I am a rising sophomore, pre-law student at Barnard College, Columbia University intending to major in History and English . My academic interests are civil rights law, ethics, intellectual history, education policy, and disability studies. As a Laidlaw scholar I draw from my academic interests and personal experiences to conduct research on the use of restraint and seclusion in special education. I am eager to use my research experience and education in my future law career to further social equality.

Hello! I recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology Research from the University of Toronto. I’m passionate about youth mental health and how humour can be used to support resilience after adversity. My Summer 1 research project explored the relationship between childhood adversity, aggression, and self-regulation — deepening my understanding of the psychological impacts of early trauma. In Summer 2, I led a Leadership-in-Action project at SOS Children’s Villages in Cape Town, where I designed and facilitated a comedy-based mental health program for teens. That experience led me to found HaHaHelps — an organization that uses improv comedy to support youth mental health through accessible, community-led workshops. I'm currently piloting the full program in South Africa, with plans to expand to more communities globally. Please feel free to connect :) Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/younessrobert-tahiri Email: youness@hahahelps.org

Hi everyone! I'm a rising junior at Barnard College of Columbia University, where I am double majoring in Political Science and Human Rights, and minoring in French. This summer I'm researching about art reinstitution and its ethical and legal components. Some of my other interests include social work, human rights, and law. Please feel free to reach me at cd3442@barnard.edu

Hi everyone, I'm Elisabeth (she/her/they/them), although I usually go by Elly. I am Chinese-German and study Management and Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. My research interests include ethnic and cultural belonging, diaspora and migration, gender and sexuality and languages.  In my free time, I like making music and creating video content online. Feel free to reach out to me, here or on other platforms!

Hello! My name is Bhadra, and I am a second-year Law and Business student at Trinity College Dublin. I have an interest in criminal law, in particular feminist criminology. My Summer 1 research topic is 'Motherhood on Trial: A Comparative Analysis of the Miscarriage of Justice in Infanticide Cases'. I aim to take an inter-jurisdictional perspective in examining three notable cases - those of Joanne Hayes, Sally Clarke and Kathleen Folbigg.  Overall, my overarching goal is to highlight how women exist and are perceived within inherently oppressive social systems. If you have any questions or would like to reach out, please feel free to do so on panickeb@tcd.ie!

I'm a third-year Computer Science student at the University of Toronto, specializing in Computer Vision. My passion lies at the intersection of hardware and software solutions—aiming to build meaningful, impactful projects. Previously, I developed assistive technologies to support visually impaired students, making STEM education more inclusive and accessible. This summer, I'm working on a forensic science research project that involves optical dyeing using a multi-spectral LED array to enhance sperm cell identification in forensic samples. The tinkerer inside me loves messing around with robotics and tech, opening up random gadgets and making my own gizmos. Outside of technology, I enjoy cooking and exploring restaurants, always drawing inspiration for my next creation.

Hi! My name is Ronaish and I'm an international student at UofT from the UAE. I'm hoping to specialize in Neuroscience with a minor in Philosophy - alongisde, I also harbor a great interest in public health! As part of the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme, I am conducting a scoping review and expert consultation on the current state and future directions for palliative care in Pakistan. This is an incredibly interdisciplinary topic as it concerns and draws insights from epidemiology, sociology and public health - I'm excited to take it on this summer and hope to share my progress on this network! Besides research, my hobbies include parliamentary debate, trying new cuisines, occasionally binging shows and traveling! Feel free to reach out at ronaish.arshad@mail.utoronto.ca for a chat or if you have any questions about my research!

Hey everyone - I'm Gitika, but I go by Aki, and I'm a 2024 Laidlaw Scholar based at the University of St Andrews. I'm originally from California, but moved to Scotland to pursue my undergraduate studies in history and economics. My Laidlaw research focuses on the colonial and postcolonial histories of sexuality and gender in Asia, and particularly how it has impacted the current lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals based in India and Japan.  I'm eager to meet you all, so do reach out if you want to chat about research or just connect over a shared interest! Apart from my work in gender and sexuality history, I'm also keenly interested in archival history, colonial/postcolonial studies, and language / linguistics. Outside of academics, I'm often playing music, walking along the Fife coast with a hot cup of tea, writing, or watching Doctor Who with my friends.