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!
Hi! I am a final year Physics & Astrophysics student in Trinity College Dublin. My research was on radio-astronomy of the Sun with particular interest in predicting potentially disruptive solar weather and my LIA was Science Outreach with the World Science Festival in New York.
Apart from physics I'm interested in running, rugby, card games and snowsports. I enjoy being outside, exercising, film/TV and reading. I am particularly interested in connecting with students from around the globe and broadening my horizons!
Please feel free to contact me if you're interested in astrophysics, science outreach or have any questions about my time during Laidlaw and my other experiences!
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.
Finn Kelly McHugh
Botany Student | Community Leader in Biodiversity Action, Trinity College Dublin
The intersection of social issues and nature is what inspires me. Throughout my work, my aim is creating a world where people and nature live in a reciprocal and harmonious relationship. I love spending my time getting to know how to best serve the interests of communities. I want to empower people to create the changes they want to see in their local area, and help communities radically transform local nature and biodiversity around the world.
Hi everyone!
My name is Zoe (she/her). I am from Co.Louth, Ireland. I'm in my fourth year studying Medicine at Trinity College Dublin.
My Laidlaw research project is about exploiting the relationship between LPS and capsule for therapeutic benefit against E.coli UTI in sepsis. Sepsis has a mortality rate of 1 in 5 and the majority of sepsis infections originate in the urinary tract (from UTIs). I hope with this research to expand the available therapies for sepsis infections derived from UTIs.
In my free time, I like to run, play gaelic football, and I also volunteer with Streetdoctors and Dublin Homeless Awareness. This year I am also the Chairperson of Trinity Med Day, a charity that aims to raise money for projects across our teaching hospitals.
One thing about me that surprises people is that I'm slightly married to my Google calendar.
I'd love to connect with someone who is doing research in similar areas and is open to a collaboration! But also I'd love to connect with anyone and am so excited to meet new people! :)
Hello! I recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology Research from the University of Toronto. I’m passionate about youth mental health and how humour can be used to support resilience after adversity.
My Summer 1 research project explored the relationship between childhood adversity, aggression, and self-regulation — deepening my understanding of the psychological impacts of early trauma.
In Summer 2, I led a Leadership-in-Action project at SOS Children’s Villages in Cape Town, where I designed and facilitated a comedy-based mental health program for teens.
That experience led me to found HaHaHelps — an organization that uses improv comedy to support youth mental health through accessible, community-led workshops. I'm currently piloting the full program in South Africa, with plans to expand to more communities globally.
Please feel free to connect :)
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/younessrobert-tahiri
Email: youness@hahahelps.org
Hello! I'm Eavan, a final-year undergraduate student at Trinity College Dublin studying English and Linguistics. In Summer 1, I researched ideas of linguistic ethnogenesis. I investigated how anti-immigrant rhetoric is constructed on false beliefs of historical monolingualism that harmfully 'other' ethnic groups who don't fit within a certain idea of nationhood. In Summer 2, I worked to promote conservation education with the Kasiisi Project on my LiA in Uganda.
Laidlaw Scholar 2024/2025
Geography and Geoscience Student at Trinity College Dublin
Research Project Title:
Investigating how trace concentrations of fluorine impact the growth of the most important carbonate biomineral, calcite.
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.
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!
Hello! My name is Elliot and I'm a undergraduate at Cornell University studying Environmental Engineering. I'm interested in how we can apply engineered solutions to make agriculture more sustainable. My research focuses on the circular bionutrient economy which in essence is about finding solutions to some of the worlds biggest problems by identifying interconnected problems.
In my free time I love playing rugby, reading, learning languages (I'm learning Mandarin and Spanish), creative writing, and cooking.
Hey! My name is Jemma and I am a 4th year business student at Trinity College Dublin. Throughout my studies so far I have found an interest in business sustainability and the ethical considerations in business practice. The balance between government intervention and business leadership in the strive for a sustainable future is one that fascinates me.
My research project is focused on the environmental and social certifications available in the sustainable fashion industry and how these can be improved to consider the accessibility of the industry. After all, every person, regardless of budget wears clothes and should have access to information detailing the impact of their purchases.
I grew up in Bahrain and Singapore where I studied at UWCSEA before moving home to Northern Ireland. I love going on sea swims and walks with friends, I have recently picked up running like the rest of the world and I love food and cooking. A side interest of mine is looking into the impacts of the food industry on public health and the environment. My favourite podcasts are A Diary of a CEO and the Huberman Lab podcast, my music taste is all over the place, I like a bit of everything.