Ciao! I'm Leonardo, a Laidlaw Scholar passionate about entrepreneurship, leadership, and creating meaningful change in this world. I come from Italy, and at 17, I took an uncomfortable step by moving alone to the UK to pursue my studies, determined to gain access to an English university, networks, and growth opportunities. My research title is: "Using Points of Interest Data to Understand Retail Change in Great Britain, 2015 – 2025", which deeply connects with my entrepreneurial objectives. Through Laidlaw, I'm excited to expand my leadership capabilities, refine essential entrepreneurial skills and find new people within this amazing network! I'm passionate about engaging with Laidlaw's diverse global community, exchanging perspectives, and fostering long-lasting connections. I look forward to contributing my experiences, collaborating with fellow scholars, and continuously growing as both a leader and an individual. Please feel free to connect; I’m genuinely excited to share ideas, collaborate, and explore innovative solutions together! Leonardo Linkedin  leonardogareri05@gmail.com

Hi! I'm Sophia, an aspiring scientist and philomath. I love learning about everything and anything and delight in spending time with people who are passionate about the things they love! I am really interested and curious about how we can use chemistry to improve processes and products to help society. For example, my research project is looking into the possibility of turning struvite, a mineral which is a by-product of waste-water treatment processes into slow-release nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers, which would be a green source nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers and help achieve goals of zero-waste.  If you are researching something similar or are interested in learning more about the project, please reach out! I am super happy to talk about the project and meet other who are doing something similar and possibly collaborate! 

My name is Eleanor and I’m a scholar of the 2021 Laidlaw cohort. I am a current master's by research student at the University of Leeds where I have recently graduated with a BA in French and Spanish. As part of my degree programme, I spent 18months abroad, working at the memorial of Mont-Valérien, and for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, as well as a British Council teaching assistant in Spain.  My undergraduate research experience as a Laidlaw scholar has really inspired me to continue decolonial research going forward - please see my posts to find out about my research. 

I'm currently a first-year student at the University of Leeds, studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering.  My research project is on Electric Vehicle charging point infrastructure planning, addressing a critical aspect of the transition to sustainable transportation. It seeks to optimize the design of EV charging infrastructure in public spaces. Through the evaluation of diverse charging configurations and the application of local/regional datasets, I will generate optimal location and capacity guidelines. These findings will aid local government authorities in establishing efficient and equitable public EV charging infrastructure.

I am a Chemical and Nuclear Engineering student at the University of Leeds, originally from London.  I performed research on nanoparticle based therapeutics to combat antibiotic resistance and biofilms in chronic wound infections, under the supervision of Dr Zhan Ong. For my LIA, I travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to undertake sports volunteering in a local favela.

Vaibhav Pramode Nair is a 2023 Laidlaw Scholar at the University of Leeds. He is the Lead Youth Representative of the Save Soil Movement, and in this capacity works to amplify youth voices for food systems transformation at major policy fora globally. Currently pursuing a Bachelors in Sustainability and Environmental Management at Leeds' School of Earth and Environment, he was the first undergraduate Youth Delegate from Leeds to the UN Climate Talks, representing at COP29 Baku, COP28 UAE and SB60 Bonn. Vaibhav leads efforts in diplomacy and climate at the Indian Youth Diplomacy Forum. He’s a LEED Green Associate, IEMA member, and an active participant in YOUNGO's Food and Agriculture Working Group, advocating for a shift in focus within the international climate policy discourse to the soil degradation crisis. Save Soil. Visit https://consciousplanet.org/ to learn more. Let's make it happen ! Try https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/inner-engineering . Changed my life. In is the only way Out.  If you study/work within the sustainability/climate space, please reach out. If not, definitely reach out. :)

I'm a microbiology graduate interested in healthcare, conservation and medicine. My first year research project looked at soft corals and the shifts in their communities due to climate change across the Indo-Pacific. For my LIA I got to travel to remote Fiji with ThinkPacific were I discovered my love for community engagement and saw an entire new culture. Apart from academic interests I love cooking, going to the gym, doing art and learning :)

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Leeds studying BSc Environmental Science. I am particularly interested in climate change - the science behind it and its impacts, biodiversity and ecology, and sustainable development. I am also currently partaking in a Year in Industry placement at Network Rail working for the Environment and Sustainable Development team. My Laidlaw Research was on the reintroduction of beavers in Scotland, looking at attitudes towards them and trying to understand why they are illegally killed. This particularly interested me as it is vital to understand local opinions on wildlife to succeed in reintroductions and rewilding schemes. For my Laidlaw Leadership Development, I was lucky enough to spend a summer with Think Pacific on an Environment and Sustainable Development project in Fiji. Outside of work and study, I enjoy food (cooking and eating it), as well as sports like powerlifting (which allow me to eat lots without any negatives!), and exploring new places and nature sites.

Hey everyone, I'm Phoebe !  I am an undergrad for Durham in the 2021 cohort.  My field of research is sociology looking at access to higher education programmes and widening participation. 

Biological Sciences student with an interest in genetics and embryology. Passionate about fertility rights and activism. Just completed an industrial placement at Reckitt in Hull working as an analytical assistant in the R&D Category Team for Mucinex. Currently on LIA working on an impact assessment report for social enterprise and domestic violence/homelessness employer program provider: TwoGood Co, Sydney, Australia. 

I am currently a third year studying Physics at the University of Leeds. My research intertwines my knowledge of physics, my love for fashion and my desire to implement sustainability. My self proposal involves investigating all cellulose composites as possible green composite materials to combat the textile waste produced at the hands of fast fashion.

I am a former Laidlaw Scholar (University of St Andrews, 2021 cohort) with a background in Philosophy and Mathematics. My research project focused on the Philosophy of Space Exploration and Exoplanet Science, and for my LiA project, I worked together with Think Pacific on a Youth and Development project in Fiji.  After my undergraduate studies, I went on to do a master’s degree in History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge (yet another Laidlaw partner university!), building on my previous Laidlaw research. 

Hi there! I'm Oran, a final year student of International History and Politics. With the Laidlaw Foundation, I completed an independent research project on the history of an early international voluntary organisation in the summer of 2021. Also with the programme, I took part in the 'Youth and Community' project with ThinkPacific in the Fiji Islands in the summer of 2022.  All of this has enhanced my capacity for leadership in a globalising world. Please have a look through my profile to learn more about me and my work as a Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholar. 

Currently, I am in my second year studying Geography BA with Quantitative Methods at the University of Leeds. 

I was part of a team of four scholars who are working together with Durham University to research what makes a successful Multi-Academy Trust serving disadvantaged communities. In particular, we focused on the Laidlaw Schools Trust, which comprises seven schools in the North of England that predominantly serve disadvantaged pupils. Overall, this is part of the effort to reduce the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their more affluent peers. After that, I completed my LiA project by volunteering for the Youth & Community Project with Think Pacific in Fiji followed by a year abroad in Singapore. Driven by my passion for travel and cultural exchange, I love trying new foods and enjoy meeting people to share ideas. Feel free to reach out!

I am a graduate of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Rwanda. I am also the STEM Subject Lead. My Laidlaw research project is about bringing a system that could help minimize the number of high-school and primary students who bring cell phones to school since it's one of the major sources of distraction. I did my Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University Africa, majoring in Cybersecurity and Data Science.

Hi, my names Victoria Lynn and I'm currently in my final year studying LLB Law at the University of Leeds! My research focuses on the perceptions of school staff of autistic girls in secondary education, a topic which is heavily under-represented in the wider Autism literature due to the misconception of Autism being a 'male' condition, largely due to difference in presentation, and a higher number of autistic girls masking their Autistic traits. This topic is one which is also close to home, having had many of my own concerns throughout education regarding Dyslexia, which was often dismissed as I was not deemed to be "struggling enough." Both my own experience and my knowledge learned through researching this topic has inspired me to write my final year legal dissertation on the "right to inclusive education" (Article 24 of the United Nations Convention of Persons with Disabilities) of Autistic pupils in secondary education in England.