Cothney Theresa Lasaracina

Student Researcher, University of Leeds
Bruno Siniciali

Life Sciences Engineering Student, EPFL

Hi! I’m Bruno, an undergraduate in Life Sciences Engineering at EPFL, and I am from in Hungary, France, and Italy (to simplify). I’m passionate about many things, from Classical Rome and Greece to mountain bike, psychology, neuroscience, medicine, physics, and engineering. I’m still exploring whether my path will lead more toward medicine or engineering, so if you have any thoughts or advice, I’d be very happy to hear from you!!
Star Top Community School is an educational venture in Zambia aiming for academic excellence while building learners spiritually and morally. Responsibilities & Ideal Background Teaching-focused work that lets Scholars test and improve leadership through classroom practice. A good fit is someone ready to bring creativity, hard work, and perseverance to supporting children’s learning; strong personal growth is expected. LiA Champion Our LiA Champion is Cothney Lasaracina. Curious about this project but not sure where to start? Cothney can share candid insights from their experience—what the work involved, skills that proved useful, and pointers for exploring a good fit. Please contact them via the Laidlaw Scholars Network: https://laidlawscholars.network/users/cothney-theresa-lasaracina Organisation Contact Star Top Community School Email: mercymsakala@gmail.com
Padraig Pail Martinez

Student, University of York

Amanda Andersson

Marketing Assistant , The Laidlaw Foundation

Eoin David Williams

Student , University College London

UCL undergrad studying neuroscience with an intrest is psychological conditions. A proud and active socailist who at least tries to take action on a range of issues from government cuts to Palestine. History buff and gamer (I know, I should be ashamed, but it's true).  I try to be open and avaiable to talk :).
Cate Gutowski

English and Political Science Student, Brown University

Hello! I'm Cate, a second-year undergraduate student originally from Connecticut in the US, and I study English and Political Science at Brown University (and maybe also French!). I'm interested in immigration, human rights, social movements, US constitutional law, and comparative law, and—as you might have already guessed—I'm considering going into the legal field after undergrad.  In 2025, I'm entering my first summer as a Laidlaw Scholar, and I'm excited to be participating in a research project called "In the Wake of George Floyd." This project is about documenting current and past protests across Rhode Island in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd and writing about them in the context of social movements, racism, and police violence in the state of Rhode Island and throughout the country. 
Celina O'Connor

Programme Manager, University of St Andrews

Mattia Assane Wade

Student, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne

I'm a Computer Science student at EPFL with a strong foundation in mathematics, physics, and interdisciplinary thinking. My academic path includes distinctions such as the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholarship and hands-on research experience in computational neuroscience, where I explore biologically plausible reinforcement learning. Beyond academics, I have practical experience ranging from electronics diagnostics to web development for social initiatives. I'm passionate about educational outreach—leading workshops for children, tutoring young students, and promoting inclusive learning. I’m also active in sports and the arts as a football player, pianist, and chess enthusiast. With fluency in Italian, French, and English, and a growing command of German, I enjoy connecting across cultures and disciplines to solve meaningful problems.
Chitalu Regina Chanda

Student , University of Oxford

Gabrielle Dumé

Student, University of Toronto

Hello there! My name is Gabrielle Dumé, from the University of Toronto! I am majoring in Biology, with a double minor in Immunology and English. I was a Laidlaw Scholar from the 2023 cohort, and I conducted my research and my LIA surrounding childhood obesity prevention initiatives in Barbados. Outside of my studies, I love writing, reading, running, and, most recently, scuba diving!
Valeria Paslar

Laidlaw Scholar, University of Leeds

Hey! It's so nice to connect with you. I'm a Business Management with Marketing Student at the University of Leeds and in the 2025/2026 Laidlaw Scholar Network. My research project is 'Exploring Student Perceptions and Experiences of Experiential Learning at the University of Leeds', and I'm so excited to be a part of this programme! I'm extremely passionate about leadership, creative problem-solving and driving impact through everything I do. Alongside my studies, I'm a highly productive individual who balances multiple part-time jobs such as being a Marketing Executive, Podcast Director for Women in Leadership Society and a Social Sciences Student Ambassador. I also love creating content around personal growth, student life and career development and utilise my platform (on TikTok and Youtube) to connect, inspire and share value. As an extrovert, I love spreading positivity both in person and online and look forward to getting to know you!
Aminah Javeed

Physics student, University of Leeds

Hi! I'm passionate about using the elegant and sometimes insane theories in physics and using them to contribute to healthcare. Currently I'm looking at a career treating cancer by using targeted ionizing radiation to skilfully shrink tumours. I'm fascinated at how physics can be used to harness the beautiful complexity of nature to transform lives. I sincerely hope I have a long career of contributing to this effort in any way I can, from being a clinical scientist to conducting own my research to helping other researchers receive patents for their work. The title of my Laidlaw research project is 'Evaluating Current Methods for Enhancing Clinical Computer Tomography Imaging Using Contrast Agents'. This beautifully ties my expertise with improving patient outcomes and innovation within healthcare. Another aspect of my journey so far has been navigating pursuing higher education in physics as a Muslim woman. Although challenging at times, I've learnt of ways to overcome my fear of failure and imposter syndrome, and I would love to help others to do the same. Whether I create a small group or kickstart a network, I'm not too sure, but if you've ever been in the same position please reach out! Who knows where it could lead us and who else we could help :) As for my hobbies and interests, that list is extensive and everchanging, but my current fixation is gardening. Nothing can quite describe the joy you feel after seeing a tiny dot you nurtured for 3 months turn into prolific blooms. If anyone would like to collaborate or just say hi then please do! 
Aimaan Mohd Ariff

Student , University of Leeds

Hi! I am Aimaan. I am Year 2 MEng Chemical Engineering in University of Leeds. During my leisure, I am listening to music, watching films and writing. My recent project is submitting poetry collection book called Naskhah Seorang Kera, in translation, Letter by Humbled for publication. I also have travelled to more than 10 countries across Europe within my first academic year in Leeds. I am keen to pursue PhD in circular economy aspects of pharmaceutical industry after graduation. I am also passionate in working in pharmaceutical industry applying my experience from university to actively participate in Research and Development (R&D) sector. I have been involving in variety of projects; academic and extra curricular activities since high school. Currently, I am School Representative in School of Chemical and Process Engineering (SCAPE) bridging communication gap between students and academic staff by collecting feedbacks, raising concerns, facilitating interdisciplinary discussion and hosting events. I am also former assistant secretary for Malaysian-government sponsored student society called JPA Scholars Association (JASA) that aims to mitigate circumstances experienced by JPA Scholars across UK and build collaboration among international connection to bridge perspective gap. I am also active organising committee of Malaysian Student Community Leeds (MSCL) where I am be able to expand my networking with Malaysian permanent residence and other Malaysian students in Leeds to get provide cultural space exactly the same as what happened in Malaysia!
Katya Keyzerova

Student, University of Leeds

Hi! I’m Katya, a third-year English and French student at the University of Leeds and part of the 2025/26 Laidlaw Scholar cohort, currently completing a year abroad at the University of Montreal.   My research project topic this summer was titled ‘Distinctiveness in the Poetry Activity of the Leeds City Region’. I worked in partnership with the National Poetry Centre to conduct interviews with key stakeholders in the poetry scene, which allowed me to draw conclusions about the levels of connectivity and accessibility of poetry in Leeds. I’m originally from Russia but moved to Slovenia for political reasons when I was 15 and then to the UK at 19, so I’ve had a fair share of adapting to new places. Moving countries meant leaving behind everything I knew, including eight years of acrobatic gymnastics, but it also helped me become more open to change. Currently on a year abroad in Canada, I see each new chapter as a chance to grow, connect, and tell meaningful stories. Outside of uni, you’ll probably find me at the gym (a post-acrobatics obsession), with my nose in a book, or planning my next trip—I’ve been to 34 countries so far and don’t plan on slowing down!
Roxana Tuinea-Bobe

Student, University of Leeds

Maya Tanous

Senior Consultant , Deloitte

With a passion for IT and finance, I bring over five years of consulting experience where I’ve led, mentored, and trained diverse teams on large-scale projects in risk advisory, ITGC, and financial systems. At Deloitte, I became the youngest senior consultant, managing complex international projects while actively mentoring junior consultants. I am deeply committed to developing others, empowering my team members to take ownership of their growth, and creating a collaborative environment that fosters excellence. Beyond my professional role, I am passionate about gender equality and giving back to my community. As an active mentor with the Kav Mashve foundation, I train and guide young Arab women, helping them overcome barriers in the Israeli labor market and secure positions in leading firms. My mission is to empower women in underrepresented communities, helping them realize their full potential.
Stanislava (Stana) Orihelova

Scholar Engagement, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

I’m the Scholar Engagement Advisor at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, where I oversee two of the School’s prestigious and impact-driven scholarships:  the Laidlaw Scholarship and the Oxford–Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship. In this role, I support scholars from the application stage through to their time on course, acting as a key liaison between them, the School, and the respective foundations. My work includes scholar communications, events and programming, reporting, and community-building. I bring over a decade of experience across finance, higher education, events and marketing. Before joining Oxford Saïd in 2022, I spent nearly five years at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences as a Senior Finance Officer. There, I managed departmental budgets, oversaw journals and recharges (both departmental and cross-departmental), handled student finance, ensured compliance with university financial procedures, and supervised junior team members. Earlier in my career, I worked at Oxford Professional Education Group as Student Finance Manager and In-House Graphic Designer. I managed the Accounts Receivable function, set up student payment plans, led the company’s rebrand, and created all brand collateral. After finishing my studies, I began my career in London with Marriott International, where I worked in sales, events, and marketing.
Ladajah Wilson

Student , London School of Economics

Kent (Zijian) Ng

Chemical Engineering Student, University of Leeds

Aditi T R Murali

Student , University of Leeds