I am an undergraduate Laidlaw scholar from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I have lived most of my life in Dublin (apart from three years in Berlin - but no, I can't speak German). My main research area is political philosophy; my research interests in particular are in how human rights can be used as an approach to morality, and how we should consider and address 'structural injustices' in society. I also have interests in democratic theory, and heterodox approaches to economics.
Outside academia, I am often involved in social/political activism. I'm a keen ultimate frisbee player, and I enjoy chess, table tennis, and hiking. I'm also (slowly) learning French and Polish.
Laidlaw Scholar Alumni (Durham University Cohort 6, 2022-24)
Current Endeavours: I am studying MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change at the LSE for 2024-25. From September 2025, I will be starting a PhD in Environmental Economics at the University of Basel, Switzerland.
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My time as a Laidlaw Scholar:
I graduated with First Class Honours in BA Economics from Durham University. My foremost interests are Development Economics and Environmental Economics. This is reflected in my research project which explored Demographic Economics, titled "The Shifting Distribution of the Global Population in the Twenty-First Century: an Econometric Analysis of the Projected Fortunes of Nigeria and Japan, with Policy Recommendations for Sustainable Development".
I have experience working in economic consulting, specialising in competition economics, and am also a Zumba instructor. During my time on the Laidlaw Programme I have also served as a Laidlaw Schools Trust Mentor for Excelsior Academy in Newcastle.
In 2023, I completed a six-week international ‘Leadership in Action’ project in partnership with Think Pacific for my Laidlaw Scholarship. For this, I participated in a multi-faceted programme, comprising the building of a health centre, collaborations with Diabetes Fiji and Youth Champs 4 Mental Health, and a Fijian Culture Course. The project ended with a Think Tank where we planned how we would sustain progress. In my sub-group’s case, we are working on a new project to build a multi-purpose building to act as a kindergarten and evacuation centre, for which we are currently fundraising. We have had multiple meetings with the Laidlaw Foundation CEO and the Laidlaw Schools Trust, and we are presenting at the Conversations Conference in Dublin in October 2023. Our project took place in Vunimaqo and Waisava, Dreketi Settlement, Nalawa district, Ra province, Vita Levu island, Fiji.
I attended the Impact 2022 conference at the LSE and (virtually, after flight cancellations) the Conversations 2023 conference at Trinity College Dublin.
Hello everyone! My name is Rachel and I am currently a final year Biomedical Engineering Student at UCL. My research experience with Laidlaw was centred around an imaging technique called photoacoustic imaging, which is a novel technique using laser-induced sound waves to provide highly-detailed images of the structure of our bodies. I am very passionate about medtech, environmental sustainability design and technology-- let's chat!
Hi my name's Peter, My project on the potential of Bioremediation of Microplastics in soil looks to help protect out environment from microplastics and their affect on human and animal health.
Hello, my name is Emran Moustafa. I'm a third year engineering student at Trinity College Dublin. My research is concerned with investigating the use of FPGAs for object detection in highspeed autonomous navigation. I have a passion for robotics, AI and autonomous vehicles. I have plenty of fun projects to work on in these fields, so if you're interested don't hesitate to give me a shout!
Tom is a 3rd year Poltical Science & Geography Major in Trinity College Dublin. Currently he is spending a year abroad on Erasmus in Science Po, Reims, France.
His Research project is concerning the provision of homeless services in Dublin
He is the Secretary of the college Philosophical Society (The Phil), which is the worlds oldest University society. As part of this role he runs the weekly chamber debates/panel discussions.
He is also an alum of the Washington Ireland Program, where he spent 8 weeks this summer working remotely with individuals in the US, completing a work placement project and putting together a policy paper surrounding sustainable transport in Ireland
I am a final-year law student from Ireland and I have a particular interest in socio-legal research. I like finding connections between the structure of our legal system and various social-demographic features of the population that it governs. Saying that however, I really am interested in all areas of law and I'm sure I will find other interesting research rabbit holes to wander down in the future.
I am a History and Political Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin. My research project looked at how class dynamics are presented and in literature set in education, exploring themes of identity, power and the concept of becoming "educated".
For my LiA, I joined a democratic education organisation in London, where I focused on increasing political participation among young people and facilitated dialogue between students and politicians.
Hi👋🏾 I’m Pearls
I am a final year Law student at the University of Leeds. I recently completed a placement year at The Walt Disney Company as a CPGP Contract Management Intern (hence the 'industrial' next to my degree title)
My first-year research project looked at the way game-based learning could be incorporated into Multi-Academy Trusts (aka MATs) to improve the academic attainment and classroom engagement of GCSE-year black students. My Leadership-in-Action project was with MakeSense and focused on empowering minority communities within Mexico City.
I am a fourth year undergraduate pursuing a B.A. in Theoretical Physics in Trinity College Dublin. The research project I am doing is titled "Computational Study of Dipolar Noise in Molecular Spin Qubits". This project is in the field of quantum technologies and in it I aim to investigate quantum decoherence in molecular spin systems through the use of numerical simulations.
My name is Sarah (she/her) and I study Theoretical Physics at Trinity College Dublin. My research project is about lattice stretching and depletion of electrons - I will be simulating several metals on a software called VASP, changing different aspects of their quantum properties with the ultimate aim of making the metals more magnetic. I chose this research topic because I'd really like to learn more about how physics works on the nanoscale, and how we can tailor materials on this level to give them certain properties to suit particular purposes - for example, if the metals in my project can be made more magnetic then they could be used to create longer-lasting and stronger computer hard drives.
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.
I am interested in the fields of mechanobiology, biohybrid prosthetics, biophysics, Jungian psychology, and philosophy.
Recently in association with Laidlaw;
In Cornell University (N.Y, U.S.A.) I worked on curating an art book on biomechanics for charity to raise awareness in this field of science.
And in Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), we worked on developing a microphysiological model of the osteocytic network in the bone that can be used to better understand the (patho)physiology of bone using Direct Laser Writing technology using MLO-Y4 cell culture.
On the side;
In ETH Zürich (Switzerland), I was working on understanding bio-hybrid muscle actuators using C2C12 cell culture by amassing literature review, designing biobot unit, and conducting biocompatibility tests along with growing and differentiating muscle cells for further electrical stimulation.
At DogPatch Labs's Patch (Dublin, Ireland) I was experimenting with creating a start-up company to help amputees get affordable prosthetics.
On the (other) side;
I like to dance, write, and read anything I get my hands on; be it music, poetry, or even shampoo bottles.
Please feel free to contact me here or on LinkedIn for any discussions regarding the aforementioned topics!
Hello, my name is Michael. I'm the programme manager of an environmental NGO in the West of Ireland called Cuan Beo.
My Laidlaw research investigated factors contributing to the transmission of avian influenza to farmed poultry. And I completed my Leadership in Action project with Think Pacific on the Environment & Sustainability programme in Rarabasaga, Fiji. I'm delighted to remain a part of the Laidlaw community and am as excited as ever to get to know many of you! My current research interests are in marine restoration, and community and political engagement.
Trinity College Dublin joined the Laidlaw Network in 2018. The Laidlaw Programme offers undergraduate students at Trinity the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and experience to become active global citizens and future leaders.
Laidlaw Scholars work with an academic supervisor on a self-directed, independent research project and take part in a suite of integrated leadership development activities which culminate in a challenging applied leadership experience. Laidlaw Scholars join a community of learning, driven by curiosity and collaboration, which enables diverse voices to make a meaningful impact.
The Laidlaw Programme at Trinity is open to undergraduates in the second year of a four year programme or the second/third year of a five year undergraduate/integrated masters programme.
Joel was the Laidlaw Programme Coordinator for Trinity (2018 - 2024). In this role he managed leadership development activities, student coaching, programme design, and the day-to-day support of the Laidlaw Scholars. He is currently the Equality Officer (Acting) for Trinity.
Prior to joining the Careers Service, he worked in Trinity's Academic Registry as a Team Manager (Communications and Human Resources) with a focus on developing modern and inclusive support services for students and staff. He has previously worked with Trinity's Office of Global Relations to develop the Global Room and Campus Visit initiatives for international students.
He is a founder and current Co-Chair of Trinity's LGBT+ Staff Network and is committed to Trinity's mission of fostering excellence by empowering accessibility and diversity in higher education. A graduate of Trinity, he holds a B.A. (Mod.) in English Studies, a Special Certificate in Academic Practice, and a nominal Master in Arts (Dubl.) from the university as well as a CIPD Diploma in Learning and Development (CIPD).
Hello! My name is Joe Linogao (he/him), and I am currently a Software Engineer at Akara Robotics and Engineering with Management graduate from Trinity College Dublin. I became a Laidlaw Scholar for TCD on April 2021 with my research proposal, "Automated Procedure for the Microbial Analysis of Contact Plates."
I'll be honest, I just copied and pasted my LSAB bio because I'm lazy to switch the paragraph to first person lol
"Joe is an Engineering with Management graduate from Trinity College Dublin, a Software Engineer at LegitFit and an active board member for the LSAB. His journey from mechanical engineering to full-stack software development highlights his adaptability and passion for technology, with his key interests being the startup and Software-as-a-Service space.
Joe's love for creating simple solutions and fun experiences, video games and music drives his innovative approach. His past experiences include research with the Laidlaw Foundation and working as a computer vision engineer at the leading robotics startup from Trinity, Akara Robotics. An ambitious and fast learner, Joe also enjoys Dungeons and Dragons and has a strong presence in content creation, including music and digital media."