Shane Coleman Macken

Laidlaw Scholar @ Trinity College Dublin, School of English, Trinity College Dublin
Clara Tobin

Student, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Hi everyone! I'm Clara Tobin, an English Student in Trinity College Dublin. My research examines the source material of William Shakespeare. In particular, I am attempting to identify a publication of the Middle English poetry found in the 'Allegory of Death' mural in the Stratford-upon-Avon Guild Chapel that may have influenced Shakespeare. Although the murals were covered during his lifetime due to laws around religious iconography during the Reformation, the resemblance between the murals and Shakespeare's work is uncanny and has not been studied in depth - until now! Aside from literature, I enjoy ballet, classical and jazz music (I play piano and saxophone), travelling and going to the theatre. Feel free to reach out for a chat about my research or anything else that interests you!
Campbell MacPherson

Research Officer and PhD Student, Carers Trust and the University of Glasgow

I was fortunate enough to conduct academic research under the supervision of Stephen Gethins,  Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St Andrews and now a sitting MP. Stephen introduced me to a truly fascinating yet often overlooked area of International Relations: sub-state and regional actors and their place in global politics, with a focus on Scotland in particular. Through this, I have developed an interest in Scotland's place in the world as a nation without an independent foreign office, but as a nation with extensive international influence and a powerful global diaspora. This topic formed the basis of my Laidlaw project, my undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation, and my PhD. I take a keen interested in other academic fields such as politics, history, and philosophy. Although an International Relations and Sociology student first and foremost, I had the opportunity of studying Ancient History and Classics alongside my degree for two years. If I were to ever win the lottery, you would find me endlessly cycling University, spending my remaining days studying Ancient History and Philosophy, Politics, Anthropology, Theology, Theoretical Physics and Maths, or whatever subject I develop an interest in down the line. Since leaving the University of St Andrews and the Laidlaw Programme, I completed an MRes degree at the University of Glasgow in Sociology and Research Methods. I received a scholarship for a PhD in Sociology at the University of Glasgow which I am completing part-time in addition to my role as Research Officer at Carers Trust Scotland - a charity supporting unpaid carers which I had previously volunteered for. My PhD is a continuation of my Scottish diaspora studies, seeking to reconcile the notion of 'civic Scottishness' with the Scottish identity of the lived diaspora.  
Eleanor Campbell

Student, Columbia University

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.
Mairead Maguire

Undergraduate Intern, Trinity College Dublin Disability Service

I am a History and Political Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin. My research project looked at how class dynamics are presented and in literature set in education, exploring themes of identity, power and the concept of becoming "educated". For my LiA, I joined a democratic education organisation in London, where I focused on increasing political participation among young people and facilitated dialogue between students and politicians.
Rucha Benare (she/her)

Biomedical engineering research student, Trinity College Dublin

I am interested in the fields of mechanobiology, biohybrid prosthetics, biophysics, Jungian psychology, and philosophy. Recently in association with Laidlaw; In Cornell University (N.Y, U.S.A.) I worked on curating an art book on biomechanics for charity to raise awareness in this field of science. And in Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), we worked on developing a microphysiological model of the osteocytic network in the bone that can be used to better understand the (patho)physiology of bone using Direct Laser Writing technology using MLO-Y4 cell culture.  On the side; In ETH Zürich (Switzerland), I was working on understanding bio-hybrid muscle actuators using C2C12 cell culture by amassing literature review, designing biobot unit, and conducting biocompatibility tests along with growing and differentiating muscle cells for further electrical stimulation. At DogPatch Labs's Patch (Dublin, Ireland) I was experimenting with creating a start-up company to help amputees get affordable prosthetics.  On the (other) side; I like to dance, write, and read anything I get my hands on; be it music, poetry, or even shampoo bottles. Please feel free to contact me here or on LinkedIn for any discussions regarding the aforementioned topics!
Lucas Maughan

Pharmacy Student, Trinity College Dublin

Hi! My name's Lucas Maughan. I'm a 4th year pharmacy student at Trinity College Dublin. I have an interest in all aspects of pharmacy with particular interest in clinical and global health. My research encompasses Pharmacy Practice, global and public health.
Georgia Dillon (she/her)

Law Student, Trinity College Dublin

I am a second year law student at Trinity College Dublin, conducting a research project on period poverty and how it impacts participation in education in Ireland. I currently work as a Policy and Advocacy Advisor at The Pad Project, and am especially interested in in social justice, access to education, gender equality, sustainability and human rights.
Trinity College Dublin joined the Laidlaw Network in 2018. The Laidlaw Programme offers undergraduate students at Trinity the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and experience to become active global citizens and future leaders. Laidlaw Scholars work with an academic supervisor on a self-directed, independent research project and take part in a suite of integrated leadership development activities which culminate in a challenging applied leadership experience. Laidlaw Scholars join a community of learning, driven by curiosity and collaboration, which enables diverse voices to make a meaningful impact. The Laidlaw Programme at Trinity is open to undergraduates in the second year of a four year programme or the second/third year of a five year undergraduate/integrated masters programme.
Jennifer Waters

Student, Laidlaw Scholars

I am a third-year TSM student in Trinity College Dublin for History and Philosophy. My research project aims to establish a multitiered argument against the use of Future Dangerousness in American criminal court, especially in capital cases. I outline the concept of Future Dangerousness, its uses, and how its fundamental inconsistencies facilitate miscarriages of justice than continue into today.
Beverly Genockey

Zoology Student, Trinity College Dublin

I am an alumni of the undergraduate research and leadership programme (2020). I've got a degree in Zoology from Trinity College, Dublin and I'm currently studying for a Master of Public Administration (Urban Policy) at UCL. My research project aimed to determine the most abundant plant species in Dublin City and analyse their functional traits to make inferences about these species' suitability for use as nature-based solutions, which is a newly proposed concept for simultaneously regreening cities through the use of nature to combat socio-environmental and climate-related problems. Currently I'm working alongside other Laidlaw Scholars to develop a community kindergarten and evacuation centre in Dreketi Settlement, Fiji. We're always looking for ways to collaborate with other scholars and groups on this project so if you're interested – let's chat!
Aaron Koay

PhD Researcher in Global Health, University College London

I am a PhD researcher in Global Health at University College London. I am also a qualified pharmacist (MPharm and BSc Pharm) with an MSc degree in sociology. My research interests include global health, health inequity, health policy, politics and systems and gender. More details are available here.
Reuben Morris-Dyer

Art History and Film Undergraduate, University of St Andrews

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.
Mia Sherry

Student, Trinity College Dublin

I'm a SF English and Film Studies student in Trinity College, Dublin. I'm an avid writer and film critic for the Trinity Film Review, along with Trinity News and TN2. When I'm not watching films or doing school work, I love to run, read and attempt to learm ancient languages.
Maggie Larson

Mathematics student, Trinity College Dublin

Gráinne Sexton

Graduate of English Literature and History, School of English, Trinity College Dublin

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.
Paul Hanna

Multimedia Artist and Creative, YouTube

I'm a graduate of Columbia University ('23!), where I studied Film. I used to work at Google as a growth strategist, and at YouTube as a content strategist. My current work centers on multimedia and multidisciplinary art, blending media experiments, writing, and ongoing film projects. During the Laidlaw Fellowship, I examined Napoleon's influence on the political attitudes present in Le rouge et le noir by Stendhal and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. The following year, I worked in business development for Tortoise Media, a news publication based out of London. Feel free to reach out and connect!
Janina Knörzer

Student, Trinity College Dublin

Currently studying History at Undergraduate level at Trinity College Dublin. Outside of college, I spend my time with music and ballet, catching up on reading ‘old classics’, some amateur photography, and trying to gain a little bit of an understanding of biology and medicine. For the duration of this programme, my research aims to prove a connection between environmental “end time” scenarios and their instrumentalization for the development of social movements. Through a historical perspective, I first want to identify patterns and then in a second step relate them back to universal reasons that make people susceptible to “political agitation”. Finally, I plan to develop recommendations for political education that help promote critical thinking in the context of political and social movements.
James R. Harrison

Laidlaw Alum, incoming MA-PhD student, Durham University

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!
Matthew Fackrell

Laidlaw Undergraduate Research Scholar, Durham University

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.
Ana Sainz de Murieta

Student, Trinity College Dublin

I’m a 4th-year Theoretical Physics student at Trinity College Dublin. For my research project, I will analyse data from the Zwicky Transient Factory to establish a relation between supernova explosions and their host galaxies and determine a subsample of Type Ia Supernovae that will help us constrain the origin of dark energy.