I am an International Scholarships Advisor working at the Centre for International Experience (CIE) at the University of Toronto (U of T). My portfolio includes supporting the Laidlaw Scholars at U of T and coordinating a peer mentorship program for scholars, Being an international education professional focusing on the areas of international student support and intercultural learning for over 6+ years, I enjoy working with students by listening to their stories, learning about their aspirations, and navigating success and challenges together. I have a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Guelph. A fun fact about my master's thesis was to examine how travelling contributes to tourists' happiness and well-being. 

Vaibhav Pramode Nair is a 2023 Laidlaw Scholar at the University of Leeds. He is the Lead Youth Representative of the Save Soil Movement, and in this capacity works to amplify youth voices for food systems transformation at major policy fora globally. Currently pursuing a Bachelors in Sustainability and Environmental Management at Leeds' School of Earth and Environment, he was the first undergraduate Youth Delegate from Leeds to the UN Climate Talks, representing at COP29 Baku, COP28 UAE and SB60 Bonn. Vaibhav leads efforts in diplomacy and climate at the Indian Youth Diplomacy Forum. He’s a LEED Green Associate, IEMA member, and an active participant in YOUNGO's Food and Agriculture Working Group, advocating for a shift in focus within the international climate policy discourse to the soil degradation crisis. Save Soil. Visit https://consciousplanet.org/ to learn more. Let's make it happen ! Try https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/inner-engineering . Changed my life. In is the only way Out.  If you study/work within the sustainability/climate space, please reach out. If not, definitely reach out. :)

Hi everyone! My name is Lia and I just finished my second year at the University of Toronto studying English, political science and gender studies. As a member of the 2024 Laidlaw Scholars cohort, I am interested in exploring the intersection of literature and politics, particularly in mitigating harmful tropes in representation. I grew up in the United Kingdom and Canada, and I had the opportunity to study at Pearson College UWC in Victoria, British Columbia.

As a student of Health & Disease, Immunology as Psychology, I am eager to pursue a career in medicine or research! I am deeply passionate about menstrual health 

Hi everyone! My name is Lilah and I am going into my fourth year at the University of Toronto studying Economics and International Relations. I am deeply passionate about climate justice, and am particularly interested in exploring how public policy can be used to mitigate the climate crisis.

Hello there! I'm a third-year student in Conservation and Biodiversity at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus. My passion for biology stems from research on pollination, insects and biodiversity at my school's gardens since I was seven-years-old. Now, I intend to continue to pursue passion this with a project that has an impact in disadvantaged communities from my home country, Colombia.  I will be studying the pollination networks of cacao trees, which is crucial to contribute to agroforestry systems in tropical Latin America, so that they are a sustainable and productive opportunity for smallholder farmers that want to restore forest areas. On a side note, I'm a curious person by nature and that's why I like to do and learn lots of things. So whether you are interested in my project or not, feel free to reach out! I believe that there are no boundaries when collaborating interdisciplinary. For example, research on cacao trees not only spans biology. There is ongoing anthropological research that is trying to figure out how cocoa got from the Amazon (its biological origin) to Mexico! 

Hi everyone! My name is Caroline, and I am a rising fourth-year at the University of Toronto pursuing a double major in Public Policy and Sociology, and a minor in Education and Society. As a Laidlaw Scholar, I investigated the factors that influence cross-national educational disparities in a study comparing Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. I hope to further investigate such inequalities to bridge systemic gaps in social mobility in my future academic and professional endeavours. Some of my interests include track and field, playing violin, and spending time outdoors. Please feel free to reach out; I would love to connect! 

Laidlaw Scholar Alumna at Oxford University's Saïd Business School, I'm often found at the piano🎹, mesmerized in a theatre🎭, or painting away the night with friends🎨.  If our paths align in interests or work, why not connect? Ping me, and let's connect on LinkedIn.

Ciao! I am Gio, a fourth-year student of Economics and Political Science at the University of Toronto. I hail from the country of Georgia, nestled between Europe and Asia, with a millenia-old culture and history. This Summer I am immersing myself in a small coastal town in Northern Japan to work together with local students in uncovering societal impacts of marine climate change. Global warming is a generational challenge and its effects are highly varied from community to community across the globe. I hope to engage in discussions with my fellow students in Japan and facilitate a series of ArcGIS workshops in order to map the implications of climate change on Sanriku coast. I would love to have a chat, especially if you also like food, geography, or world history!

Hello! My name is Cecilia, and I am entering my fourth year majoring in Peace, Conflict, and Justice Studies, with minors in political and applied data science at the University of Toronto. Throughout my time at UofT, I have developed a deep interest in the complexities of crime, particularly the powerful influence of organized criminal networks. 

Hello! I'm Tyler Carriaga, a recipient of a full-ride merit scholarship at the University of Toronto, where I'm studying Architecture and Public Policy. I strive to continue evolving my personal and technical skills in my journey of learning how to help (quite literally) build greener, more resilient, and equitable communities.

Hi, my name is Amelia and I'm part of the 2024 cohort! I'm passionate about innovation, technology, and design, and how they each intersect with politics. In my first summer, I examined protest art from the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong. My interest in this topic stems from cultural ties to Hong Kong, my high school visual arts education, and a desire to partake in a broader discussion on links between art and politics. Outside of Laidlaw, I'm also examining links between artificial intelligence and military development. Beyond academia, I love photography, art, and exploring the city with friends. Feel free to reach out!

Hello! I'm Sahana (she/her), a electrical and computer engineering student at the University of Toronto. Deeply passionate about sustainability, my goal is to leverage my engineering problem-solving skills to develop solutions that prioritize inclusivity and well being of vulnerable communities and environments. This summer I will be conducting research on the effectiveness of blockchain-backed NFC cards for disaster relief in Vanuatu. 

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.

Hi everyone, I am thrilled to be joining the 2024 Laidlaw Cohort. I am an incoming third-year undergraduate student studying Political Science and Psychology at the University of Toronto, and my hometown is Edmonton, Alberta. Some of my hobbies include music, volleyball, hiking, and making new friends. Shoot me a message and I would love to get in touch!

Hi there 👋 I'm Neha Gupta, a fourth year student at the University of Toronto.  I'm interested in the law, peace-making, diplomacy and human rights.  My Summer I project looked at how paediatric oncology patients in nations with universal healthcare plans access psychosocial support. In Summer II, I hope to work with an organization to give marginalized communities (particularly women) the institutional support they need to stand up to injustices they face.  My Summer II LiA had me working with United Women Singapore to promote their women in STEM and women's empowerment initiatives. I focused on story-telling, digital communication and community building. 

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

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!