Hello! My name is Frankie and I'm a rising junior from Sacramento, California working on a combined major in Art History and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies. My academic interests center of medieval representations of the womb and fetus, midwifery, and domesticity. I want to explore how artistic representations of pregnancy offer insight into the legal and religious governance of abortion. Broadly, my research examines the intersections of gender, power, and reproduction in late medieval Europe.

Hello! I'm Kate Morton, a rising Junior at Barnard College from Baltimore, Maryland, USA, pursuing a combined major in Environment & Sustainability and Human Rights with a minor in Dance. My Laidlaw Research combines land rights, history, ecology, and environmental justice to explore how eminent domain reshaped socio-ecological conditions in the Delaware Water Gap, a National Recreation Area just outside the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania, USA. 

Hi! My name is Maitree and I'm a rising sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University. I'm part of Barnard's 2026 Laidlaw Scholars Cohort and I'm excited to be pursuing macroeconomics research in monetary policy and housing affordability. As an Economics and Computer Science major, I enjoy patterns and logic. I like to connect real-world events with theoretical concepts which fuels my passion for research. I'm a curious and driven student, keen on making an impact and answering a meaningful question through my Laidlaw project. 

Hi! I'm a rising junior at Barnard College studying English, and pursuing a NY teaching credential. As an Undergraduate Research scholar, I will be investigating disciplinary policy reform in NYC public schools. 

Born and raised in San Diego, California, Adelina is a pre-law student majoring in Sociology with interests in education policy, immigration law and the intersections of race and political representation. As a Chicana scholar committed to utilizing well-informed research as a pathway to meaningful action, she believes in uplifting overlooked histories as pathways to empowerment. Her Laidlaw research investigates how the forced displacement of Mexican American families from Chávez Ravine to construct Dodger Stadium shapes the relationship between the L.A. Dodgers and Latino communities. Outside of being a Laidlaw Scholar, Adelina remains committed to public service by continuing to advocate for youth-centered policy initiatives as Governor Gavin Newsom's appointee to the California Youth Empowerment Commission. She has also worked with New York City's Project Rousseau as an Immigration Legal Services Intern and conducted research with the Columbia University Policy Institute, further developing her interests in civic engagement, educational equity and policy reform. As a Barnard pre-law student, Adelina is committed to pursuing a legal career dedicated to advancing representation and justice for historically marginalized communities.

Hi! My name is Hayden Chernow and I am from Boston, Massachusetts. I am a rising junior at Barnard College majoring in Urban Studies with a focus on the Middle East and Education.  My Laidlaw Scholars Research topic will examine how Jordan's growing refugee population impacts access to trauma-informed education.

Hi! My name is Evin Schwartz and I am a second year student at Barnard College of Columbia University studying Urban Studies with a specialization in Urban Spatial Data Analysis and a combined major in Human Rights and a minor in Environmental Science. For my Laidlaw research project, I am using GIS to study childhood cancer clustering in the communities surrounding the Santa Susana Field Lab, a Superfund site I grew up on in Los Angeles. I am Lilly E. Reiser and Diller Tikkun Olam Scholar and passionate about grassroots activism and educational equity. I am also the founder of IUY (I Understand You), a queer non-profit that helps over 10,000 queer youth annually. I would love to chat more!

Hi! My name is Chloe Lee and I am a incoming sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University studying Political Science and Human Rights with aspirations to eventually go to law school. I am interested in voting rights, international human rights, intersectional feminist theory, and the intersection between law and business!  This summer I will be conducting research on Asian American voter behavior and the barriers that shape civic engagement for the Asian American community in Queens, Texas, and Georgia. With the supervision of my mentor Professor Chen, I look forward to learning about the lived experiences and geographic comparisons that will help me understand how barriers influence eligible voters.