Freddie Fallon
Laidlaw Scholar | Environmental Science and Engineering Student, Trinity College Dublin
Hi there! I'm currently entering my senior sophister year at TCD studying single-pathway environmental science and engineering. My deepest passion is ecology; the intricate and ever-present webs of interaction between everything biotic and abiotic overwhelm me with awe and reverence every day. Communicating how deeply intertwined everything in the natural world is, and how we as humans can responsibly interact with it, is a major interest of mine. Through my Laidlaw research project, I was able to share the importance of urban soil health with both the general public and with academic and political stakeholders. This summer, I aim to further my environmental communication skills alongside the team at SharkLab Malta, auditing and revamping elasmobranch education materials for children and adults.
My name is Svit Pestotnik Stres (he/him)
I am from Ljubljana, Slovenia, which is one of the prettiest cities in my opinion. I moved to Dublin to study Medicine at Trinity College Dublin.
My research project concerns using EEG as a diagnostic measure for Cervical Dystonia patients. There are a number of non-motor symptoms associated with this disease, including emotion recognition deficit. I chose this project because one of my interests for my medical career is neurology and I also feel like this topic is under-researched.
When I'm not studying/working, I like to sing, play guitar, go out with friends, travel, volunteer and play basketball/ run.
One thing about me that surprises people is that I used to train ballet for a number of years, which was very fun and definitely defined me as a person. A lot of my close friends are still from that same group.
I'd love to connect with someone who finds my research project interesting and is open to any kind of collaboration. I'd also love to chat to someone who shares the same hobbies.
Hi everyone! I'm Clara Tobin, an English Student in Trinity College Dublin. My research examines the source material of William Shakespeare. In particular, I am attempting to identify a publication of the Middle English poetry found in the 'Allegory of Death' mural in the Stratford-upon-Avon Guild Chapel that may have influenced Shakespeare. Although the murals were covered during his lifetime due to laws around religious iconography during the Reformation, the resemblance between the murals and Shakespeare's work is uncanny and has not been studied in depth - until now!
Aside from literature, I enjoy ballet, classical and jazz music (I play piano and saxophone), travelling and going to the theatre. Feel free to reach out for a chat about my research or anything else that interests you!
2024/25 Laidlaw Scholar
Psychology Student
Interested in Experimental and Cognitive Neuroscience
Title Project: Unravelling the Age-Related Dynamics of Facial Recognition
Abo Obhakhan
Immunology Student | Neuroimmunology, Neuroinflammation , Trinity College Dublin
Hey! I'm Abo. I'm in my final year of Biomedical Sciences at Trinity College Dublin. I'm specialising in Immunology and have a keen interest in the role of inflamation in neurodegenerative conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease.
I got the fantastic opportunity to present my Summer 1 research at Columbia University in NYC this past November, and conducted my Summer 2 Leadership in Action Project in Boston!
Hi there! I'm Jane Emmins, a Senior Sophister in English Studies at Trinity College Dublin and alumna of the Laidlaw Scholarship.
My Summer 1 research was concerned with representations of space, place, and utopianism in the literature of Fire Island 1940-2000. I was interested in exploring how contrasting authors handled ideas and constructions of 'gay paradise' as a means to interogate the nature of queer utopian desire(s) in America at this pivotal period in LGBTQ+ history.
My Summer 2 'Leadership-in-Action' saw me flying to Cape Town, South Africa to volunteer at SOS Children's Village in Thornton. I designed and delivered a six-week dance movement therapy based psychosocial intervention for orphaned, abandoned, and precariously housed children.
I am a lover of sacred music and a member of multiple choirs. My hobbies also include swimming in the sea and watching good television.
Feel free to reach out to me using my contact info.
Hi! I'm Eve and I'm studying Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures (with German and Turkish) at Trinity College Dublin. My research project focussed on the challenges facing Vergangenheitsbewältigung in modern Germany, including rising antisemitism, the 2015 migratory wave, subsequent refugee integration and developments in the Israel-Palestine conflict. I investigated how to tackle this issue in a way that appropriately condemns antisemitism and safeguards the wellbeing and integration of Germany's Muslim community. In addition, I considered wider questions surrounding migrant assimilation and national identity.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my friends, sea-swimming, hiking and reading. I also love to travel and am very interested in learning languages and connecting with people from across the world, so please feel free to reach out - I would love to chat about anything project (or otherwise) related!
My name is Conor Murphy, and I am a student at Trinity College Dublin studying Theoretical Physics! My research project is about developing knowledge of size dependence of the resistive switching ratio in MoS2 memristors. Outside of physics, I love music and sports.
Dia dhaoibh! My name is Aoibheann, and I’m a 3rd-year physics student at Trinity College Dublin. I chose this course because it strikes the perfect balance between theory and experimentation, allowing me to explore the fundamental particles and forces that govern the universe—though I'm still working on fully understanding them!
My research project delved into my latest fixation which is the history and philosophy of science. I focused on scientific authority in colonised Ireland, exploring how knowledge was often controlled and manipulated by those in power. It’s a topic that combines my love of history and science, as it reveals how knowledge itself can be a tool of influence. I’m really interested in understanding how science is never truly neutral—it can shape cultures, reinforce power dynamics, and even be used to control narratives, making it an issue that is still relevant in today's world.
Beyond my studies, I love sea swimming and have trained as a lifeguard. I’m also a proud Irish speaker and love promoting Irish language and culture whenever I can.
Hi I'm Conor, I'm a second year History and Political Science Student at Trinity College Dublin. I'm also born and raised in Dublin. This summer I will be researching the topic of refugee youth integration. I hope that this research will contribute towards helping understand a subject that is becoming more politically charged and relevant by the day, in a world that is more connected than ever before.
In my spare time, I like to exercise, read, and walk my dog Cócó. I've also been known to enjoy a good Netflix series. If you too are interested in anything that I've mentioned above don't hesitate to reach out - even if its just to recommend a good new tv show.
Kate Ivanchenko
Student Employability Officer, Laidlaw Programme Coordinator, Trinity College Dublin
Law student at Trinity College Dublin
I am a third year European Studies student at Trinity College Dublin, currently completing an exchange year in Germany. My Summer 1 research project investigated factors that encouraged political participation among refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland.