As a Tufts Laidlaw Scholar, I researched arts education access for autistic students and later supported Youth Work Ireland's 2022 Pride initiatives for my Leadership In Action project. These experiences were foundational to my Master's thesis research and have shaped the early stages of my career, as I pursue my long term goal of becoming a clinical psychologist supporting neurodivergent youth.

Hello all! My name is Shubhecchha Dhaurali (pronounced Sue-betcha Dur-all-e). I am a first-generation student originally from Nepal double-majoring in Community Health and Biology at Tufts University. My research is housed in the Tufts University School of Medicine with Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha who is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Medical School's Department of Community Health & Medicine. 

Hello! My name is Christalie Anor and I am a sophomore at Tufts University. I am majoring in Biopsychology on a Premed track and minoring in Child Studies and Human Development. I came to Medford, Massachusetts from sunny South Florida.  I am working with my supervisors, Dr. Shin and Dr. Sommers, to measure the physiological effects of recalling past instances of racial discrimination. The research will use script-driven imagery and correlate the physiological measures with self-reported psychological measures.

Hi! My name is Andra, and I am a graduate of the Laidlaw Scholars program in the 2021 cohort. I am currently working in clinical psychology research, which I also pursued during my time as a Scholar. For my first summer, I completed my research on a project studying racial discrimination as a traumatic stressor, and my second summer, I traveled to Dublin, Ireland to work with Youth Work Ireland on Dublin Pride arts programming. Happy to connect with current and past scholars :)

As a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was raised in a cultural melting pot that sparked my passion for community engagement at the local and global level. At the age of 16, I earned my first full scholarship to study abroad in Berlin, where I began working with refugees from the Middle East and Central Asia. I later graduated high school as a scholarship student at Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, where my interest in human rights motivated me to work with Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers. Currently, I am a sophomore at Tufts University majoring in International Relations. At Tufts, I am a Tisch Scholar, a research assistant for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a board member for the Experimental College, a Tufts tour guide and a member of the International Club. 

Hi fellow scholars! My name is Mindy Duggan and I am recent Tufts alum. My Laidlaw research was on autism representation in the hit television show The Good Doctor.  During my free time, I love to volunteer with kids— especially children with disabilities. I also love escaping to nature, camping, and trying hole-in-the-wall food places :) Feel free to reach out if you ever want to connect!

My name is Dana Oshiro, and I am a freshman at Cornell University.  I am majoring in Neurobiology & Behavior. I also plan on pursuing an MD degree after college. Last summer, I researched the Economic Costs of Domestic Violence. I am grateful to have continued along that topic this summer in Vietnam where I developed interventions to combat adverse childhood events.

Anthropology and Sociology Undergraduate; from Bristol, UK. I am completing a research project on narrative transmission and reproduction, looking at how oral accounts of geological events are passed down accurately over generations. By understanding how narratives are constructed I am keen to explore interdisciplinary approaches, particularly between Anthropology, Linguistics, Computer-Human Interaction, and Cognition. Other interests include literature, art and photography, architecture, astronomy, and outdoor pursuits.

Kristin began the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholars program at Cornell University and was responsible for undergraduate engagement in the Einaudi Center for International Studies. She now provides remote support for Global Cornell. A Cornell alumna, Kristin majored in international agriculture and rural development then worked in agriculture and community development with an NGO in Kenya for six years. Her graduate work focused on community leadership development. Kristin enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family (and 3 dogs).

Hi! I'm currently a journalism and Environmental Chemistry student at the University of Toronto. I like to read, dance, and do yoga. I am also a MAJOR Foodie and cook all the time. My favorite classes this semester has been Intro to Journalism, Mandarin, and Stats! I also talk about social journalism and live-stream in my free time.

I am a senior at Tufts University and a Laidlaw Scholars Program Alumni. In June 2020 I transitioned into the position of North American Chapter President where I coordinate panels and discussions among the wider scholars network. At Tufts, I am studying intergenerational instability of trinucleotide repeats in DNA using a homologous recombination assay in Drosophila to look at the genetic underpinnings of how Huntington's Disease is passed from parent to progeny. I am also pursuing an independent project investigating the potential role of Polymerase Delta Interacting Protein 2 in switching from replicative to translesion synthesis pathways in response to DNA damage.

I'm chemist undergraduate student from UR-CST .Currently, I am conducting a research on how humic acid can be extracted from compost materials which are disposed at landfills .Humic acid is known to be used as soil amendment in soil with low organic matter but also to improve both quality of soil and production from agriculture sector.

Hello! I'm Reuben, an Art History and Film student researching 'The Sonic Body: Technology, Embodiment, Gender' with the University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. I am also a student filmmaker and illustrator, and host 'The Theory of Everything Podcast' for StAR Radio.

I am a junior at Tufts University in Medford, MA. I study biochemistry, and also have chosen to focus on bridging barriers for low-income, first-generation students that will allow them to get into colleges that are financially feasible. I volunteer as an advising mentor through the nonprofit organization Matriculate and launched a resource website targeting important resources for first-gen, low-income students who are applying to college during the pandemic.  My first summer of Laidlaw research focused on writing a literature review that focused on tissue engineering and biomedical techniques that are making way into more personalized medicine. I focused on how these new upcoming technologies will pave way for more inclusive medicine. I also highlight the pitfalls within the FDA process of approval of medicines and technologies and how research should encompass more diverse patient populations My second summer of Laidlaw research focused on college access and reaching out to students who come from first-generation low-income backgrounds. I collected data from students who were mentored through Matricualte over the pandemic, and I hope to provide information from my survey to organizations like Matriculate to help them use for funding, donation opportunities in the future.

I am an undergraduate student at Tufts University pursuing a degree in International Relations and Civic Studies, with a concentration in culture and identity systems. One of my greatest passions is participating in social activism initiatives and finding productive and creative ways to combat pressing issues and work toward positive global change. Through my experience as a researcher, I have been able to explore how various socially-constructed systems of oppression and privilege interlock and affect one another to create concrete patterns that impact people’s lived experiences and shape their worldviews. Every day, I continue to learn more about how to be a productive activist and ally in my community, and I am always open to new experiences and challenges. I absolutely love working with people, and in my life, I hope to have the opportunity to continue learning more about the world and its inhabitants.

I'm an alumni from Tufts University, I majored in cognitive and brain sciences. My project is titled 'The Neuroscience of Intellectual Disability', and through multiple molecular biology techniques my lab aims to better understand the effect of β-catenin and Adenomatous Polyposis coli Protein (APC) malfunction on intellectual disabilities. I do most of my work at the Michele Jacob Lab, in the Tufts School of Medicine in downtown Boston. I'm now working at the Martinos Center on Alzheimer’s research.

As Associate Provost of Tufts University, Dr. Dawn Geronimo Terkla oversees the Offices of Institutional Research & Evaluation (OIR&E); The Center for Enhancement of Learning & Teaching (CELT), and the Tufts Laidlaw Scholars Program: serves on the USAID funded EPT2 One Health Workforce Project; provides guidance across the university on issues relating to institutional research, outcomes assessment, and evaluation; provides critical management information to senior administrators; and serves on university-wide committees (Academic Council, Administrative Council, Social Science IRB, Tufts IT Steering Committee, Information Stewardship Sub-committee, Student Information Steering Committee, as well as, co-chairing the University-Wide Committee on Teaching and Faculty Development. Dr. Terkla is the University Accreditation Liaison Officer to the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). In addition, she participates in school-level accreditations, providing support as needed. She has held leadership positions in several organizations serving as President of both the North East Association for Institutional Research and the Association for Institutional Research, as well as the Chair of the US Department of Educational National Postsecondary Executive Committee (NPEC) Council on Postsecondary Education Statistics. In addition, she has served on the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium Board of Directors, the UCLA/ACE Cooperative Institutional Research Program Advisory Committee, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Commission on Policy Analysis and the National Student Clearinghouse Advisory Committee. Dr. Terkla earned a doctorate in higher education research from Harvard University, a Masters of Public Policy from the University of California Berkeley, and a bachelors degree from Ohio Wesleyan University where she majored in politics and government. In addition, she was awarded a management certificate from the Management Institute for Women in Higher Education.

Hello! I am a multidisciplinary designer and have been with the Laidlaw Foundation for over five years, working to strengthen our global Scholar community and amplify the impact of our programmes. My work lives somewhere between design, education, and anthropology, usually with sticky notes involved. I studied Human Sciences as an undergrad and recently finished a Master’s in Anthropology, both at UCL.  I am your go-to person for questions regarding alumni engagement and the Laidlaw Scholars Advisory Board. Born and raised in Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 Outside of work? Probably in the ceramics studio or a yoga class. Big fan of nature and very small bugs.

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.

My name is Valeria Lopez, and I am a current junior at Tufts University studying Biology and Child development. I hope to one day go to medical school and become an ophthalmologist.