Hi! My name is Izzy and I am a rising sophomore at Columbia University studying Neuroscience and Behavior on a pre-medical track, aspiring to become an emergency room physician or trauma surgeon in the future. Within the last year, I earned my EMT certification and have been involved in various clubs and volunteer activities on and off campus, but am definitely looking for more ways to help the community! I am very excited to be a part of the Laidlaw program and spend the summer in New York. Out of school, I love playing soccer, listening to music, and trying new foods/drinks around the city :) Please reach out if you have any interest/advice for my research this summer or if you just want to make a new friend!

Hello! My name is Christian Rebolledo, a rising sophomore in Columbia College at Columbia University studying Political Science and Medical Humanities with a Special Concentration in Public Health. I am passionate about intersecting the worlds of public health with political advocacy: people are social, and thus political. I am passionate about community building, civic engagement, and building systems for the next generation of leaders across disciplines. For my first summer as a Laidlaw scholar in the 2026 cohort, I will be characterizing postmortem data from ICE detention centers to identify trends across factors relatd to social determinants of health. I look forward to uncovering the quantitative facets of qualitative reporting currently populating the literature on carceral justice and public health.

Hey everyone! My name is Rinaz Jamal, and I'm a rising sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior. I am passionate about helping individuals with mental health and neurodegenerative disorders feel seen, heard, and supported. This summer, I will be doing research at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute under the supervision of Dr. Franck Polleux. My project aims to understand the activity-dependent regulation of mitochondrial protein expression in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, which are among the first neurons to fail in Alzheimer's disease (AD). I am excited to add to the scholarly conversation around Alzheimer's research by identifying the molecular pathways that would be most valuable to target for drug development in the future. Because PV-INs are among the first neurons to fail in AD, understanding these metabolic pathways and restoring levels of mitochondrial proteins has the potential to improve clinical outcomes much earlier in AD progression than current methods. At Columbia, I am involved as a Scientific Review Editor for Grey Matters, our undergraduate neuroscience journal; Blog Editor for the Journal of Global Health; Conference Committee member and Peer Buddy for Columbia Synapse, which advocates for patients with acquired brain injury; and volunteer with Brain Exercise Initiative, where I visit patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia at a local assisted living home. I also play flute and piccolo in the Columbia University Orchestra. In my free time, I love to read and explore New York City. Please feel free to reach out; I would love to get to know you all!

Hi everyone! I’m a first-year Chemical Engineering student at the University of Leeds with a strong interest in biomedical engineering, particularly at the intersection of sustainability and healthcare. I’m also passionate about environmental and energy-related challenges, and I’m eager to explore how engineering and innovation can contribute to more sustainable systems. I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow scholars through the Laidlaw Scholars Network, exchanging ideas, and learning from people with diverse backgrounds and ambitions. 😊

I am currently a junior at Barnard College of Columbia University studying Computational Biology with a minor in Economics. Through my coursework and research experiences, I have developed a strong foundation in data analysis, quantitative modeling, and computational approaches to complex biological and social systems. My background in economics has further shaped how I think about resource allocation, structural inequality, and policy impacts at scale. I am particularly interested in applying data science and computational methods to questions in public health, migration, environmental justice, and global health systems. Much of my work focuses on how large-scale systems, whether healthcare infrastructure, environmental conditions, or social policy, shape health outcomes for marginalized populations. I am especially drawn to research involving spatial analysis, longitudinal datasets, and health data infrastructure, as well as projects that bridge technical analysis with real-world policy and community impact.

Hi! My name is Eleanor Cao, and I am a rising sophomore at Columbia University (Columbia College). I am interested in the intersection between political theory and intellectual history, with a special focus on modern Chinese thought and Taiwanese politics. In my first summer as a Laidlaw scholar, I will be probing Chinese political scientist Yan Jiaqi's theory of democracy in the long 1980s (1978-1992). Please chat with me about art & literature, cats, corvids, crochet, figure skating, and more!!

Hello! I am a multidisciplinary designer and have been with the Laidlaw Foundation for over five years, working to strengthen our global Scholar community and amplify the impact of our programmes. My work lives somewhere between design, education, and anthropology, usually with sticky notes involved. I studied Human Sciences as an undergrad and recently finished a Master’s in Anthropology, both at UCL.  I am your go-to person for questions regarding alumni engagement and the Laidlaw Scholars Advisory Board. Born and raised in Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 Outside of work? Probably in the ceramics studio or a yoga class. Big fan of nature and very small bugs.

I am interested in the 1960s-70s prisoners' rights movement. In the past, I spent significant time researching the Attica Prison Uprising, the deadliest prison rebellion in the United States. Prison writing was a defining mobilizing force for the incarcerated people at Attica, and I am eager to delve into prison autobiographies in particular this summer as a progressive art form that has challenged literary expectations and engendered a collective voice of incarceration. Outside of research, I am heavily involved in advocacy and volunteering related to criminal justice.

Hi! My name is Ashley, and I am currently a second-year student at Duke University studying Public Policy and Global Health with an interest in a Health Policy Certificate. I am passionate about advancing ethical, evidence-based solutions at the intersection of health, environment, and social equity. I also find interest in conducting research focused on ethical decision-making and inclusive research practices that better serve underrepresented communities. My experiences across public health, communications, and community engagement have shaped my interest in using policy to promote social responsibility and health equity.

Hello! My name is Bhadra, and I am a third-year Law and Business student at Trinity College Dublin. I am part of the 2025 cohort of Laidlaw Scholars. My Summer 1 research topic was 'Motherhood on Trial: A Comparative Analysis of the Miscarriage of Justice in Infanticide Cases', and I took an inter-jurisdictional perspective in examining three notable cases - those of Joanne Hayes, Sally Clarke and Kathleen Folbigg. I look forward to spending this summer working on Makesense Americas' Central LiA in Mexico City with Genera Territorios AC. The organisation works on financial empowerment, social inclusion and gender equity, and I am excited to support their aims. Through my work, my overarching goal is to highlight how women exist and are perceived within inherently oppressive social systems. If you have any questions or would like to reach out, please feel free to do so!

Amber is a third-year Bachelor of Psychology student at The University of Hong Kong. As a Laidlaw Scholar from the 2024 cohort, she completed her research project, titled “Reading Through Gaming in Primary School,” at the University of Leeds and volunteered with the Red Cross in Taiwan (Pingtung County) during her second summer.  She is passionate about human behavior, educational entrepreneurship, and AI–human interaction. 

Hello! I'm Tyler Carriaga, a recipient of a full-ride merit scholarship at the University of Toronto, where I'm pursuing a Masters in Geography. Drawing from my multidisciplinary and multicultural background as an American-born, Vietnam-raised Filipino, I approach questions of place, identity, and community with a global perspective. My Laidlaw projects include research on ethnic enclave development in Seattle and program development in an urban poor community in Metro Manila. As a writer, designer, and urban wanderer, I strive to continually evolve my personal and technical skills in the pursuit of co-creating healthier, more sustainable, and just communities.

Amy is the Programme Director of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme. She works with universities, NGO’s, government departments, businesses and charity partners to manage and develop programmes which further the Laidlaw Foundation’s purpose – to reduce poverty and inequality by investing in the education of the underprivileged and underrepresented and to develop a new generation of diverse and ethical leaders.   Prior to joining the Laidlaw Foundation, Amy spent 9 years leading the US-UK Fulbright Scholarship Programme, working with students, academics, professionals, and teachers across every discipline. She has gained 15+ years working within Higher Education and is passionate about cultural exchange and the benefits it can bring to impactful research and solving global challenges. Prior to this, she led faculty-led programmes hosting US students in the UK and managed a busy student services. She studied American Studies at Sheffield University and University of Pittsburgh.  

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

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.