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!
Emily Yu is a rising sophomore at Harvard College studying Chemistry with a secondary in Sociology. She calls Boston, Massachusetts her home and is proud to be part of the family that is the inaugural class of Laidlaw scholars at Harvard!
Before college, Emily was often knee-deep in case problems and Latin phrases as the captain of her mock trial team. As part of her love for public service, Emily interned in the office of the Honourable Patti B. Saris and MA's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, gleaning wisdom from observing trials, reading opinions and Statehouse bills, and compiling and presenting a comparative study of workforce services across four states.
In addition to researching in college, Emily writes for The Harvard Crimson and is tapped into the many mentorship networks across campus as a Peer Advising Fellow and First-year Outdoor Program leader.
Through Laidlaw, Emily hopes to bring her research and understanding of colorectal cancer studies and treatment to new heights and depths. The intersections between law and new technology is something Emily is constantly exploring, whether it be through possible career paths or a casual conversation.
Outside of work, Emily loves trying out new styles of dance, playing around on the piano, dissecting movies, and wrapping her head around interesting would-you-rathers. She is always open to chat for anything at all!!
I am a second-year student at Harvard College double concentrating in Chemistry and Economics, driven by a desire to explore how scientific innovation and economic structures must align to expand global access to medicine. This summer, as a member of Harvard's inaugural Laidlaw Scholar cohort, I am conducting faculty-mentored research in the Richard Liu Group, focusing on the design and synthesis of light-activated molecules (photocages) to improve the efficiency of drug delivery in water.
Through the Laidlaw program, I am combining this rigorous laboratory research with leadership development and an upcoming international Leadership-in-Action project, all to build a foundation for a career bridging the pharmaceutical, biotech, and finance sectors.
Beyond my research, I love exploring foreign languages, skiing, and traveling. I am also an avid sports fan and player, particularly when it comes to volleyball and soccer (football).
I look forward to connecting with fellow Scholars who are passionate about combining scientific discovery with leadership to drive real-world healthcare and economic solutions.
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.
BEng Biochemical Engineering Student at UCL
Hi! I am working at the University of Hong Kong this summer and would be happy to connect with others in the area.
Amylyn De Paz-De Paz is a student from western North Carolina and the daughter of immigrant pastors who instilled in her a deep commitment to service. From a young age, she has supported her community and led initiatives to expand access to education via tutoring programs, interpreting, and programming. At Duke University, she continues this work through her involvement with DukeEngage, Bass Connections, Duke Campus Farm, LangDorm, HelpDesk, Duke RAM, InventHers, Duke Mi Gente, and other programs. She is also a Coleman Family Ventures Fellow, an experience she is especially grateful for as it has allowed her to further develop her passion for a career in pediatrics and language access in healthcare settings.
For Amylyn, Duke and the Laidlaw Scholars program are catalysts for meaningful impact in the communities she cares about. She is proud to represent individuals who share her identity and experiences. To learn more about Amylyn’s journey, explore Duke’s premier student blog, “Trinity in Four Acts,” which follows her path throughout Duke and beyond.
Hello
I'm Ameesha, I study BSc Sociology at LSE. I quite enjoy reading, and my favourite genres are historical fiction, postcolonial texts in West Asia and mystery thrillers.
I have a specific developmental interest in child safety and sexual health.
Hey everyone! My name is Rinaz Jamal, and I'm a rising sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior. I am passionate about helping individuals with mental health and neurodegenerative disorders feel seen, heard, and supported. This summer, I will be doing research at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute under the supervision of Dr. Franck Polleux. My project aims to understand the activity-dependent regulation of mitochondrial protein expression in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, which are among the first neurons to fail in Alzheimer's disease (AD). I am excited to add to the scholarly conversation around Alzheimer's research by identifying the molecular pathways that would be most valuable to target for drug development in the future. Because PV-INs are among the first neurons to fail in AD, understanding these metabolic pathways and restoring levels of mitochondrial proteins has the potential to improve clinical outcomes much earlier in AD progression than current methods.
At Columbia, I am involved as a Scientific Review Editor for Grey Matters, our undergraduate neuroscience journal; Blog Editor for the Journal of Global Health; Conference Committee member and Peer Buddy for Columbia Synapse, which advocates for patients with acquired brain injury; and volunteer with Brain Exercise Initiative, where I visit patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia at a local assisted living home. I also play flute and piccolo in the Columbia University Orchestra. In my free time, I love to read and explore New York City. Please feel free to reach out; I would love to get to know you all!
I am a second-year Politics and Economics student at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), with a strong interest in social investment, sustainable finance and impact investing.
During my Leadership in Action placement at City Bridge Foundation, I hope to develop my research, analytical and communication skills while learning how investment can create positive social impact. I also enjoy meeting new people and learning from professionals across different sectors.
Hello! I’m Vardan Umbreyan, a Politics and International Relations student at Durham University and a Laidlaw Scholar. My academic interests lie at the intersection of peace and conflict studies, diplomacy, European governance, humanitarian action and international institutions. Through my Laidlaw research, I examine how ripeness theory and a Lederach-inspired cultivation approach can help explain the emergence and prospective transformative significance of TRIPP within the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process.
Alongside my academic work, my involvement with the Armenian and British Red Cross has strengthened my commitment to humanitarian values, ethical leadership and service to others. I am particularly interested in how rigorous research can move beyond the university environment and contribute to meaningful policy conversations and social impact. I am always delighted to connect with other scholars, exchange ideas and learn from people working across different disciplines, countries and communities.