Hello! My name is Mabinty. I'm a second year student studying French and Spanish at the University of Leeds. I'm currently a Laidlaw Scholar, part of the 2026 cohort. I'm from Croydon but grew up in the Netherlands for some years. At the moment, I'm at the end of my second year and preparing for my research programme in Listening to Feminist Art Histories: Researching and Sharing Voices from the FAMH Oral History Archive with Dr Elspeth Mitchell.  I'm passionate about storytelling, whether it be through the medium of fictional tv shows and the cinematographic wonders of film or through the art of an honest and direct meditation and reflection of a life within a documentary. Additionally, I'm a passionate advocate of equity within the arts, media and education. I also like to focus a lot of my academic pursuits and studies around learning about the experiences of marginalised groups within society. I'm beyond excited to take part in the programme and see how it can develop me as a storyteller within the world!

I am an undergraduate Laidlaw scholar from the University of St Andrews in Scotland currently conducting my research project. My research focuses on Chinese environmental policy. 

Hello! I'm Sonia, a student of Political Science and Economics at Trinity College Dublin. I'm also a 2026 Laidlaw Scholar. In research and in real life, my main interest is how the traumas of the past affect the wellbeing of people in the present. War, structural discrimination and communal violence rarely conclude at appointed historical end dates, but persist in the daily realities of communities for decades. The impacts are often invisible and difficult to quantify, such as chronic stress, sectarianism and complex national identity. My Summer 1 research examines the modern-day impacts of Ireland's revolutionary past. In the 1920s, over 275 Irish country houses were burned in conflicts over land, religion, class and politics. I will interview members of the tight-knit rural communities where the burnings occurred. My objective is to understand how that legacy of violence impacts people's sense of belonging. I hope to connect with fellow Scholars and alumni. Especially if you have an interest in conflict, peacebuilding or memory politics, get in touch!

I'm entering my second year at HKU this fall. It wasn't until now that I have somewhat solidified my interests to be at the intersection of Sustainability, Conservation, and Urban Planning of Asian Cities. Before joining uni, I took over three gap years working around the world and reflecting on my many identities. My work has spanned across Edtech, Heritage Conservation, Food Security, Nature Conservation, Policy Analysis, and Social Impact Sectors across the Global South. Beyond my work and research, I love to listen to music produced during from the 60s to 80s in anywhere around the world. I also love doing crafts as it notoriously saves me from supposed doomscrolling on Instagram. Also, I am secretly considering to debut as a private chef someday... who knows!?

Hi, my name is Carys Williams and I am a first year student studying Medicine at the University of Cambridge. My interests mainly lie in public health, preventive medicine and infectious diseases, however I find all aspects of clinical and community healthcare interesting. I am interested in potential research into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and other pressing global issues, and seeing how we can ensure access to appropriate healthcare systemically by reducing inequalities. This summer I am completing my Leadership in Action project with a charity in Cambridge dedicated to helping children and families facing hardship. The charity hopes to expand to a new under-resourced region in Cambridge and I will be evaluating the current services available for children, and where the charity can create the most long standing impact. The project is focussed on preventative measures to ensure children can live happier and healthier lives by reducing barriers they may face.

Dia dhuit! My name is Seán Radcliffe and I am an Economics and Mathematics student at Trinity College Dublin. Outside of my studies, I am a political campaigner, pro-Palestine activist, and the Housing Rights Officer of my student union. I love to sing, travel, and have a laugh! This summer, under the academic supervision of Trinity Fellow and Associate Professor Dr. Davide Romelli, I will be conducting research at Trinity College Dublin on the effects of economic conditions, shocks, and crises on cocaine-related harm and deaths in Ireland between 2004 and 2024; "Reading Between the White Lines: An Investigation into Cocaine-Related Harm in Ireland During Periods of Economic Change and Crisis, 2004-2024." Using lagged regression models, statistical analysis, and interviews with experts, policymakers, and activists, my project aims to challenge damaging assumptions around drug addiction and harm in Ireland, particularly narratives that simplistically link economic growth and employment with reduced harm. Grateful for this opportunity and excited for what lies ahead.

Hello! My name is Anna Halvey, and I am an undergraduate student of Philosophy, Political Science, Economics and Sociology (PPES) at Trinity College Dublin and a member of the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholars 2026 cohort. I am broadly interested in political behaviour, public discourse, and the ways technology shapes how we understand and engage with the world. As such, my summer research project, Delegated Citizenship in the New Public Sphere, explores the growing role of social media influencers in shaping political understanding and behaviour in an Irish context. Rather than relying primarily on traditional political institutions or mainstream news media, many citizens now engage with digital intermediaries who frame, simplify, and interpret political information on their behalf. Drawing on survey data and semi-structured interviews, I will examine whether Irish citizens are increasingly outsourcing political judgement to these actors, how this shapes political behaviour, and what implications this may have for the public sphere. In light of ongoing policy debates around democratic protection, the era of misinformation, and the rise of populism and post-truth politics, I believe this is a particularly important moment to study how political understanding is formed in digitally mediated environments. My interests outside academia reflect these themes. I have a history of environmental, gender equality, and mental health activism at a local and national level. I am particularly interested in policy addressing climate (in)justice and the protection of human rights. Beyond this, I love being out in nature, learning about subjects outside my discipline, and trying a different genre of music every week. Feel free to reach out if you have questions, want to discuss research, or simply chat about your niche interests - I would love to hear from you!

Hello! My name is Lochlann, and I am a student at Trinity College Dublin and part of the 2026 cohort of Laidlaw Scholars. My Summer 1 research project focuses on the role of private supplementary tuition (“grinds”) in the academic achievement gap between public and private schools in Ireland. Using quantitative analysis of Irish educational data, I aim to investigate whether access to grinds contributes to differences in examination performance and broader educational inequality. Through this research, my overarching goal is to contribute to conversations surrounding fairness, access to opportunity and educational policy. By examining how socio-economic advantage may shape educational outcomes, I hope to better understand the structures that influence inequality within education systems. If you have any questions or would like to connect, please feel free to reach out!

Hi everyone! My name is Anna and I'm part of the 2026 Laidlaw Scholars cohort at Trinity College Dublin, where I study Mathematics with a minor in Statistics. For my research project, I'll be exploring a question that is becoming more important as AI develops: who is better at predicting the future, humans or algorithms? I'll be comparing forecasts from machine learning models with those from prediction markets, where collective human judgement is turned into live probabilities. After the 2024 US elections, prediction markets rapidly gained attention for correctly predicting the outcome before many traditional forecasts. At the same time, AI is making data-driven forecasting more powerful than ever. Through quantitative analysis, I'm curious to see whether the best predictions come from human insight, algorithmic pattern recognition, or perhaps a combination of both. More broadly, I am interested in using mathematics to better understand and solve real-world problems like this one. I'm especially drawn to the way it combines logic with creativity, allowing us to approach challenges from different angles and develop efficient and innovative solutions. Outside of academics, I'm also a huge music lover, from hip hop and rock to hard techno. For me, a good time almost always involves music, dancing, or both :) Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss research, share music recommendations, or simply chat!

I am the Programme Manager for the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership & Research Programme at Trinity College Dublin. Before joining the Careers and Development Service at Trinity College Dublin, I have been looking after a portfolio of open enrolment short executive education courses at Trinity and have over 10 years of experience in admissions, event coordination and higher education management across Ireland, United Kingdom and Ukraine.

Hi, I'm Itiafa Ayeni, a rising sophomore from Nigeria at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in Qatar. I major in International Politics with minors in Africana Studies and a certificate in Energy Studies. I am also pursuing the French proficiency academic pathway. My academic interests are deeply shaped by my experience growing up in Nigeria and center on Africa’s future, the place of identity, and the advancement of women and girls globally. This summer, I will be researching how “Y2K” Nollywood (the formative period of Nigeria’s film industry spanning the 1990s and early 2000s) influenced the women who contributed to and consumed it, across a representative social circle that includes actresses and women in the diaspora.

Hi! My name is Emma and I'm a second year geography student at Trinity College Dublin. I hope to become a teacher in the future.  I've been involved in activism for about 5 years now and I'm extremely passionate about education and climate change. My research project will analyse how my university engages with class and socioeconomic status, particularly with regards to what it means to come from a working class background. I love to travel, meet new people, play videogames, and go for walks/hikes in nature.

Hey! My name is Leah Carroll, I am a current 2nd year student of English Studies at Trinity College Dublin and a member of the 2026 Laidlaw Leadership & Research Scholars cohort. After an unconventional path as an early school-leaver, I found my way to higher education through the Trinity Access Programme’s Foundation Course for Young Adults to pursue my lifelong passion for literature. While curious for all facets of the field, I have keen interest in women’s issues and feminist theory.    My research project, entitled ‘"Girls Who Say Nothing and Wear Black": Women of the Beat Generation’, aims to address an important critical gap by examining the continued marginalisation of women Beat poets despite their acknowledged literary and cultural influence. The study aims to contribute a more equitable understanding of the Beat generation as well as a broader appreciation of their influence outside the United States with particular reference to their importance to contemporary Irish women’s poetry.   Outside my studies and research, I love writing both prose and poetry, working on my own creative projects, going hiking with friends, and indulging in sports such as horse-riding and figure skating.  Please feel free to reach out and connect!

Hello! I'm Crystal, a current third year medical student from Trinity College Dublin, and originally from Yangon, Myanmar. I think physicians are in a unique position where they are entrusted by patients, understand firsthand the shortcomings in patient care, and possess the biomedical knowledge and skills needed to drive meaningful change, placing them at the forefront of cutting-edge research that can directly benefit patient care. I would love to be a physician-scientist one day who can bridge scientific discovery with clinical practice.  My research explores the effects of smoking on innate immunity and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). I am fortunate to be part of a great research lab that allows me to explore my own ideas, design my own experiments, and, most importantly, keep moving forward when things do not go as planned!  I also love cooking and baking -- I am always thinking of what I should have for my next meal! 

I'm an incoming 3rd year Law and German student in Trinity College Dublin.   My research centres on how the criminal justice systems responds to abused women who kill their abusive partners.  The defences to a charge of killing are usually provocation, self-defence, and diminished responsibility/insanity.  However, feminist legal theorists argue that these defences arise out of a typical male rather than female experience.  Victims of domestic abuse who kill typically lack an obvious imminent threat of violence, which is required to use the legal defences, and instead are responding to a cycle of violent behaviour. I want to understand how these women are treated in criminal justice systems, and how we can improve the law in this area. I am passionate about improving equality and fair treatment in the legal system, as well as gender studies and criminology.  I would love to get in touch if you are interested in any of these areas!

I’m a Speech and Language Therapy student at Trinity College Dublin and a member of the 2026 Laidlaw Scholars cohort. I returned to education as a mature student and single parent after experiencing firsthand the impact that Speech and Language Therapists can have on people’s lives, which inspired me to pursue the profession myself. My research interests focus on socioeconomic inequality, access to education, inclusion, and student belonging within higher education. Through the Laidlaw Programme, I’m exploring how historically elite institutions such as Trinity engage with class and socioeconomic diversity, and how universities can move beyond widening access towards creating genuinely inclusive environments for students from all backgrounds. Alongside my studies, I’m involved in student representation work as the TAP representative on the Students’ Union Equality and Welfare Committee, where I advocate for equity and inclusion within university life. Outside of academia, I’m also a DJ with a love for garage and jungle music, and a very dedicated bird mother 🐥