Hello all! I did my Laidlaw Programme at Durham University between 2019-2021. My research project focused on evaluating the immigration and asylum system of the EU through a case study of the 2015 immigration crisis. Following the completion of my undergraduate LLB degree I moved to London to pursue my postgraduate LLM study at Queen Mary University of London.

I was born in 1989 in Georgia and was raised there, right after the Soviet dissolution. I am a lawyer with diverse experience, currently working in the energy sector. I am particularly interested in business, digitalisation and human psychology. My hobbies are fiction literature, movies, skiing, poker, board games, music, debating and numbers. My family: my husband, Beka and our twins - Emily and Shio.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, I fell in love with the arts at a young age, sneaking into the venues of South Street to see my favorite artists.  In time, I began to produce underground arts showcases in clubs on their off nights, scaling from 200 to 2000 attendees while in undergrad.  After graduation, my love of the arts brought me on a remarkable journey, including the opportunities to work on world tours, the Democratic National Convention, and the Papal Visit to the US.  It was a dream come true, and then it felt like it was time to move on to a new challenge.  I pivoted my operator skills over to a start up using machine vision to improve radiological diagnostics.  There, I fell in love with the intersection of breakthrough technologies and solving social problems.  I decided to go to business school to help supercharge my career, and landed at Columbia Business School thanks to the support of the Laidlaw Foundation.  Today, I am at Zeal Capital Partners, where we focus on deploying capital into early stage startups with diverse management teams solving the wealth, skills, and opportunity gaps in the US.  In my free time, I love to volunteer, rock climb (even though I'm terrible at it), kayak, and travel to see new cultures. 

I study International Relations and Russian at the University of St Andrews', and have a specific interest in the history, cultures and politics of the everyday. I am particularly interested in identity and security in the post-Soviet space, especially Central Asia. I'm looking to take these interests into practice and policy. This summer, I've been researching the interplay between regional foreign policy and how interacts with the development of state identities, by conducting research and then fieldwork in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.  I'm also an adventure cycling obsessive and love being outdoors (even in the Scottish weather). 

Leading investments from Laidlaw Scholars Ventures. I started my career in strategy both in consulting and in-house at a media group. Following my MBA, I decided that I wanted to work with early stage companies where you can have a greater impact on the business' journey and success. I have worked in advisory and for a VC fund prior to joining Lord Laidlaw's private office.

Alex was the Programme Director of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme from September 2021 - May 2024.  Prior to joining the Laidlaw Foundation Alex spent over a decade at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he most recently managed the university’s Laidlaw Scholars Programme. In addition, Alex taught leadership courses and guest-lectured internationally on the subjects of strategy and leadership. A bilingual speaker, dual national and keen traveller, Alex has lived, visited and worked in several countries around the world. During this time, he has had a unique opportunity to encounter and explore different cultures and working environments, experiencing first-hand what good leadership can achieve. His passion for this topic is driven by these experiences and a desire to challenge people to unlock their full leadership potential. Alex holds an MBA from the Open University and a Master of Research in Management from the University of St Andrews. He has also obtained Associate Fellow status with the Higher Education Academy. In his spare time, Alex is an avid skier and volunteers with a local guide dog organisation.

Hi there! I am studying the Bachelor of Science in both Molecular Biology & Biotechnology and Food & Nutritional Science. Doing and learning from research are of interest to me for better understanding of the world and unprecedented benefits to humanity of all kinds. Feel free to exchange knowledge and ideas with me!

Hi! My name is Lia, and I am in my final year at Cornell University. I'm majoring in Government and pursuing an independent major that combines politics, international studies, and sociology. My first-year Laidlaw project was focused on researching Russian political parties in the lead-up to the country's 2021 parliamentary elections. During my second summer, I traveled to Choma, Zambia through the Laidlaw centralized project with Columbia University.

Hi! I am an undergraduate at Durham University, studying Physics and Astronomy. I'm looking forward to meeting many new people through this great network, so feel free to reach out about anything! I'm very interested in most sports, especially Formula 1; I'm interested in the space sector, music and food :) 

Hello! My name is Eleanor Campbell, and I am a 2021 Laidlaw Scholar. I am a student at Columbia University in the City of New York, and I am originally from Raleigh, NC, USA. I major in Economics and am particularly interested in Behavioral Economics. During my first year with Laidlaw, I worked with Professor Hitendra Wadhwa of the Columbia Business School in developing a leadership fellowship for aspiring young changemakers. For my Leadership in Action project, I worked with World Vision on a menstrual hygiene management campaign in West Gonja, Ghana.

I am a Masters in Management student at London Business School.  I am passionate about Healthcare and Technology. I hope to start my own company with the goal to employ digital technology effectively in healthcare. 

Hi! My name is Charlie I’m born and raised in Australia but am currently doing my bachelor’s degree in the UK at the University of St Andrews studying International Relations and Psychology. During my time at university, I have also studied Arabic and Italian and in the future, I would love to work in political psychology helping to develop human rights, and climate action policy and campaigns. My research project is, therefore, looking at social identity and climate change reform as I aim to investigate how environmentalism is represented and the extent to which it encourages or marginalises groups from collective action. So if you are also working on something like this or know an expert in the field please get in touch, I would love to hear from you! I'm a diligent worker and have worked in a variety of positions in hospitality, environmentalism, and communications. This includes being a public speaking and debating coach, a legal administrative assistant and a research assistant at Licella, a renewable energies firm. I am passionate about the environment and protecting our planet and love spending time in the outdoors. In my free time, I enjoy cooking and inventing new recipes! My friends describe me as a bit of an amateur chef but otherwise, I love being active and sail competitively for my University team as well as surfing when I'm at home. I would describe myself as adventurous, extroverted, pro-active and open-minded. Having done a fair amount of solo travelling in the past I am capable of being independent and self-sufficient, however, I thrive in groups and love learning from other people’s experiences and expertise.

At Cornell University, students across disciplines are passionate about changing the world. Open to first- and second-year students, the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Program provides generous support for student research, offers hands-on leadership development and reflection, and encourages students to reinvest their knowledge to help others succeed. Laidlaw Scholars are part of an international network of like-minded leaders.