A graduate of Cambridge University, Susanna’s professional experience includes over 15 years in senior leadership roles in international B2B and learning businesses. Susanna began her career at the Institute for International Research (IIR) where she first worked with Lord Laidlaw, rising to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). When IIR, which was the world’s largest organiser of commercial conferences, was acquired by Informa plc in 2005 Susanna was appointed CMO of the enlarged group and also led the public company’s investor relations programmes. She subsequently joined Emap Ltd as Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer and CEO of Emap Networks, that group’s conferences business. Later she became CEO of the fashion industry forecaster WGSN and was latterly Group Content and Marketing Partner of the leading strategy consultancy Brunswick Group. A German-American raised and educated in the UK and a committed internationalist, Susanna has been involved in globally trading businesses throughout her career, directing activity in the Americas, across continental Europe, and the Asia Pacific. Susanna has been extensively involved with education and professional development over many years. She was Head of Group Training and led the commercial acquisition and integration of a portfolio of corporate training businesses whilst at IIR; and created learning academies at both Informa and Emap. She believes experiencing and appreciating different cultures promotes better global understanding, creativity and leadership. She is passionate about the power of education to transform lives; and believes that we need to develop a new generation of diverse leaders who are curious, bold and devoted to decency, truthfulness, and innovation. Susanna is committed to diversity not only as a societal imperative but as a critical component of commercial success. As an advisor to the trustees of the Foundation, Susanna first learnt about its purpose and programmes before becoming its Chief Executive responsible for the Laidlaw Schools Trust, the Laidlaw Scholars and its other education programmes. Susanna read English and Philosophy at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. She has five half blues in swimming and water polo; and played netball and rowed for Newnham.

Hello! My name is Sara, and I'm a soon to be second-year computer science undergrad student at EPFL, in Switzerland. I am passionate about technology, and how it can be used to help communities. My research this summer is in system security, a branch of cybersecurity. I will expand, and improve the accuracy of, Magma, a benchmark for fuzzers - a software testing technique using randomized input (data) to reveal the faults in the program. This technique helps finding bugs (errors) that would not  have been reached using other popular tests. My goal is to find and implement Proof-of-Concepts - files that prove that a specific faulty part of the code can be reached and can trigger an error (a crash).  Besides coding, I enjoy all kinds of sports (currently (beach) volleyball and basketball), as well as reading. I also enjoy spending time in nature, be it on a hike or just in a park, or by a lake. I love traveling, discovering new places and cultures, and meeting new people. I am enjoy meeting new people and sharing perspectives, so please don't hesitate to contact me!

Hi folks! I'm Program Coordinator with Duke University's Hart Leadership Program, which supports the Laidlaw Scholars Program as well as several other undergraduate experiential learning programs. In May 2024, I completed my doctorate in the Study of Religion at Harvard University with a focus in contemporary Islamic studies and American religions. My dissertation work examined the shape and impact of U.S. Muslim civic organizations and community organizing in the city of Detroit. I also hold a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Appalachian State University (go Mountaineers!). My studies have been driven by a deep interest in the intersections of religion and civic life in the contemporary U.S. To that end, I've served as research assistant for the Listening to Women about Abortion & Religion Project, a Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal Fellow with the Social Science Research Council, and an adjunct professor at Stonehill College. In my role with Hart Leadership Program, I'm excited to lean into my training as a researcher, educator, and program builder to provide strong student support and advance community-engaged scholarship and education. Whether you're a Duke student or a Laidlaw Scholar at another institution, I'm always happy to connect and share my knowledge and experience in social science research design and methods, religious studies and anthropology, applying to and navigating graduate school, or putting together strong research grant and fellowship proposals.

Hello! I’m Trisha, a fourth-year student at Cornell University from Texas, USA. I’m majoring in Environment and Sustainability with a dual focus on food systems and wildlife conservation, and minoring in International Relations. My interests in combining my enduring passions for writing and wildlife conservation have driven me to explore multiple perspectives on highly-controversial issues such as trophy hunting, retaliatory animal killings, and illegal wildlife crime. Thus, during my first summer as a Laidlaw Scholar and as a member of the Morally Contested Conservation team, I wrote a literature review on the interconnectedness of climate change and human-wildlife conflicts in East and southern Africa. In June and July 2024, I furthered this research by traveling to the University of Oxford and to the Burunge Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania. I will be returning to Oxford and Burunge in June and July 2025 to report my results.  As an aspiring environmental policymaker and journalist, I am passionate about making technical scientific information more accessible to the general public. At Cornell, I am an Institute of Politics and Global Affairs Scholar, through which I interact with policymakers monthly to discuss pervasive issues in international politics. I also speak Marathi, Spanish, and Swahili at varying levels of fluency and plan to continue to grow my language skills to communicate environmental issues across continents and cultures.  For fun, I love to turn even the most mundane materials into recycled art, spend hours on end working through jigsaw puzzles, and go for runs while listening to podcasts. And as a diehard foodie who loves to travel, I’m always looking for recommendations of places to visit or new recipes to try!  The Laidlaw Scholars Program has been an invaluable component of my undergraduate experience. The friendships I’ve made, as well as the research and language skills I’ve begun to develop, have encouraged me to continue to ask and seek answers to complicated questions about global affairs and environmental science. If anyone has questions or feedback about the Laidlaw Program, is interested in collaborating, or just wants to say hello, please feel free to email me at trb238@cornell.edu. I hope we can meet in person someday!

Victoria Ayodele is a Duke University undergraduate pursuing a self-designed “Neurological Development and Nutrition” curriculum, integrating neuroscience, biochemistry, pharmacology, and global health from Atlanta, Georgia. Her interdisciplinary work investigates how societal nutrition consumption and health disparities contribute to neurological impairment and influence the future of healthcare systems. As a Laidlaw Scholar and aspiring physician-leader, she is dedicated to advancing neurological health equity in international communities. A passionate advocate for community-based health solutions, Victoria led public health initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa through Leadership Initiatives in partnership with the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and Georgetown University, collaborating with health professionals and Bauchi State officials to directly combat nutritional anemia and marasmus internationally. Her efforts include developing culturally sensitive workshops and clinical diagnostic kits for first-time mothers over two years. Victoria collaborates with community leaders in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, the UK, and Germany. As Executive Director of the Duke Research Scholars Program, she researches how nutritional access and pharmacokinetics affect fetal development, cognitive growth, and immune health. Her work includes conference presentations at Brown University, the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine, and the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. In her local communities, she assists North Carolina and Georgia patients as a medical and dietary assistant, addressing conditions such as Type II diabetes, obesity, and preeclampsia. In her free time, Victoria enjoys playing sports, reading novels, and meeting new people. She is excited to participate more in the Laidlaw Scholars Program and meet students from around the world. If anyone would like to strike up a conversation with Victoria, her email is vta2@duke.edu.

Hello! I am Major Richmond, and I enjoy spending time with friends, playing tennis, and visiting the best theme parks in the country. I am a PROUD Blue Devil and a member of Duke University's Class of 2028! I intend to pursue a degree in Public Policy Analysis and explore Environmental Science and Spanish💙😈 In general, The United States is in an unprecedented state of division, specifically in the political realm. The US democratic system has turned into a battle arena full of uncertainty, hatred, and various bad decisions. For my life goal, I have sworn to put a halt to this crippling division and start to put compromise over stubbornness. The best current policy solutions arise when democrats, republicans, conservatives, liberals, and independents unite to create change TOGETHER, rather than separate. As an aspiring politician, I plan to end division for the country's benefit.