Hi everyone, I am a third year Laidlaw scholar studying Pharmacology at the University of Leeds. I am currently in the process of completing my placement year as regulatory strategist, developing innovative new therapies to transform the lives of patients with rare conditions at Pfizer. My research project focuses on the UN’s SDGs and the opportunity that students around the world have to collaborate with other universities to implement these goals into their final year capstone projects in attempt to combat educational inequality. I had the opportunity to travel to Fiji for my leadership in action. I stayed in an incredible village called Toga and lived with a family while the team built a health centre for the village and facilitated sessions around the importance of climate change with the Fijian youth. If you would like to hear more about my research, LIA or placement- please drop me a message!

Hey everyone, I'm Phoebe !  I am an undergrad for Durham in the 2021 cohort.  My field of research is sociology looking at access to higher education programmes and widening participation. 

I am an undergraduate Laidlaw scholar from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I have lived most of my life in Dublin (apart from three years in Berlin - but no, I can't speak German). My main research area is political philosophy; my research interests in particular are in how human rights can be used as an approach to morality, and how we should consider and address 'structural injustices' in society. I also have interests in democratic theory, and heterodox approaches to economics. Outside academia, I am often involved in social/political activism. I'm a keen ultimate frisbee player, and I enjoy chess, table tennis, and hiking. I'm also (slowly) learning French and Polish.

Laidlaw Scholar Researching "How people use their time during journeys?". In summer 2018 I conducted ethnographies in London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam on trains and in Leeds on buses. Summer 2019 I have created a survey and done 2 focus groups. I visited the Royal Geographical Society Conference at Cardiff University in 2018 and will attend the same event in London this year, presenting my poster. In addition to my Laidlaw Scholarship, I have recently completed the Q-Step quantitative training placement at Leeds City Council. This project focused on "redefining the city's boundary". I am an incoming Equality and Inclusion project assistant at the University of Leeds. I have previously had nearly 3 years experience as a Maths Tutor, during my studies. I have been an open day ambassador for the School of Geography. I have also worked as a kitchen assistant.

Emory Southwick (they/them) is postgraduate researcher at Newcastle University, formally a Laidlaw scholar at Durham University, UK, where they achieved a First Class BA with Honours in Music at George Stephenson College. Emory has a research interest in those underrepresented in music, focusing on marginalised genders and LGBTQ+ people. Currently, they are working with Contemporary Music for All (CoMA) and has also set up their own business as an artist. Currently, they are working to create a queer-focussed sober space in Durham.

Hello everyone, my name is Cesar Urzua and I am a current sophomore at Tufts University studying Biology and Child Study and Human Development. I am very excited to be a part of the Laidlaw Scholars Program and hope to be able to talk with so many other scholars soon. For my research, I will be focusing on brain response when presented to adverse childhood experiences, and how to possibly develop optimal strategies to combat chronic neural perturbations following these adverse childhood experiences. 

Hi👋🏾 I’m Pearls I am a final year Law student at the University of Leeds. I recently completed a placement year at The Walt Disney Company as a CPGP Contract Management Intern (hence the 'industrial' next to my degree title) My first-year research project looked at the way game-based learning could be incorporated into Multi-Academy Trusts (aka MATs) to improve the academic attainment and classroom engagement of GCSE-year black students. My Leadership-in-Action project was with MakeSense and focused on empowering minority communities within Mexico City.

Hi there! I'm Oran, a final year student of International History and Politics. With the Laidlaw Foundation, I completed an independent research project on the history of an early international voluntary organisation in the summer of 2021. Also with the programme, I took part in the 'Youth and Community' project with ThinkPacific in the Fiji Islands in the summer of 2022.  All of this has enhanced my capacity for leadership in a globalising world. Please have a look through my profile to learn more about me and my work as a Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholar. 

I am currently a fifth year student studying for an MMath Mathematics at the University of St Andrews. During the summer of 2021, I undertook a research project into Algebraic Constraint Geometry and Graph Rigidity. In the summer of 2022, I undertook a Leadership in Action Project in Fiji with Think Pacific. Alongside maths, I also really enjoy playing around with computers! At the moment, I am learning how to use HTML and Ruby so that I can host and maintain my own website. I also hope to take a course on machine learning soon. Outside of academia, I am a big fan of the outdoors. For the past two years I have been learning to kayak and have really enjoyed the opportunity to explore Scotland whilst doing so.

I'm a student at the University of Toronto interested in neurological and ocular health, immunological mechanisms and self-immunity, as well as innovations and leadership within health care. I look to empower the aspiring youth through limitless, accessible education, and foster positive change in our dynamic reality!

Hello! I am a penultimate year French and Politics student at the University of Leeds with the drive and tenacity to effect positive change on a global scale. My research focuses on identifying West African resistance fighters in the Second World War. I have also developed a keen interest in the Francophone world, French philosophy and Post-colonial Feminist security studies.

I am the founder of buddhistphilosophy.co.uk where I currently host podcasts with expert guests in Buddhist philosophical practice and theory. With this project, I am to contribute toward correcting the entrenched Eurocentric bias in philosophy by creating an inclusive space for learning about Buddhist philosophy. As a Laidlaw Scholar, I have researched on researched philosophy of time, Buddhist philosophy, and philosophy of language. My research output includes a paper entitled Meaning in Gibberish (forthcoming in Aporia). I have presented this paper and discussed related issues in talks and workshops at the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh. Language learning holds a high in priority in my studies and research. I have studied some Pali (OCBS levels 1 and 2) and I read French fluently. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any interest in the following: Buddhism, Buddhist philosophy, Ambedkar studies, women and Buddhist philosophy, cross-cultural philosophy, critical theory, French philosophy, Laruelle’s non-philosophy, non-Buddhism, philosophy of nonsense, philosophy of death.

Hi! I am studying chemistry at The University of Leeds, I am an Undergraduate Scholar doing a research project titled 'The Upper Atmosphere of Mars'.

Curiously driven first year BSc Economics and Finance student at the University of Leeds. I relish socialising and find myself throughly engaged in various numerical problems. Economics, Politics, Philosophy, Mathematics, Religion and Physics are topics that interest me the most !

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 am currently doing a Master’s in Anthropology at UCL. Degrees I struggle to explain at parties. Born and raised in Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 Outside of work? Probably in the ceramics studio, wandering aimlessly with a podcast in my ears, attempting a handstand, or watching far too much TV. Big fan of nature and very small bugs.

University of York LLB Graduate and Laidlaw Alum studying an LLM at UCL.

There are 25 annual Laidlaw Scholarships that provide funding to enable you to develop leadership and research skills through a range of personal development activities and two six week periods of project work throughout your time at Leeds.