I am a recent BSc Psychology graduate from the University of Durham, with an interest in cognitive and biological psychology. My research with Laidlaw aims to contribute to the process of diversifying psychological research with the development of a translated visual perception screening test, using data from South-East Asian participants. 

I am a Career Development Fellow in the Psychology Department at Durham University, where I research the psychological processes that enable people to adapt, remain motivated, and flourish in challenging environments. My research sits at the intersection of resilience science, Self-Determination Theory, and well-being. I am particularly interested in understanding how individual, social, and environmental resources interact to support resilient well-being across diverse contexts. My doctoral research examined these processes among polar expeditioners living and working in isolated, confined, and extreme environments, using mixed methods to explore how basic psychological needs underpin resilient functioning. I am now extending this work beyond polar environments to investigate resilient well-being in higher education, sport, and other high-challenge settings. My research adopts a socioecological perspective, recognising that resilience emerges through the dynamic interaction between people and their environments rather than residing solely within the individual. Alongside research, I teach quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistics, and psychology at undergraduate level, supervise student research, and enjoy translating psychological science into practical applications for education, sport, organisations, and communities. Before entering academia, I spent over two decades working in community development and youth work, founding and leading a social enterprise supporting children, young people, and disadvantaged communities. These experiences continue to shape my research philosophy: I believe the best psychological science should not only advance theory but also improve people's lives. My work combines rigorous empirical research with a strong commitment to real-world impact, and I am always interested in collaborating with researchers and practitioners working in resilience, motivation, well-being, Self-Determination Theory, higher education, sport psychology, extreme environments, and community-based research.

Hi! I'm Sophia, an aspiring scientist and philomath. I love learning about everything and anything and delight in spending time with people who are passionate about the things they love! I am really interested and curious about how we can use chemistry to improve processes and products to help society. For example, my research project is looking into the possibility of turning struvite, a mineral which is a by-product of waste-water treatment processes into slow-release nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers, which would be a green source nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers and help achieve goals of zero-waste.  If you are researching something similar or are interested in learning more about the project, please reach out! I am super happy to talk about the project and meet other who are doing something similar and possibly collaborate! 

I’m a Postgraduate Research Student at Durham University, specialising in soft matter and biological physics. For my Laidlaw Scholarship research project, I worked on a project to determine the mechanical properties of bimolecular condensates in the cytoplasm of cells. Specifically, I developed simulations to test our assumption in the main analysis pipeline that all condensates were imaged at their equator. For my LiA, I will worked as an assistant instructor on the Elevating Agricultural Technology programme with the Timothy Smith Network in Boston, teaching 3D modelling and 3D printing I LOVE talking about anything related to physics / technology and am also really passionate about education and F1, amongst other things!

Laidlaw Scholar Alumni (Durham University Cohort 6, 2022-24) Current Endeavours: PhD candidate in Environmental Economics at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Studied MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change at the LSE (2024-25).  --- My time as a Laidlaw Scholar: I graduated with First Class Honours in BA Economics from Durham University. My foremost interests are Development Economics and Environmental Economics. This is reflected in my research project which explored Demographic Economics, titled "The Shifting Distribution of the Global Population in the Twenty-First Century: an Econometric Analysis of the Projected Fortunes of Nigeria and Japan, with Policy Recommendations for Sustainable Development". I have experience working in economic consulting, specialising in competition economics, and am also a Zumba instructor. During my time on the Laidlaw Programme I have also served as a Laidlaw Schools Trust Mentor for Excelsior Academy in Newcastle. In 2023, I completed a six-week international ‘Leadership in Action’ project in partnership with Think Pacific for my Laidlaw Scholarship. For this, I participated in a multi-faceted programme, comprising the building of a health centre, collaborations with Diabetes Fiji and Youth Champs 4 Mental Health, and a Fijian Culture Course. The project ended with a Think Tank where we planned how we would sustain progress. In my sub-group’s case, we are working on a new project to build a multi-purpose building to act as a kindergarten and evacuation centre, for which we are currently fundraising. We have had multiple meetings with the Laidlaw Foundation CEO and the Laidlaw Schools Trust, and we are presenting at the Conversations Conference in Dublin in October 2023. Our project took place in Vunimaqo and Waisava, Dreketi Settlement, Nalawa district, Ra province, Vita Levu island, Fiji. I attended the Impact 2022 conference at the LSE and (virtually, after flight cancellations) the Conversations 2023 conference at Trinity College Dublin.

The University of Durham joined the Laidlaw Scholars Undergraduate Research & Leadership Programme in 2017. This visionary programme builds on Lord Laidlaw’s commitment to supporting undergraduate student development and education. It gives undergraduate students the research, leadership and networking skills they will need to achieve their academic and professional goals in the future.

I am passionate about creating an inclusive sense of belonging for students, leadership development, harm reduction, and helping students identify their version of success.  I have worked in higher education for the last eight years in different functional areas, including identity-based advocacy, orientation, transition and retention, fraternity and sorority life, and leadership development. I have a B.A. from Willamette University in American Ethnic Studies and History and a M.S. in Educational Administration with an emphasis in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Texas A&M University (Gig 'em!).  I spend my free time fly-fishing, hiking, watching anything in the Star Wars universe, reading, browsing record stores, going to concerts, and searching for the best flat white in NE England!

Hi, I'm Grace, a second-year Geography BSc student at Durham University, To me, sustainability is not just about maintaining an ecological balance, but also achieving a social one. I want to be a part of the movement to achieve this.  Before starting university, I knew I wanted to have a career in sustainable agriculture, as it combines two industries that fascinated me. As a rapidly growing field, it has the potential to help secure the future and make sure that sufficient nutrition is available in all corners of the world. It is important to me that my future career has an active role in innovating resilient agricultural practices and creating a sustainable food production system, whilst advocating the importance of sustainability and mitigating the impacts of global warming. With that being said, I knew that being part of the Laidlaw Research and Leadership Programme would give me an incredible opportunity to develop my leadership skills. Feeding off the passion and enthusiasm that fellow scholars also embrace I'll be able to further my knowledge in a structured and beneficial practice, with firsthand experience as part of my LiA. I have now completed my Laidlaw Scholar journey, however I know my journey to becoming a great leader will never truly be over... Please feel free to reach out, I would love to chat!

Hello! My name is Tia, and I am a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Durham. I am currently a Laidlaw Scholar working on a project focused on teenage pregnancy in Zambia. As a passionate advocate for women's rights and youth empowerment, I have been drawn to this issue due to the high prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Zambia and the significant impact it has on the lives of young girls. My project aims to explore the root causes of teenage pregnancy in Zambia and the various factors that contribute to its prevalence, as well as potential solutions to address this issue in partnership with "Sport in Action" and the Ministry of Education in Zambia.

Hi, I'm Hannah and i'm a Biological Sciences student at Durham University. My research project was focused on exploring the neuroscience of bumble bees and their visual and olfactory attraction to flowers, and identifying differences between sex and species. My LiA is with Make_Sense Americas and is a collaboration with a start-up recycling plant, processing hard to recycle materials and trying to achieve a more circular economy. During my free time I love reading, improving my level of Spanish and learning how to code.

I am an undergraduate Physics student at Durham University and I am very passionate about developing and progressing sustainable energy solutions. I believe we can tackle the global energy crisis through focused research, adequate funding and widespread education on the need for a systemic change. I also firmly believe that it is only by creating the sparks of passion and understanding through the education of our wider community that we set alight the fires of progress for our sustainable and progressive future.

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.

I am an undergraduate Laidlaw scholar from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I have lived most of my life in Dublin (apart from three years in Berlin - but no, I can't speak German). My main research area is political philosophy; my research interests in particular are in how human rights can be used as an approach to morality, and how we should consider and address 'structural injustices' in society. I also have interests in democratic theory, and heterodox approaches to economics. Outside academia, I am often involved in social/political activism. I'm a keen ultimate frisbee player, and I enjoy chess, table tennis, and hiking. I'm also (slowly) learning French and Polish.

I am a member of the University of Leeds' 2021 Laidlaw Scholar Cohort. My self-defined project explores the representation of concurrent themes of nature and isolation in 20th century and contemporary literature. I study English and History of Art and have a love of all things books, art and the outdoors! I also run a zine that features contributions from young creatives across the UK.  Please take a look at my blog which delves into my research project a bit deeper here: https://outdoorfiction.blogspot.com/ 

Hello all! I did my Laidlaw Programme at Durham University between 2019-2021. My research project focused on evaluating the immigration and asylum system of the EU through a case study of the 2015 immigration crisis. Following the completion of my undergraduate LLB degree I moved to London to pursue my postgraduate LLM study at Queen Mary University of London.

Alex was the Programme Director of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme from September 2021 - May 2024.  Prior to joining the Laidlaw Foundation Alex spent over a decade at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he most recently managed the university’s Laidlaw Scholars Programme. In addition, Alex taught leadership courses and guest-lectured internationally on the subjects of strategy and leadership. A bilingual speaker, dual national and keen traveller, Alex has lived, visited and worked in several countries around the world. During this time, he has had a unique opportunity to encounter and explore different cultures and working environments, experiencing first-hand what good leadership can achieve. His passion for this topic is driven by these experiences and a desire to challenge people to unlock their full leadership potential. Alex holds an MBA from the Open University and a Master of Research in Management from the University of St Andrews. He has also obtained Associate Fellow status with the Higher Education Academy. In his spare time, Alex is an avid skier and volunteers with a local guide dog organisation.

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.