Hi, I'm Ele, a University of St Andrews Scholar. Primarily, my studies are in psychology but I am undertaking research in biochemistry and biophotonics. The aim of my project is to understand the effect of alpha-synuclein aggregates on astrocyte Calcium signaling in neurodegeneration (more precisely Parkinson's disease). This research has not been conducted before and the aim is to understand astrocytic calcium waves with the hopes of finding an aid to therapeutic targets for Parkinson's. My future research and ambitious lie in clinical and forensic psychology as well as gender psychology. I am also a mental health advocate and I am extremely passionate about raising awareness about mental illness.  Outside of my academic pursuits I enjoy music (especially drums), writing, any and all forms of art, being with my family and friends. and most of all traveling. I am also a die hard football fan and avid watcher.  I also love most things to do with Spanish and Latin American cultures as I am from Madrid myself. If you would like to chat about practically anything, I would be very excited if you sent me a message! I would love to connect and understand your project and personal interests! Have a great day!

Hello, I'm Ashmitha, a sophomore studying biomedical engineering and I’m from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. I have always found the intersection of biology and technology fascinating. I am motivated to learn different ways in which I can serve my local community by using science as a pathway. My creativity, problem-solving, and past experiences serve as forms of inspiration to me. I strive to pursue opportunities that challenge and broaden my perspective. In the future, I hope to attend medical school after a few gap years. On campus, I am involved in Global Medical and Dental Brigades, a club where we travel to rural communities in South American countries to provide medical services. I am an undergraduate researcher in the Schaffer-Nishimura lab, where I conduct Alzheimer's disease research. I am also a member of the product development subteam and recruitment chair for Biomedical Device, an interdisciplinary team that designs and builds biomedical devices. In my free time, I like to go on nature walks, run, listen to music, and read. I enjoy trying out new restaurants and hobbies like photography and painting.

Hi! My name is Aryan, an undergraduate at Columbia studying biology. My research is on ER proteostasis and how the cell regulates the accumulation of unfolded proteins.

I am a 4th year medical student passionate about human centred clinical research. For my research I will be exploring the attitudes of potential therapy recipients towards novel therapeutics in Parkinson's Disease to improve cognition.  I have lived in 5 different countries across Asia and Europe so far - your quintessential third culture kid:)) I enjoy listening to Indian classical music, playing football and hiking. 

My name is Alessia and I am going into my 3rd Year of Psychology at the University of York. I am currently researching action perception and how autism can impact it. In my free time, I like to delve deeper into the human-computer interaction and the future of AI, as well as topics in marketing and global competitiveness.

Hello, I am Miriam. I am an undergraduate Laidlaw Scholar studying at the University of York. I am interested in developmental psychology and especially Autism Spectrum Disorders. Most of my work experience is based around children with developmental disorders, but also adults with acquired brain injuries. I hope to be able to progress in my studies to complete a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and my Laidlaw research project is in this field.

I am a philosophy student at the University of Hong Kong. I have also been an exchange student at the Divinity School of the University of St Andrews. My Laidlaw project is on Kierkegaard's existential philosophy and Aquinas' theology. My research interests lie in continental philosophy, ancient philosophy, and theology.

I am a History of Art student at the University of St Andrews. As part of the 2021 Laidlaw Scholars cohort, I will be researching, 'Das Unheimliche: Symbolism, Surrealism and the Art of Introspection'. For the past four years, I have been volunteering with English Heritage, where I began as a Learning Team Manager and room Explainer in Kenwood House. I am currently working as a Young Producer for the organisation's 'Shout Out Loud' programme. During my second year at St Andrews, I enjoyed writing for the university's Calliope Arts Journal. 

I am a fourth year student studying Geography and Sustainable Development at The University of St Andrews. I have a particular interest in reforestation, conservation and climate change mitigation. For the first summer of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme I produced a research essay and poster titled 'Climate Change Mitigation: Investigating the impact of land use on soil organic matter (SOM)'. My research focuses on measuring and reporting soil organic matter content across different land use types such as cropland and woodland. I explore the climate change mitigation potential of soil and the potential of adding soil organic matter through woodland restoration. For the second summer of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme I produced a Leadership-in-Action Video about my project on sustainable agricultural practices in Williamsburg, Virginia. My LiA project involved interviewing farmers in and around Williamsburg, academic researchers at the local university, The College of William and Mary and the manager of the Williamsburg Farmers Market. I also produced a reflective essay about my experience over the Laidlaw Scholarship titled 'Learning, Growing and Developing as a Leader'.

I study Physics and Chemistry, and undertook research in synthetic and analytical inorganic chemistry. The aim of my project was to optimise the carbon dioxide adsorption behaviour (by optimising pore structure changes, gating effects and pore sizes) of merlinoite (zeolite) molecular sieves, for use in carbon capture in industry. This included development of reliable synthetic routes for merlinoites and developing an analytical model for their kinetic adsorption behaviour. The work will hopefully lead to further work, producing practical results which can be implemented to make gas purification in industrial processes, natural gas upgrading and waste processing more environmentally friendly. My Leadership in Action programme involved working with Grupo PROMESA on the circular economy by working on their "Recilcando x un Techo" recycling scheme in Mexico City, partnered with Make Sense Americas. My future research interests lie at the interface between physics and chemistry, particularly in solid state chemistry and in developing and using novel analytical techniques. I am interested in materials engineering, particularly within the energy sector, for example in carbon capture, nuclear fusion energy, and renewables. I also have a recent interest in patent law. Outside of studying and research, I have keen interests in writing fiction, amateur rocketry/aeronautics, cookery and philosophy. I play tennis, football and chess.

Hello Everyone! My name is Supakorn, but I normally go by Nikko, I am a fourth-year undergraduate Astrophysics Student at the University of St Andrews. My research this summer is to produce a catalogue of active galactic nuclei for a future space telescope mission to help further our understanding of the origin of our Universe. As a student from Thailand, I have worked with the National Astronomical Research Institution of Thailand during most of my breaks since the summer of 2018. I find the observational and computational side of Astrophysics to be the most fascinating, and I intend to specialise in either Extragalactic or Stellar Evolution in the radio wavelength in the future. I am trained for both AZ and Equatorial mounts for manual refractor and reflector telescopes, as well as basic landscape astrophotography. I am currently the president of the University of St Andrews Astronomical Society. Apart from being at the observatory, I enjoy a good walk/hike and spending time outside. I don't play the piano as much as I should, but I do enjoy participating in musical activities, ceilidh included. I also do magic which seems to surprise most people (Not the conjuring kind).

1st year medical student at the University of St Andrews with a particular interest in cancer! Outside of university I am interested in cooking, chess, and the outdoors. Feel free to get in touch about any or all of these things :)

Hi everyone, I'm Elisabeth (she/her/they/them), although I usually go by Elly. I am Chinese-German and study Management and Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. My research interests include ethnic and cultural belonging, diaspora and migration, gender and sexuality and languages.  In my free time, I like making music and creating video content online. Feel free to reach out to me, here or on other platforms!

Hi everybody. I am Mateo. I am an Experimental Physics graduate from the University of St Andrews. I am a curious, talkative and reflective individual with a love for telling and hearing stories. I am from Peru, but have moved around quite a bit having lived in Equatorial Guinea, England and now Scotland. I consider having such a multicultural background a very nourishing and essential part of my being. Consequentially, I love travelling and learning languages, and I am always happy to connect with people from all walks of life and parts of the world. When I am not busy demystifying the rules of the universe, I enjoy dancing, cooking, walking and analysing movies. I also love programming and its applications for simulating real-world physics and processing large amounts of day-to-day data. In June, I will be graduating with an Integrated Masters in Physics, however, I aspire to develop professionally outside of academia possibly in the field of data analytics. I am happy to connect with any Scholars!