen fields.

The University of Toronto joined the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Program in 2018 with the first group of scholars beginning their research in 2019. Funded by Lord Laidlaw and driven by his passion for student development, the scholarship at the University of Toronto aims to help students develop key skills as they aspire to be leaders in their field.

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

There are 25 annual Laidlaw Scholarships that provide funding to enable you to develop leadership and research skills through a range of personal development activities and two six week periods of project work throughout your time at Leeds.