Hey! I’m Amna, a third-year molecular biology student at the University of Toronto. I’ve worked in labs studying genetics and nanoimmunoengineering, but I also care a lot about science communication, from writing about microbes to speaking at places like the UN. For my summer research project, I am exploring anticipatory science diplomacy in Geneva. When I’m not deep in research mode, I’m probably planning my next escapade. Always down to connect, especially if you care about science, systems, or asking big questions.  

Hi everyone! My name is Lia and I just finished my second year at the University of Toronto studying English, political science and gender studies. As a member of the 2024 Laidlaw Scholars cohort, I am interested in exploring the intersection of literature and politics, particularly in mitigating harmful tropes in representation. I grew up in the United Kingdom and Canada, and I had the opportunity to study at Pearson College UWC in Victoria, British Columbia.

Hello hello! I'm Jason, a third-year Lebanese student at the University of Toronto, studying Peace, Conflict, and Justice, alongside International Relations. My passion, and research, are heavily intertwined with understanding local modes of resistances, and the deeply politicized mediums upon which they interact with the state; much of this being inspired by a commitment to bring about impactful change in my communities of residence, and in my home country of Lebanon. I will be spending my first-summer in the Basque Country with the intention of understanding how local grassroots movements have reacted to the Spanish High-Speed Rail, in order to bring about about necessary lessons and considerations as Canada embarks on its own rail renaissance. My interests are wide-and-far, though often intersecting with my academic pursuits. I've been deeply involved in the non-profit field where I've helped in the upkeep and operations of Locate Victims Beirut, a grassroots emergency response platform for the 2020 Beirut explosion. I'm also an avid partaker in Model United Nations, having created an online Model United Nations platform during the pandemic aimed at education and youth leadership empowerment in the Middle East.

Reese Taylor is a rising junior majoring in Philosophy, History, and Human Rights on a pre-law track. As a Laidlaw Scholar, she spent her first summer researching the role of labor in the economic and social uplift of Black Americans in the wake of Reconstruction. She was selected to present this research at Johns Hopkins University, The University of Pennsylvania, and the Global Laidlaw Scholars Conference. In her second summer, Reese founded The Voices in Action Initiative which is a program developed to empower and mobilize youth voices by providing them skills and practice in speech and debate. She enacted the program in Nassau, Bahamas with sponsorship from both the Laidlaw Foundation and The Kiwanis Club of Nassau.

Hi everyone! I'm a rising junior at Barnard College of Columbia University, where I am double majoring in Political Science and Human Rights, and minoring in French. This summer I'm researching about art reinstitution and its ethical and legal components. Some of my other interests include social work, human rights, and law. Please feel free to reach me at cd3442@barnard.edu

Hi, I’m Katie McGowan, a Psychology undergraduate at the University of Leeds and a 2025 Laidlaw Scholar. My academic interests centre around human behaviour, social influence, and cultural psychology. This summer, I’m researching how cultural background and perceived empathy in artificial intelligence influence consumer trust — a project that brings together my fascination with social psychology and cross-cultural dynamics. Outside of academia, I’m passionate about women’s rights, youth leadership, and community impact. I’ve volunteered with organisations including Let Me Know (LMK) and Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA), helping to raise awareness around healthy relationships and gender-based violence. I’m also a Holocaust Educational Ambassador, committed to promoting dialogue, reflection, and education around collective memory and human rights. I currently serve as a School Representative for Psychology, advocating for students and working with staff to ensure that student feedback leads to meaningful change. Leadership, empathy, and representation are values that guide everything I do. Outside of my academic and voluntary work, I love travel and adventure — I hold an Advanced Open Water Scuba Diving certification, and I’m always looking for new ways to explore both above and below the surface. I'm especially interested in how research and leadership can create real-world change, and I’m always open to connecting with others who share those goals.

Hello! I’m Jiyon, a rising third-year student at Georgetown University from New York City. I will be studying at the University of Oxford for the 2025-26 school year. I’m majoring in Economics and minoring in Mathematics, with my academic interests lying in public economics, governance, climate policy, and labor economics. In my first summer as a Laidlaw Scholar, I am assisting a research project in Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy on identifying causes of heterogeneity in U.S. state tax systems and associating variations in tax progressivity with different infant health outcomes. Separately, I am looking at how different types of public spending across U.S. states can improve social capital for the elderly. I am passionate about finding public policy solutions that improve quality of life, promote effective governance, and create durable socioeconomic institutions.

Hello everyone! I'm Aisha Adamu, a Lester B. Pearson Scholar studying psychology and neuroscience at the University of Toronto. My interests lie in mental health advocacy, educational equity, and empowering marginalized communities. I founded a nonprofit at 15 to support education and youth empowerment, particularly for young women and internally displaced youth in Nigeria. Currently, through the Laidlaw Scholars Program, I'm researching the psychological impact of the Almajiri educational system in Nigeria, aiming to develop culturally sensitive interventions informed by comparative models from Senegal and Ghana. Outside of academics, I enjoy swimming, running track, and exploring new recipes through cooking. I'm passionate about making meaningful connections and creating positive social change.

Hi, my name is Alden Arciaga! I'm an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Ethics, Society & Law. My dream is to become an AI ethics lawyer, and my research focuses around the intersection between AI, education, and culture. I love to make music, sing, make content (check out my TikTok: @aldxn_.ac) and rock climb! Feel free to reach out to me and chat about anything!

I'm a third-year Computer Science student at the University of Toronto, specializing in Computer Vision. My passion lies at the intersection of hardware and software solutions—aiming to build meaningful, impactful projects. Previously, I developed assistive technologies to support visually impaired students, making STEM education more inclusive and accessible. This summer, I'm working on a forensic science research project that involves optical dyeing using a multi-spectral LED array to enhance sperm cell identification in forensic samples. The tinkerer inside me loves messing around with robotics and tech, opening up random gadgets and making my own gizmos. Outside of technology, I enjoy cooking and exploring restaurants, always drawing inspiration for my next creation.

Hello :) My name is Ella, a second-year student at the University of Toronto! My research looks at how Chinese slash fiction is used by women to reflect real-life struggles and promote feminist awareness. I focus on why this genre—centered on queer male relationships—is chosen to express female experiences, and how censorship and cultural factors in China influence that decision. In the past, I have researched how coming-of-age narratives are portrayed in Western slash fiction. Outside of academia, I love to snowboard (in the winter) and ride my electric unicycle (in the summer). My favourite pastime is trying new foods and drinks while (sometimes) discussing how certain aspects of fanfiction reflect social justice issues. My (more normal) hobbies include reading—anything except mysteries—with a focus on Asian North American stories, listening to pop and classical music, and playing badminton. I will be studying English and East Asian Studies over the next three years!

Hello! I’m a first-year undergraduate piano student with a passion for teaching and a growing curiosity about how education systems shape the way we learn music. Right now, I’m researching piano pedagogy in the context of China’s entrance exam system—something that blends my love for music with my interest in social structures and policy. If you want to get to know me, find me at the climbing gym, doing CrossFit, or out for a run with my dog. I’m always excited to meet people who would love to discuss education, music/piano, dogs and anything else that you can think of!

Hi everyone! My name is Candace (she/her), and I am a third-year international student at the University of Toronto. I am originally from India, but was born and raised in the UAE. I am pursuing a double major in Peace, Conflict & Justice Studies and History. I am passionate about diplomacy and history, and deeply interested in legal discourse, debate, and various policy issues. Specifically, I am drawn to topics such as sustainability and climate policy, immigration, and community-based welfare.  My Laidlaw Summer I project will explore the potential for Faith-based organisations (FBOs) to work alongside newly emerging interfaith alliances to enhance their roles in philanthropy and development, while simultaneously preventing the development of a tradition of communal violence in India. My goal is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the activities of six Indian FBOs based on Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, focusing on their impact on social cohesion, maximising welfare and the creation of communal harmony. 

Hi, my name is Amelia and I'm part of the 2024 cohort! I'm passionate about innovation, technology, and design, and how they each intersect with politics. In my first summer, I examined protest art from the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong. My interest in this topic stems from cultural ties to Hong Kong, my high school visual arts education, and a desire to partake in a broader discussion on links between art and politics. Outside of Laidlaw, I'm also examining links between artificial intelligence and military development. Beyond academia, I love photography, art, and exploring the city with friends. Feel free to reach out!

Hello! My name is Elliot and I am a student at the University of Toronto hoping to study law, history and political science. When I am not frantically writing essays I like to spend my time outdoors skiing, hiking, climbing, biking, running... you name it! I also love reading and writing and I hope to be able to publish some of my work one day! I am really passionate about social justice and advocacy and I hope to be able to use my skills to help those in need, whoever they are and wherever they may be! 

Hello! I'm an incoming fourth year student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Health Sciences and double minoring in entrepreneurship and anthropology. For my first summer research, I examined what environmental variables influenced sleep patterns in children located in the Republic of Congo. I will be extending this research, with a focus on how sleep is affected with the extent of market integration. I've done research ranging from biomedical physics to pedagogy studies. I have co-authored two publications on treating glioblastoma cancer and Parkinson's disease in animal models using MR-guided focused ultrasound. Below are the links to the papers! https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-85314-6 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-85811-8 For my Leadership-in-Action project, I am in a tiny island in Japan called Yoron, There, I will be helping out the English teachers, creating a Model UN curriculum to help expose the children to more extracurricular opportunities, piloting a Pen Pal project, and helping the science camp students affiliated with the University of Tokyo by teaching academic writing and by extension, academic presentation skills. The last goal is an extension of research I conducted with another professor outside of Laidlaw on pedagogical implications of expert writers' citation practices. I would also like to take this time firsthand to understand cultural differences in academic writing. I'd love to chat more! Please don't hesitate to send me a message. :D

Hi! My name is Ronaish and I'm an international student at UofT from the UAE. I'm hoping to specialize in Neuroscience with a minor in Philosophy - alongisde, I also harbor a great interest in public health! As part of the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme, I am conducting a scoping review and expert consultation on the current state and future directions for palliative care in Pakistan. This is an incredibly interdisciplinary topic as it concerns and draws insights from epidemiology, sociology and public health - I'm excited to take it on this summer and hope to share my progress on this network! Besides research, my hobbies include parliamentary debate, trying new cuisines, occasionally binging shows and traveling! Feel free to reach out at ronaish.arshad@mail.utoronto.ca for a chat or if you have any questions about my research!