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.

A proactive and confident individual fascinated by the factors affecting change around the world. I have a natural curiosity for global political and environmental issues. This curiosity has been entertained through independent research exploring political communication and independent journalism in Southeast Asia and a consultancy role within a world leading data and insights organisation. Excited by solutions which address pressing environmental problems. Currently volunteering with Repowering London to install solar panels on schools in the Lambeth borough to provide affordable, reliable and renewable energy.

Greetings, I am Pacifique HAKIZIMANA, an alum of University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology, with a specialization in Information Systems. I have recently completed a research project focused on the transition from traditional paper-based processes to digital systems within university environments. The objective is to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of academic services. The motto guiding this endeavor is "Go green, Go paperless," as we seek to promote a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to education management.

Hello everyone! My name is Lorenzo and I am currently a Technology Consulting Associate at PwC and I have previously completed a Biomedical Engineering degree at UCL. In my Laidlaw experience I specialised in Autism Research, from a psychological and engineering perspective, investigating perceptual load capacity and early diagnosis technique using novel medical imaging techniques. I am very passionate about innovative economics, education and technology - let's chat! :)

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.

I am a science fan who gets her inspiration from stories. On my previous journeys volunteering and traveling around the world, I've met people who opened my mind to the greatest things and biggest issues of their communities. Sometimes those stories make me feel sad and worried, but many times, they inspire and urge me to imagine, innovate, and create changes using my own tools of science and technology.

I am currently in my final year of an integrated Masters degree in Biochemistry at University College London. I was amongst the first cohort of Laidlaw Scholars at UCL. Research throughout my degree has led to an interest in computational biology and I am specifically interested in how we can use technology to enhance research, as well as to improve human wellbeing through the digital health sector.

With enthusiasm in developing my career in quantitative finance, I had the pleasure to join the Laidlaw scholar program to conduct undergraduate research related to statistical trading. Solid training at HKU and my genuine interests in statistics and programming have equipped me for greater challenges in the analytically demanding finance environment. I look forward to entering exciting conversations with like-minded scholars.

Materials and Materiality in Cultural Heritage

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!

Graduate of English Literature and History at Trinity College Dublin. Alumnus of the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Programme (2019). My Laidlaw research explored the nature of borders and boundaries in the literature of Native American communities, with a particular focus on the work of contemporary author Leslie Marmon Silko. The project involved collaboration with leading scholars of Native American studies from across the United Kingdom and United States. I additionally wrote a final-year dissertation on Indigenous strategies of resistance to environmental injustice in the work of Silko.

I am a graduate of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Rwanda. I am also the STEM Subject Lead. My Laidlaw research project is about bringing a system that could help minimize the number of high-school and primary students who bring cell phones to school since it's one of the major sources of distraction. I did my Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University Africa, majoring in Cybersecurity and Data Science.

I am a Career Development Fellow in the Psychology Department at Durham University, where I research the psychological processes that enable people to adapt, remain motivated, and flourish in challenging environments. My research sits at the intersection of resilience science, Self-Determination Theory, and well-being. I am particularly interested in understanding how individual, social, and environmental resources interact to support resilient well-being across diverse contexts. My doctoral research examined these processes among polar expeditioners living and working in isolated, confined, and extreme environments, using mixed methods to explore how basic psychological needs underpin resilient functioning. I am now extending this work beyond polar environments to investigate resilient well-being in higher education, sport, and other high-challenge settings. My research adopts a socioecological perspective, recognising that resilience emerges through the dynamic interaction between people and their environments rather than residing solely within the individual. Alongside research, I teach quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistics, and psychology at undergraduate level, supervise student research, and enjoy translating psychological science into practical applications for education, sport, organisations, and communities. Before entering academia, I spent over two decades working in community development and youth work, founding and leading a social enterprise supporting children, young people, and disadvantaged communities. These experiences continue to shape my research philosophy: I believe the best psychological science should not only advance theory but also improve people's lives. My work combines rigorous empirical research with a strong commitment to real-world impact, and I am always interested in collaborating with researchers and practitioners working in resilience, motivation, well-being, Self-Determination Theory, higher education, sport psychology, extreme environments, and community-based research.