Kayla Kim

Community Analyst, United Nations Development Programme

Hello! I was Laidlaw scholar in 2019, and I studied national, regional, and local identity in northern Tajikistan through the lens of women's fashion.  For a year after graduating, I worked for the UN Mine Action Service which removes landmines from conflict and post-conflict regions. I then worked for the Laidlaw Foundation 2021-22 and completed a Master's Degree in Anthropology and Development Management at the London School of Economics. Now I'm working with the UN on innovative finance for biodiversity conservation, focusing on marine ecosystems. Please feel free to reach out on the network, on LinkedIn, or by email. I'm always happy to meet new people and chat.
Shraddha Prasad

Laidlaw Scholars Programme Coordinator, University of Toronto

Experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in Program Development, Leadership, Crisis Management, Public Speaking, and Management. Strong community and social services professional with a Master of Education (M.Ed.) focused in Higher Education Administration from Boston University.
Beth Davenport

PhD Doctoral Student, University of British Columbia

My expertise is in molecular genetics, specifically genetic engineering techniques with plants. I also have some experience with plant physiological research and bioinformatics in coexpression analysis and orthologue identification between species. My interests include both the fields of evolutionary and molecular genetics, and I minored in physical and human geography in my undergraduate degree. In future I hope to continue genetic research, aspiring for that which explores links between genetic research, the environment/climate, food security and disease eradication.
Serra Muftu

North American Chapter President of the Laidlaw Scholars Program, Tufts University

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.
Fola Olaleye

Researcher, UCL

Hello! I'm Fola, an Urban Planning, Design and Management graduate from The Bartlett, UCL. I'm interested in sustainable development, urban politics, and participatory planning. My Laidlaw research projects have focused on housing design governance and grassroots campaigns for the right to housing.
Andrew Singleton (he series)

Administrator, Office of the Provost, Tufts University

Andrew Singleton has recently joined the Tufts-Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Programme team as a Programme Administrator and is excited to continue to elevate the Laidlaw Programming for current and future scholars. He joined the programme from Venture Café, which connects and educates the entrepreneurial and innovation community in Boston through programs/spaces/events and many other cities around the world. He has a B.S. from MIT in Biology and a background in social-impact enterprises, wind-power, user-computer-interfaces, as well as computer network design. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys travel, hiking, and wildlife photography.
Cath Brislane

Subject Lead/ Undergraduate Scholar, University of York

I am a final-year undergraduate scholar pursuing a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Linguistics at the University of York. Besides being a scholar, I am the Arts and Humanities Subject Lead on the Scholar's Network and the 2020-22 Arts and Humanities faculty rep at the University of York! My first summer of research was based in phonetics, entitled 'The untapped potential of human language: Investigating the perception of typologically unattested and rare sounds'. In it, I get to look at phonemes that are not commonly found in speech, if at all! My Leadership in Action project was based around the experiences of students with disabilities and long-term health conditions when accessing Higher Education in the UK. I'm currently creating teacher training based on the paper I wrote for this project, and working with UCAS to help inform UK university admissions policy. 
Ashley Gomez

Laidlaw Scholar, Tufts University

Ahmed Aldarraji

Undergraduate Student, University of Toronto

I am a third-year undergraduate student studying at the University of Toronto - Mississauga campus. My interests lie in the pain field where I am working on mapping the neural pathways underlying placebo analgesia and also testing novel drugs to treat chronic pain. My hope is to be able to successfully help in treating chronic pain in the future.
Brandon Yu

Medicine & Health Subject Lead, University of Toronto

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!
Lucy Stark

University of Toronto Student, University of Toronto Laidlaw Scholars Programme

I am a Lester B Pearson Scholar entering my second year at the University of Toronto as a history and economics double major. My Laidlaw project surrounds "Housing First" programs in cities across the world, including cities in Canada, the United States, and Finland. Through this project, I hope to discover what factors are most essential for successfully housing chronically homeless persons. Beyond this project, I am involved in the University of Toronto Moot Team, I write for two student papers, and I have a passion for documentary filmmaking.
Nikol Chen

Design and Development Manager, Laidlaw Foundation

Hello! I've been part of the Laidlaw Foundation for over 4 years, working on strengthening our global community and broadening our initiatives aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing inequality, and cultivating a new generation of leaders. I'm currently completing a Masters in Anthropology & Professional Practice at UCL, delving into my passion for using ethnographic methods and design to effect systemic change, particularly in the education sector. My journey in design has been diverse, beginning with graphic design, transitioning into UX/UI and service design, and now evolving into systemic design and innovation.  Originally from Kazakhstan 🇰🇿, I pursued my undergraduate degree in Human Sciences at UCL. I'm an amateur naturalist, avid swimmer, and an obsessive podcast listener. Let's connect and chat—drop me a line and find me on LinkedIn! 💬👀
Dawn Geronimo Terkla

Associate Provost, Tufts University

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.
Isaac Bateman

Student, St Andrews

Laidlaw Scholar at the University of St Andrews. Studying for an MA in Philosophy and International Relations. Undertaking a leadership in Action Project for WORI (Women's Rights Initiative Uganda) researching de-colonialised methods for NGOs to develop international outreach. My research interests particularly surround political philosophy, critical theory and the construction of political identities. Current Editor in chief of 'Aporia' the St. Andrews undergraduate journal of Philosophy.
Georgios Dougalis

Undergraduate Student, Durham University

Zsófia Benedek

student, University of York

I'm an outgoing, open, creative and always curious person who wants to understand more about our world and see as much of it as possible while doing whatever I can to make this a better place for everyone.
Jacqueline Adjei

Laidlaw Scholar, University of Leeds