Elena Rico Hernando (She/Her)

Laidlaw Scholar, St Andrews
Oliver Righton

Laidlaw Alum, University of St Andrews

I'm a chemist in my final year of the MChem with Industrial Placement programme at the University of St Andrews. My research focused on improvements to a Dye-Sensitised Solar Cell (DSSC) process used in the St Andrews undergraduate laboratory. For a brief overview, see my poster, or for a deeper dive you can read my research essay. My six week project was with _makesense Colombia and Picacho con futuro in Medellín to create socially innovative solutions to the challenges of sustainability and circular economy, designing and delivering workshops to understand what these concepts meant to the people and then to explore ways in which their lives intersect with the natural world. Academic Interests I'm currently researching solid-state materials including hexagonal tungsten bronzes and their structure-property relationships under selective doping. Outside of my research project, I'm also taking courses in catalysis, asymmetric synthesis and macromolecular bonding interactions. In my degree, I've also studied some astronomy and astrophysics - there's nothing like a good night looking at the stars! Personal Interests Outside of academic life, you'll find me always up for a board game (I was Secretary of a board game society once). I'm learning guitar, doing my best to pick French back up after a few years and have always been a great fan of cooking delicious food!
Elisabeth Xia

Social Anthropology and Management Student, University of St Andrews

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!
Samuel Allen

Chemistry and Physics Student, University of St Andrews

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.
Joel Beckles

Undergraduate Student, University of St Andrews

I am a Physics student at the University of St Andrews excited about theoretical physics and its applications to industry. I quite like programming as well, and seeing where code can be used to model physics. I also have an interest in improving the speed with which the latest scientific developments can be implemented into humanitarian aid. 
Callum Murison

Actuarial Trainee, Hymans Robertson

Hello! I'm from Edinburgh, and am currently an Actuarial Trainee at Hymans Robertson. Prior to that, I studied Astrophysics at the University of St Andrews, where I was particularly interested in computational aspects of the field (handling and analysing observational data, and simulations). Away from academics, I enjoy playing a variety of sports, exploring the Scottish hills, and am a keen musician. My research project in summer 2023 focused on mapping a region of the sky known to be star-forming, around the Monoceros constellation, with the hope of using analytical techniques to attempt to find new star clusters. My LiA in summer 2024 was with the Timothy Smith Network in Boston, Massachusetts, teaching coding and microelectronics as part of the Elevating Agriculture Technology (EAT) course.
Yoshino Homma

Student , St Andrews

Hello! I'm Yoshino, a third-year student majoring in International Relations and Spanish. I love learning languages, travelling and meeting new people :)
Victoria Schroeder-Finckh

Student, University of St Andrews

Aloka Jayasinghe

Medical student , University of St Andrews

Finn Smyth

Modern History Student , University of St. Andrews

Hi there! My name is Finn Smyth and I am a final year student in Modern History at the University of St Andrews. For the Laidlaw programme my research focused on how Left political organisations across Scotland have performed, organizationally and ideologically, since devolution. I am also interested in modern political economy, and the emergence of modern political communications strategies and how they have been used in political campaigns since the 1980s.  My dissertation this year focuses on the modernisation of the Labour Party in the 1980s, and among recent projects I have been awarded grant funding to research the rise of populism in Europe alongside colleagues at Charles University, Prague.  
Heather

MMarBiol Undergrad Student, St. Andrews

Hello! I'm Heather, a third year student at the University of St. Andrews studying marine biology. As you might imagine, I am interested in almost all topics sea-related and have been enjoying spending my summer researching marine-mammal tracking technology in southern Iceland. The aim of my research has been to quantify the performance of certain aspects of this technology for the first time, the results of which will be used to inform design and procedure of future projects.
Carlota Bloch Varela

Student, University of St Andrews

Noura McNelis Mahmoud

Student, Laidlaw St Andrews

Hello! I'm Noura, a University of St Andrews student heading into third year. I study International Relations and Modern History, and I particularly am interested in migrant rights and decolonial histories. My project aims to examine the experiences of children in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, pinpointing the uniqueness of those experiences and utilizing both data and autobiographies of enslaved people in order to come to new conclusions regarding our understandings of the slave trade.  Outside of my studies and project I love the outdoors, baking/cooking for my friends, art in all forms, and cultural exploration!  If you want to chat send me a message! I would love to connect with you about your project or interests, or if you have any knowledge that could contribute to my work!
Lily Bates

Biochemistry Student, University of St Andrews

Lina Chi

Psychology student, University of St Andrews

Hello! I am currently a second year BSc Psychology student at the University of St Andrews. My research explores the effects of attentional focus as a potential performance anxiety intervention in piano performance. I would love to chat with individuals who have similar research interests as me! 
Ami Melville

English & Art History Student, University of St Andrews

Hello! I'm Ami, a fourth year English and Art History student from Upstate New York. My research interests include contemporary British and American drama, creative writing, Anglo Saxon, Older Scots, medieval folklore, Renaissance painting and the Dutch Golden Age. For my research project, I examined uses of anthropomorphism, or nonhuman voices, in Old and Middle English dream poetry. In my Leadership in Action project, I am now a Summer Teaching Fellow at the Los Angeles chapter of the nonprofit organization 826, which provides free writing workshops, tutoring and other educational opportunities for kids ages 6-18 around the US. I am assisting with teaching the 2024 Summer Writer's Workshops, as well as working individually with students on their creative writing pursuits.
Cassice Last

Student Developer (Leadership), University of St Andrews

Supakorn (Nikko) Juengsophonvitavas

Astrophysics Student, University of St Andrews

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).
Rucha Benare (she/her)

Biomedical engineering research student, Trinity College Dublin

I am interested in the fields of mechanobiology, biohybrid prosthetics, biophysics, Jungian psychology, and philosophy. Recently in association with Laidlaw; In Cornell University (N.Y, U.S.A.) I worked on curating an art book on biomechanics for charity to raise awareness in this field of science. And in Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), we worked on developing a microphysiological model of the osteocytic network in the bone that can be used to better understand the (patho)physiology of bone using Direct Laser Writing technology using MLO-Y4 cell culture.  On the side; In ETH Zürich (Switzerland), I was working on understanding bio-hybrid muscle actuators using C2C12 cell culture by amassing literature review, designing biobot unit, and conducting biocompatibility tests along with growing and differentiating muscle cells for further electrical stimulation. At DogPatch Labs's Patch (Dublin, Ireland) I was experimenting with creating a start-up company to help amputees get affordable prosthetics.  On the (other) side; I like to dance, write, and read anything I get my hands on; be it music, poetry, or even shampoo bottles. Please feel free to contact me here or on LinkedIn for any discussions regarding the aforementioned topics!
Lucy Robinson

Neuroscience BSc (Hons) Student, University of St Andrews

I am currently at the University of St Andrews studying towards a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Neuroscience. I am committed to increasing my knowledge of the brain and its function, with a particular interest in neurodegenerative disease research. As such, my Laidlaw research project will explore the potential of neurochondrin as a therapeutic target for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and other Motor Neurone Diseases.