Hi~ My name is Galiya, I'm from Kazakhstan, currently based in Hong Kong. Love learning about different cultures and languages, so if you want to connect and discuss literally anything, hit me up on DMs :D Briefly about my interests and achievements: I am interested in AI ethics and learning science and have built a track record at the intersection of education and AI.  My experience spans teaching, admissions consulting, and content creation in international environments across Kazakhstan, South Korea, Italy, and Hong Kong. I am particularly interested in improving access to global education and how AI is reshaping the traditional forms of education. Currently, I am developing research through the Laidlaw Scholars Programme, focusing on university-level assessment methods in the context of GenAI.

I am an undergraduate at Columbia University studying Sustainable Development and Political Science, with interests in energy policy, circular economy, and enviornmental diplomacy. My background combines advocacy, policy, and scholarship, and my research builds on this by examining nationwide legislative frameworks central to the AI revolution and the rapid expansion of data centers. 

Hi everyone! My name is Phoebe Matthew, and I am a rising sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior and possibly minoring in Computer Science. My research this summer in the Siegelbaum Lab at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute explores the role of the ventral CA1 excitatory neurons in the hippocampus, which are known to receive signals from the CA2 region that is heavily implicated in social memory, in valence associated social memory. This type of memory is not only the recognition of a familiar individual but also the memory of how that individual made you feel. Social memory is impaired in several neuropsychiatric disorders, and it is essential to understand how the mechanism behind it to inform possible therapeutics. Beyond the lab, I am a volunteer at a local memory care facility through Brain Exercise Initiative, a writer for Grey Matters (campus neuroscience journal), and involved in Columbia Synapse (traumatic brain injury advocacy group). I also recently got certified as an EMT. I am passionate about brain health advocacy/awareness, science communication, and service. In my free time, I enjoy painting, crafting, reading, and playing the ukulele. I would love to meet everyone, so please do not hesitate to reach out!   

Hello! I'm Thomas, a second year undergraduate student of Modern Languages (French) and English. My research project is entitled 'Telling the Stories of Colonial Populations in the French Resistance through Self-Guided Heritage Walking Tours'. My findings will form part of Nina Wardleworth's larger ongoing research project involving the commemoration and memory of colonial subjects and citizens in the French (Internal) Resistance. I am particularly drawn to this project's commitment to diversifying the range of stories depicted and its wider efforts to decolonise knowledge.  My other academic interests include language pedagogy, educational equity and French literature. Outside of my studies, I enjoy running, reading and travelling! Feel free to reach out if any of this resonates with your own research or interests :)

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!

Hello! My name is Claire and I'm an incoming sophomore at Columbia University from Los Angeles, California. I am a prospective Medical Humanities major with a special concentration in Public Health. This summer, I look forward to conducting chemistry education research to help learners regain agency in guiding their own problem solving. In my free time, I love ballet, running, reading, and trying new cuisines around New York. 

Hello! My name is Lauren Suh and I am a rising sophomore at Columbia University from San Diego, California. I am majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior on the pre-medical track and plan to minor in Music (I play the flute!). This summer, I will be working at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center under the supervision of Dr. Yousin Suh. My research project delves into ovarian aging, a critical marker of systemic body aging as one of the first organs to exhibit signs of aging. I will be researching whether DNA Helicase B, or HELB, delays or impacts ovarian aging.  I love yoga, running, thrifting, and baking! I am hoping to learn pottery this summer, so please reach out if you would like to join! 

Hi, I'm in the Columbia College Class of 2029, interested in exploring the intersections of neurobiology and storytelling, particularly the stories behind the science. My Laidlaw research project delves into the molecular and behavioral signatures of pain and stress in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in mice. 

Hi! My name is Eleanor Cao, and I am a rising sophomore at Columbia University (Columbia College). I am interested in the intersection between political theory and intellectual history, with a special focus on modern Chinese thought and Taiwanese politics. In my first summer as a Laidlaw scholar, I will be probing Chinese political scientist Yan Jiaqi's theory of democracy in the long 1980s (1978-1992). Please chat with me about art & literature, cats, corvids, crochet, figure skating, and more!!

Hey everyone! My name is Karthik Mahakala, and I am a rising Sophomore studying Environmental Biology at Columbia College. Specifically, I am extremely passionate about environmental health sciences, which encompasses how physical, chemical, and biological factors in the natural and built environments impact public health.  This summer, I will be evaluating the reliability of consumer-facing packaging signals for skin-lightening products across Northern Manhattan as a research assistant in the Llanos Lab.

Hi! I'm Amanda, a third year Neuroscience student and Laidlaw alum from UCL. I'm Swedish-Persian and grew up in Sweden before moving to London for uni. These days, alongside my studies, I work for the Foundation as a Marketing Assistant. For my first year research project, I worked on optimising alginate hydrogels for 3D astrocyte culture systems. In simpler terms, I was figuring out the best way to prepare a jelly-like scaffolds so that star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes could grow in three dimensions rather than flat on a dish. This matters because 3D environments mimic the brain more realistically, which could help researchers develop better treatments for neurological disorders!  For my Leadership-in-Action project, I co-created Beyond the Books, a resource designed to help students from underrepresented backgrounds navigate the unwritten rules of university life, from internships and networking to professional opportunities that aren't always obvious if you're the first in your family to go to uni. Always happy to connect, whether you want to chat about neuroscience, widening access, the Laidlaw experience, or just say hello! One of my favourite things about this community is getting to meet people from different universities and backgrounds, so please do reach out! 🌟

Hello! My name is Christian Rebolledo, a rising sophomore in Columbia College at Columbia University studying Political Science and Medical Humanities with a Special Concentration in Public Health. I am passionate about intersecting the worlds of public health with political advocacy: people are social, and thus political. I am passionate about community building, civic engagement, and building systems for the next generation of leaders across disciplines. For my first summer as a Laidlaw scholar in the 2026 cohort, I will be characterizing postmortem data from ICE detention centers to identify trends across factors relatd to social determinants of health. I look forward to uncovering the quantitative facets of qualitative reporting currently populating the literature on carceral justice and public health.