Hello fellow scholars! My name is Thi (pronounced like tea) and I am a sophomore pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Computer Science. I look forward to learning more about my research, which is about traumatic brain injury, and connecting with you all this summer!

I'm an undergraduate research scholar at Tufts University double majoring in Biopsychology and Child Studies & Human Development, with a love for theatre and other performing arts. Youth development is central to my work both within and outside the academic field: I've served children in environments as diverse as arts education, athletics, academic studies, and after-school care. In particular, my work as a researcher and educator with The Drama Studio (a drama education organization based in Springfield, MA, USA) and as director of Tufts' LCS Tutoring have demonstrated to me the value of individualized, creative education opportunities for autistic and other neurodiverse youth, whose needs and skills often aren't fully met in traditional schools. My passions for performing arts and for working with neurodiverse communities drive me to study arts education access for autistic students as a Laidlaw Scholar. Through my research, I hope to better understand where and how autistic students access various forms of arts education, as well as what accommodations support a positive arts education experience. Feel free to email me if you'd like to chat about what this data could accomplish, or about your own work!

Hello all! My name is Shubhecchha Dhaurali (pronounced Sue-betcha Dur-all-e). I am a first-generation student originally from Nepal double-majoring in Community Health and Biology at Tufts University. My research is housed in the Tufts University School of Medicine with Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha who is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Medical School's Department of Community Health & Medicine. 

Hello! I'm Eva, an history undergraduate from Durham University. My interests lie in uncovering often overlooked narratives within minority histories. My research project will focus on medieval race theories through the lens of the Hereford World Map.

Hello everyone, my name is Cesar Urzua and I am a current sophomore at Tufts University studying Biology and Child Study and Human Development. I am very excited to be a part of the Laidlaw Scholars Program and hope to be able to talk with so many other scholars soon. For my research, I will be focusing on brain response when presented to adverse childhood experiences, and how to possibly develop optimal strategies to combat chronic neural perturbations following these adverse childhood experiences. 

Hi! My name is Andra, and I am a junior at Tufts University majoring in Clinical Psychology with a minor in Child Studies and Human Development. I am currently working as an undergraduate research assistant in a PTSD Neuroimaging lab at Tufts. For Laidlaw, I'll be working in this lab on a project studying racial discrimination as a traumatic stressor. I'm excited to be a member of the 2021 Laidlaw Scholars Cohort, and looking forward to connecting with others in this network! 

I'm currently a senior, studying biochemistry. I'm excited to be working in the Kumar lab investigating chemical solutions to biological problems.  I aspire to perform research that is impactful and meaningful to individuals in their everyday lives. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing and hiking, as well as advocating for climate justice and civic engagement. 

Hello! My name is Morgane Dackiw, I am a senior at Tufts University studying Biology from Montreal, Canada. I am super excited and honored to be a part of this Scholars program and this fantastic cohort! The research that I worked on with Laidlaw was on Primate Conservation and more specifically on extinction risk. I currently am doing my Senior Honors Thesis on Chimpanzee Ecology.

I am a rising Junior at Tufts University studying Biology and Computer Science. I tend to get excited about Bioinformatics, computational biology, and data science. This summer my research involves using network propagation methods to determine genes that are associated with Alzheimer's Disease.  In my free time, I like to journal, explore nature, and travel to new places. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or comments about my work, I am always happy to chat about it!

I am currently a fifth year student studying for an MMath Mathematics at the University of St Andrews. During the summer of 2021, I undertook a research project into Algebraic Constraint Geometry and Graph Rigidity. In the summer of 2022, I undertook a Leadership in Action Project in Fiji with Think Pacific. Alongside maths, I also really enjoy playing around with computers! At the moment, I am learning how to use HTML and Ruby so that I can host and maintain my own website. I also hope to take a course on machine learning soon. Outside of academia, I am a big fan of the outdoors. For the past two years I have been learning to kayak and have really enjoyed the opportunity to explore Scotland whilst doing so.

Hi all, my name is Zachary Ferretti! I am a senior at Tufts University, pursuing a major in Political Science as well as a double minor in Economics and Urban Studies. My independent research takes a sorely needed look at the 1,4-dioxane water crisis on Long Island, New York. For my leadership-in-action project, I spent the summer in Mexico City, building strategies for environmental resilience and mobilizing urban communities to address issues of climate change. I am always looking to exchange leadership tips and continue stengthening my relationships across the Laidlaw Network. I love meeting new people, so please don't hesitate to ever reach out!

Hi! I am Eirini Vryza (I often go by Irene). I am a student at the University of St Andrews, and I study English and Philosophy! I am particularly interested in ecocriticism as a critical approach to literature, and I love logic and philosophy of language in philosophy. I have also been quite impressed with object-oriented ontology, and I'd say that although my focus is primarily logic and philosophy of language, one of my favorite philosophers is Peter Singer! In my research project I will be looking at local narratives about nature and how anthropocentrism can be excluded from our collective narratives towards nature by exploring modern Greek literature (prose) and using object-oriented ontology, material ecocriticism and blue humanities as theoretical frameworks.  I am very engaged in effective altruism, particularly in the areas of animal welfare and climate change, and I am also part of the amazing organization that is in St Andrews and many other university called One For The World, which promotes effective giving for global health and extreme poverty. 

Hello there! My name is Aly, and I am a British undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, currently doing an International Affairs Specialist, with a Minor in Sustainability. My research project is → Linking Political orientation and Environmentalism: An analysis of changing environmental attitudes and subsequent party support in Canada. In my project, I aim to analyze the changing link between environmental attitudes and party support/political orientation in Canada, using Canadian Election Studies data from 2015 and 2019, and comparing my results with results from a previous study which carried out similar analysis on data from the 2004 and 2006 elections. I also hope to inform my analysis with a discussion of provincial differences in these links, hoping to shine a light on possible avenues towards improving engagement with voters for provincial elections which may help Canada in its terrible track record on improving its environment. 

Hello! I am a Lester B Pearson Scholar in my fourth year at UTM. I am majoring in Environmental Management and Geography and minoring in Environmental Policy and Law. Having grown up in the U.K., Pakistan, and Kenya, I have had the opportunity to work on various volunteering, afforestation, and educational projects which sparked my interest in sustainable development. I am particularly interested in learning about how to decolonize the ways in which we achieve environmental justice. Last summer, I conducted research on how the post-colonial context of Sub-Saharan Africa has impacted the region’s ability to tackle climate change. This summer, I worked as an intern and project manager for Youth4Nature, a youth-led non-profit organization that works to educate, empower and mobilize youth to lead on solutions for the ecological and climate crises.