About Giammarco Di Gregorio
I’m a proud care-experienced Neuroscientist. My research focuses on how serotonin and psychedelics shape neuroplasticity in brain regions greatly affected by early-life adversity. In my experiments, I measure how well brain cells can talk to each other during natural serotonin release and following the administration of classic psychedelics (e.g., magic mushrooms).
Care-experienced young people represent one of the largest untapped STEM talent pools in the UK. They have all the potential required to succeed and yet, they are still eight times less likely to enrol in university and choose a STEM subject.
Care-experienced young people don’t lack talent, they lack the opportunities to unlock it. In my early 20s, I migrated to the UK in search of a brighter future, when I still couldn't speak the language. During my time in care, I struggled at school and didn’t do well academically. But the Foundation Programme at Durham University gave me the chance to catch up and build the confidence I needed. Four years later, I graduated at Durham as the top student in my cohort - with an average mark of over 80%.
Only when potential meets opportunity talent can thrive.
Driven by this belief, I founded WISHFULICIOUS to give children in care and care-experienced young people the opportunity to see that STEM isn’t just for “someone else” - it’s for them too. To start-up this initiative, I’ve baked and sold cookies, run a small online fundraising campaign, and am now part of the The CareLeaders Fellowship where I’m working to lay the foundation for delivering our first STEM programme.
If you share this mission or simply want to help open doors for care-experienced people, I’d love to connect and hear from you!
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Learn With Us Summer Camp 2020
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Recent Comments
Giammarco, thank you for this uplifting and moving reflection ! ✨ It has been a pleasure watching Learn With Us thrive last year - such an inspirational case of having a strong vision with a worthy cause and bringing others with you to create impact. Particularly fantastic how you made use of the Network and the Laidlaw community. Your steadfastness, dedication, and resilience are truly incredible.
Are you planning to continue Learn With Us this summer? Any other exciting plans perhaps? :)
Nikol, thank you so much for your really kind words. Uplifting and moving are certainly among the best comments I could have ever hoped for. The Scholars Network has been quite crucial, such a precious platform. I would have never managed to find so many incredible people without it.
Learn With Us Summer Camp 2021 is coming up soon!! Our brilliant Director, Jude Hanlon, is leading the new team. We are in the process of recruiting the last two Virtual Mentors (applications are still open for those interested), whilst the creative process has already started for the three mentors already recruited. The Video Editor team is working on the new introductory video clips. This year the clips will be fully cartoon animated, with a completely new format! We will be realising them soon; stay tuned! Our Publicity Officers are regularly publishing on our social media exciting activities to do over the weekend while waiting for the summer. Such a wonderful team!!
Other exciting plans? YES! :) More coming soon! Can't wait to tell you more!
Congratulations Giammarco! Not just for having achieved so much with the amazing Learn With Us Summer Camp but for developing and demonstrating your leadership skills and the Laidlaw Scholars values so brilliantly. I hear leaders asked all the time how to define leadership or what it means to be brave, and I think your realisation that confidence is about changing your relationship with fear is so spot-on and beautifully articulated, as is your insight that "leadership is about being brave and embracing the inevitable challenges of our ambitions." Thank you so much for sharing your story and your learnings; and thanks to everyone who worked with you to do so much to help the LST pupils this summer. I can't wait to hear what you do next.
Susanna, thank you so much for always offering your gratitude and empathetic encouragement. It really means a lot to me. It's been such a great pleasure working at the summer camp. Summer 2020 has been a very transformative one, in all senses of the word! Everyone onboard has worked so hard. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. It really reminds me that there is so much good out there, we just need to put it all together and the magic happens by itself. I can't wait to tell you more about what's next.
This is fantastic - congratulations Giammarco, welcome Doria. I am so impressed with your passion, creativity and high impact. I hope many others will join you - such a great initiative. You must be really proud of yourselves. I couldn't be more thrilled that you are forging such an amazing link between two Laidlaw Foundation programmes. Thank you!
I couldn’t be more honoured.
Thank you so much for your kind words and empathetic encouragement Susanna.
This means a lot to me.
I need to thank the members of the staff from the two Laidlaw Foundation programmes that have been helping me so extensively during the last few weeks. I want to thank them for their priceless support and guidance, the endless conversations and teaching. Thank you!
Ciao Giammarco, this is such a good initiative, well done!
Although I won't have enough time to commit to this initiative, I am very happy to help you in some capacity. If you need a 'sounding board' to discuss ideas with, feel free to reach out :)
Ciao Lorenzo, thanks so much for reaching out and considering to help. It would be wonderful having you on board to discuss ideas together. I will be sending you an email shortly :)