Hello, my name is Erin and I am a third year Classics student at Durham University. I am thrilled to have been accepted onto the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme as part of the 2025 cohort. I have always been what I consider to be academically curious but what is more colloquially termed as nerdy - especially in regards to Classics (I just love learning new things!). I also have aspirations to undertake a career in humanitarian work, driven by my desire to fight for social justice and empower others to do so. In this way, the remit of the Leadership and Research programme, to cultivate leaders whose actions are both ethical and data-driven, appeared to me to be perfectly aligned with my own interests.  I have had previous experience in the various domains of the programme: in terms of leadership, I was Head Student at my Secondary School in my final year; I completed a 5000 word EPQ research paper two years ago; and I have had some volunteering experience at a local food-bank. However, I am both aware of and looking forward to the fact that this programme is going to really challenge me mentally, emotionally and physically when it comes to the research project, the Oxford Character Project and the LiA, respectively. I am hopeful that the programme will lead to lots of personal growth and assist, alongside my degree and other uni experiences, in equipping me with the tools I need to be the driving force behind the change I want to see in the world after graduation!

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.

Hello! I’m a Philosophy student at Durham University, with academic interests in applied ethics, decision-making and sustainability. My broader aim is to use interdisciplinary research to drive measurable, socially meaningful change. My summer research explored barriers to public transport adoption, with a view toward long-term policy implementation. This project combined behavioural science, psychology, urban planning, and design to contribute to more sustainable and inclusive transport policies. For my LiA, I will be travelling to Kerala for the central CraftHER project, where I will undertake four consulting projects with local female-led businesses and a research project. 

👋 Hi, I’m Aimee! I study Architectural&Interdisciplinary Studies BSc at UCL and am passionate about exploring how art and design can connect creativity with research and community. As a Laidlaw Scholar, my first year project focused on building the first digital exhibition for the Paris Summer School, combining my interests in design and storytelling with leadership in collaborative projects.

Hi! My name is Freya, and I'll be doing my research on defining the geotechnical properties of Lunar simulant regolith so that when we begin to create high fidelity infrastructure replicas here on Earth ( whether that be a road, a building or a launchpad) we can predict how the surface will change based on these loads! Aside from all things space, I do a MEng in Engineering and Architectural design, with an interest in small space architecture (such as space habitation) and multifunctional/modularity within spaces. I'm also interested in Japanese architecture, spending my gap year living and working in Tokyo whilst also developing my Japanese to N3 intermediate (plus I love 7/11 and all the Konbini's haha).

Hey! I’m Samuel Kamalendran, a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto (Mississauga), where I major in Political Science and minor in English and Classics. My research project is titled “In the Valley of the Shadow of Death: Evaluating the Protection Afforded to Vulnerable Canadians by Bill C-7” and will explore whether Canada’s assisted-dying legal framework sufficiently protects the disabled, mentally ill, and those in poverty. I was first introduced to this topic through a term research paper in a Canadian Political Science course, and quickly became very engaged in the subject. What truly stood out to me about this subject was the intellectual conflict underpinning the debate about the Bill’s provisions. I was fascinated by the justifications both sides offered—all of which contained some measure of truth—and the simultaneous inability of scholars to come to a clear consensus. I was also very drawn to the real-life stories of individuals who interacted with MAiD—every one of which spoke directly to the implications of any law that intersected law, medicine, and the ethics of self-autonomy. Furthermore, as an aspiring legal professional, I am especially interested in diving into the legal and parliamentary cases that drove the development of assisted-dying forward, and performing a comparative analysis of international jurisdictions to decipher key lessons which can answer questions about the effectiveness of MAiD frameworks. In my free time, I enjoy working out, creating music on the piano and drums, and exploring local rivers, lakes, and trails with my brothers. I’m also active in journalism at my university, interested in AI and business, and passionate about serving my peers through my work with my school’s International Centre and my upcoming roles on various committees and boards. I’m sincerely looking forward to learning more about you all and your research projects! I would love to connect with y’all via LinkedIn, email (at samuel.kamalendran@mail.utoronto.ca), and/or through the Scholars network. I hope everyone has a fun, relaxing, and productive summer! :)

I am extremely excited to be a member of this community and to share with you the wonderful journey the Laidlaw Foundation takes me on. My research project concerns the existence of the death penalty in the UK, and my abolitionist stance on capital punishment will hopefully come across. I see little value in returning to a capital system, where the maximum sentence is death. However, my views on the criminal justice system and desire to spread awareness on the death penalty do not encompass all of who I am. Beyond that, I’m the eldest daughter in a working-class family, the ultimate triple threat theatre kid (for non-theatre kids, that means I love to sing, act and dance) and a passionate writer. I wrote a short play as part of my Laidlaw research project. I have written poems and performed them in front of audiences. I am currently writing a novel. Many would describe me as stubborn; I think determined would be a better word, but I am certainly a bundle of energy and someone who wishes to do their part in this rapidly changing world we live in. Hopefully, I will continue to share all aspects of who I am and make connections like no other via this Network.

Hello! I am Defne, a physics student at UCL interested in pursuing graduate studies in biophysics. 

Hello! :) I'm Ravleen, a 2nd year Pharmacy student at UCL. In the last year, I was introduced to pharmaceutics: a scientific basis for the formulation and manufacture of safe and effective medicines. Even the most effective medicine doesn't work if the patient refuses to take it. A study found that 79% of children stated that the taste of medicine made them unwilling to take it. Moreover, children are commonly unable to swallow neutral tasting pills, which makes dosing them a challenge. For my research project, I explored the development of child-friendly, palatable formulations called orodispersible films using a method called electrospinning. This involved hands-on laboratory work to develop prototype formulations at the UCL School of Pharmacy and interviews with paediatric, oncology patients at Great Ormand Street Hospital to improve the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea & vomiting. Feel free to reach out!