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.
Maja Anderson
Manager of Undergraduate Programs & International Experiences, Coordinator of the Laidlaw Program, Cornell University , Cornell University
At Cornell University, students across disciplines are passionate about changing the world. Open to first- and second-year students, the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Program provides generous support for student research, offers hands-on leadership development and reflection, and encourages students to reinvest their knowledge to help others succeed. Laidlaw Scholars are part of an international network of like-minded leaders.
An aspiring Clinical Psychologist, currently an undergraduate studying Psychology (Integrated MSci) at the University of York. I see a future in which mental healthcare is adaptive to an individual's cultural and personal needs. I am also interested in alternative/ complimentary therapies for treatment resistant mood disorders such as deep brain stimulation and psilocybin therapy. My current research involves working with a Prosopagnosic (face blind) individual to better understand how we both learn and recognise faces.
For my Leadership in Action programme, I am working with "MakeSense", an organisation based in Mexico City. I am developing a social empowerment project supporting rural communities in Mexico.
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 am a philosophy undergraduate at Cambridge University.
Within my course, my main interests are Political Philosophy, Moral Psychology, Applied Ethics, Free Will, and Philosophy of Mind.
My project centred on investigating whether changing the dominant narrative surrounding human nature has the potential to encourage prosocial behaviour. I am interested in progressive forms of education, and so my LIA project took place in an amazing school in Kenya, Freedom International Schools - Africa.
Get in touch with me via the network, LinkedIn, or feel free to email me: aw916@cam.ac.uk
Youness Robert-Tahiri
MSocSci Psychology Candidate (Laidlaw Scholars Alumnus), University of Cape Town
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 am currently conducting a feasibility study of the program in South Africa as part of my master’s dissertation in Psychology at the University of Cape Town, 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