Galiya Akhmetova (She/Her)

Student | Researcher, The University of Hong Kong
Bon Hao Yin

First Year Biochemistry Undergraduate , Imperial College London

Leith Kochbati

Microengineering Bachelor's Student, EPFL

Beatrice Cartocci

Chemical Engineering student, EPFL

Hi everyone, I'm an undergraduate Materials Science student at EPFL. Alongside engineering, I've picked up some economics and law, mostly because I wanted to understand not just how something works technically, but what it takes for it to actually get used. As a Laidlaw Scholar, I'm building a simulation model of the global carbon-fibre value chain, looking at realistic, costed paths to net zero by 2050. It touches materials, energy and finance at once, which is the kind of problem I like working on. I try to take leadership seriously, mostly as following through on what you're responsible for. I co-led a water management project in Nyon that got funding from the Rotary Club and was implemented with local authorities, worked on a documentary about migration policy, debated in Model United Nations, and tutor students. I also spent nine months travelling, which made me more comfortable in unfamiliar situations. Outside the lab, I'm usually in the mountains or with a camera. Always glad to talk about anything. Cheers!
Hi there! I’m Tommaso (with two Ms!) and I’m a 3rd year bachelor student in Physics at EPFL. Beyond Physics, I have a deep passion about journalism and current events, along with history of arts and its way of crafting societies. I enjoy spending time in nature, especially when it comes to mountain sports like rock climbing or skiing. I've also practiced track and field for many years, and I currently enjoy going for a run along the lake! Happy to chat anytime about any topic!
Dimitri URBAIN

BSc in Computer Science, EPFL

Hey! I'm Dimitri, a second-year Bachelor's student in Computer Science at EPFL. I love building useful things, especially tech projects. More generally, I’m driven by solving real problems and turning ideas into something concrete :) My research focused on privacy-preserving machine learning. I developed a hybrid training framework that allows AI models to learn from data split across public and private environments, using external computing resources while keeping sensitive data local.
Pamela Sampaa Afaki

Chemical Engineering Student, EPFL

Chemical engineering student at EPFL
Anna Ortwein

Student, Duke University

Hi! My name is Anna, and I am rising junior at Duke University studying Political Science and Economics. I am passionate about learning how to evaluate policy and find my own evidence-based policy solutions for my future work as (hopefully!) a politician. I'm especially drawn to policy related to foreign policy, economic and social equity. I'm also interested in conducting research focused on the rise of the far-right and the developments in the society that enabled it. 
Ace Tabisaura

Student, University of Toronto

Hello! My name is Ace Tabisaura, an incoming 3rd-Year Public Law student at University of Toronto Scarborough with a strong interest in labour and employment law, particularly how legal institutions shape protections for marginalized workers.
Zoe Corlouer

Mechanical engineering student, EPFL

Hi ;) I'm from Bordeaux, a city I love for its food and its ocean. The Atlantic is right around the corner, and nothing beats swimming straight into the waves! Growing up surrounded by that gastronomic culture, I fell in love with cooking as a child, and more broadly with visual arts (really into cinema right now) and anything that lets me work with my hands. But what really drives me is having an impact. I care deeply about fighting climate change, and I want to help build sustainable engineering and technology that's accessible to everyone and works to reduce inequalities in human development. Feel free to reach out !
Lee Cheuk Ming Sam

Recent Graduate, The University of Hong Kong

Alumnus of the University of Hong Kong
Hey, I’m Adam! I’m currently a medical student at HKU, and I've developed a bit of an obsession with vascular neurology - specifically how brain blood vessels dictate what happens during a stroke and how patients recover. For my Laidlaw project, I’m working with stem cells and assembloids to try and model these exact interactions. Outside of medicine, I like keeping my mind and body active. I’m big into the gym and basketball, and I genuinely enjoy diving into long-term investing and strategy-heavy video games. Ultimately, I’m just trying to build a career where I can combine hands-on clinical neurology with meaningful research. Feel free to reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn!
Virakarn Boonfahpratan

Undergraduate Student, The University of Hong Kong

Atharv Pathak

Student, The University of Hong Kong

I'm a Year 1 Student at the University of Hong Kong majoring in Economics and Finance, pursuing my Laidlaw Journey currently with research at UCL on Climate Chance and Sustainability Education. I'm interested in learning about and working towards initiatives across Environmental conservation, Education, and Poverty Alleviation. Also, a deep admirer of transcendentalist literature/ poetry and Sufi Music!
Chow Man Hymn Matthew

Student, The University of Hong Kong

Isaac Macallan

Student, Durham Univeristy

Anmol Lehal

Student, The University of Hong Kong

Lizzy

Student, The University of Hong Kong

I'm entering my second year at HKU this fall. It wasn't until now that I have somewhat solidified my interests to be at the intersection of Sustainability, Conservation, and Urban Planning of Asian Cities. Before joining uni, I took over three gap years working around the world and reflecting on my many identities. My work has spanned across Edtech, Heritage Conservation, Food Security, Nature Conservation, Policy Analysis, and Social Impact Sectors across the Global South. Beyond my work and research, I love to listen to music produced during from the 60s to 80s in anywhere around the world. I also love doing crafts as it notoriously saves me from supposed doomscrolling on Instagram. Also, I am secretly considering to debut as a private chef someday... who knows!?
Katerina Zakharyan

Student, Durham University

Hi! My name is Katya and I am a BSc Biosciences student at Durham University. This summer I am excited to be completing my project on the effect of dopamine transport on the memory of fruit flies. I will be looking at how removing the dopamine transporter from a memory relevant area of the brain has an effect on the ability of the flies to form and retain associative memories. When I’m not researching, I enjoy playing sports such as tennis, table tennis, netball, and running, and I also love playing music on piano, guitar and flute. I’m really excited to be part of the 2026 Laidlaw Cohort, so feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if you just fancy a chat!
Anisa Wing Yan Fan

Laidlaw Scholar, The University of Hong Kong