Hi everyone! I run the CraftHER Leadership-in-action program by @Swara - Voice of Women. Here's our IG: www.instagram.com/craftherbyswara/ I’m Asha Scaria Vettoor, an entrepreneur and Laidlaw Scholar from the University of Oxford. I run Swara, a social enterprise based in India that creates income opportunities for women through ethical fashion and storytelling. We also host CraftHER, a 6-week Leadership-in-Action program that brings Laidlaw scholars from around the world to Kerala to learn from women-led enterprises, grassroots organisations, and artisan communities. I’m passionate about building bridges between global learners and local changemakers in my community and always up for a conversation on social entrepreneurship, ethical supply chains, or running programs in remote parts of India.

Hi, my name is Badria, and I’m a population health and social data science student at UCL. 

Hi everyone! I am currently studying Psychology at UCL, hoping to become a Clinical Psychologist in the future. My Laidlaw research project is about the potential for reduced striatal dopamine transmission as a transdiagnostic mechanism underlying psychomotor retardation across various neurological and psychiatric disorders. I'm hoping that this research would identify shared pathophysiological mechanisms that have clinical implications for more personalised treatments and advance our understanding of dopamine's role in cognitive and motor symptoms of neuropsychiatric conditions, potentially informing the repurposing of dopaminergic drugs. In my free time, I love dancing (contemporary/lyrical), reading, taking photos with my film camera, going on walks, visiting cafés and spending time with my family and friends. I am beyond excited and grateful to be part of the 2024 Laidlaw Scholars cohort and look forward to undertaking this journey with you all! I would love to connect with anyone passionate about raising awareness of mental health and improving access to education for individuals with special needs, or share an interest in neuroscience, psychology or my hobbies. I'm also very open to learning from others interested in different disciplines. Please feel free to reach out :)

My name is Diya Asawa (she/her) and I was born in India. I've lived in India, the Netherlands, and the UK, and I now study Biomedical Sciences at UCL. For my first summer Laidlaw research project, I investigated methods for improving the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea & vomiting in paediatric patients affected by cancer. The project was based at the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London. The study involves the analysis of interviews with the parents of patients at GOSH to understand how healthcare professionals can improve the side effect symptoms of patients and develop medicines that are more child-friendly. For my six-week Leadership-in-Action project in Mumbai, India, I volunteered as a teaching assistant at the Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil School in Sion, Mumbai, to support underprivileged students facing poverty and child abuse. I supported a Grade 3 classroom of 40 students, teaching Maths, English, and General Studies through interactive lessons, creative writing, reading activities, problem-solving tasks, and skills workshops based on the school’s curriculum.  In my free time, I love writing, singing, going on long walks/hikes, listening to music, and meeting new people. I'm super excited to be involved with the Laidlaw programme and would love to connect especially if you've got similar interests so feel free to reach out :)