Benjamin Margretts
Senior Programme Manager for the Laidlaw Scholarship, University of Oxford
I am a Critical Realist researcher in the Sociology of Education, developing a theory of Positive Organisational Culture. My research explores how organisational environments shape people's experiences, opportunities, and sense of belonging, with an initial focus on the transition to secondary schooling and wider implications for organisations beyond education.
I am a current Biochemistry Undergraduate at the University of Oxford. I am happily a part of the 2026 Laidlaw Scholar Cohort.
I am very grateful to be a part of this programme where I am able to develop my character and behaviours to become a more ethical leader. I want to also be able to provide a positive impact on the people around me, my community and the world at large in all means possible. I have a particular interest in gender equality and improving women's reproductive health. I am also interested in climate action and protecting our oceans and lands.
As a previous tutor, mentor and being a state-school student, I can attest to seeing the differences in educational attainment between certain regions and demographics. Through the Laidlaw Research programme, I will be able to conduct research on how co-curricular activities can be used to supplement students who are unlikely to consider higher education or have low educational attainment, and improve their wellbeing and ambitions.
I'm a second-year at Harvard College concentrating in Neuroscience with a secondary in Psychology, on a pre-med track. My research at Massachusetts General Hospital focuses on cerebrovascular diseases and the early detection of Alzheimer's Disease.
As a member of Harvard's inaugural Laidlaw Scholar cohort, I'm combining faculty-mentored independent research with leadership development through Oxford's Ethical Leadership Programme and an international Leadership-in-Action project — all in service of becoming a physician-leader who approaches healthcare with both scientific rigor and ethical grounding.
A core conviction of mine is that lifestyle and nutrition are underutilized tools in chronic disease prevention. I hold a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification from eCornell, serve as Treasurer of Harvard Undergraduate Plant-Based, and am a Fellow of Harvard's Food Literacy Project.
Outside academics, I'm a Board Member and Company Dancer with the Harvard Ballet Company, continuing a 13-year classical ballet background. I also founded Taylor Bears Inc., a DFW-based 501(c)(3) that donates teddy bears to children at Cook Children's Medical Center and supports pediatric cardiovascular units.
Looking forward to connecting with fellow Scholars who are thinking boldly about science, leadership, and meaningful impact.
Hi, my name is Carys Williams and I am a second year student studying Medicine at the University of Cambridge.
My interests mainly lie in public health, preventive medicine and infectious diseases, however I find all aspects of clinical and community healthcare interesting. I am interested in potential research into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and other pressing global issues, and seeing how we can ensure access to appropriate healthcare systemically by reducing inequalities.
This summer I am completing my Leadership in Action project with the Red Hen Project in Cambridge - a charity dedicated to helping children and families facing hardship. The charity hopes to expand to a deprived region in Cambridge and I will be evaluating the current services available for children, and where the charity can create the most long standing impact. The project is focussed on preventative measures to ensure children can live happier and healthier lives by reducing barriers they may face. This project is solidifying my current hope to work in paediatrics or public health.