I am a rising sophomore at Harvard college pursuing a double concentration in Computer Science and English. For my research summer I worked at Harvard Kennedy School's Fandom and Social Connection Initiative, investigating how shared sports fandom can be used to mitigate the effects of social isolation. I am interested in the intersection of technology and social connection, and how we can use digital tools to create a more connected society.
Matt DelSesto, PhD, is a sociologist with over ten years of experience in higher education and the nonprofit sector. He works in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships at Harvard, where he manages Harvard's Laidlaw Scholars program. He also, advises students on the risks and ethics of their research in coordination with the IRB, assists with management of URAF research grant applications, review and administration, and contributes to coordination of URAF programming. He is especially interested in working with students on ethically engaging with partners outside of academia to develop collaborative projects, communicating the broader societal implications and results of their research, or connecting research to social impact.
Outside of URAF, Matt has led collaborative research projects, developed community engaged learning programs at universities, consulted with nonprofit organizations on outreach initiatives, taught experiential learning courses on college campuses and in community-based settings, and worked to strengthen public engagement and accountability in city government. Matt’s writing appears in more than a dozen publications in academic journals and other outlets on topics including human relationships to the environment, crime prevention, design for social innovation, and community engaged learning. His book on the sociology of community engagement and applied research, Design and the Social Imagination (Bloomsbury, 2022), describes models for research and practice from the 20th century to the present.
Hi! My name is Evie, and I am a 2025 Laidlaw Scholar from Trinity College Dublin. I am originally from California, but have been living in Ireland full-time for 3 years pursuing a double major in History and Political Science.
For my research project, I’m exploring the emotional and psychological barriers that deter politically interested women from pursuing careers in public service in Ireland. By examining how male and female students respond emotionally to key aspects of political life—such as campaigning, election day, governance, and reelection—I hope to better understand gendered dynamics of political ambition and encourage more inclusive, emotionally aware framing of the political sphere.
I’m excited to connect with fellow scholars and members of the Laidlaw community!
Hey everyone!
My name is Annabella Mack. I'm from Rochester, NY (which is western NY, far from Long Island) and I study at Harvard. I currently work with Anne Takesian's lab at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston.
I'm interested in auditory neuroscience research since it combines my passions of music, Deaf Culture, and neuroscience as a double bassist and a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA).
Outside of research, I'd love to talk about music, crochet, and different cultures with you!
Ellis Schroeder is a student at Harvard from Atlanta, Georgia, passionate about health equity. He is studying anthropology alongside art history, exploring how science and visual culture shape understandings of health, illness, and care.
Before Harvard, he led the nonprofit DermaTeens and various initiatives for skin cancer prevention and health equity across Atlanta, working with city government and public health officials to install IMPACT Melanoma sunscreen dispensers, promote access to preventative healthcare and sun safety, and educate youth on skin health. He advises the first National Skin Cancer Prevention Youth Council, an initiative he founded, and mentors youth across the country on public health community impact projects.
At Harvard, Ellis researches LGBTQ+ population health, eating disorder epidemiology, and medical sociology. Inspired to understand the growing mistrust in healthcare and science in a post-COVID-19 world, as a Laidlaw Scholar, he researches how LGBTQ+ young adults come to trust or distrust healthcare systems, using mixed methods to trace how real experiences shape engagement with care and impact health outcomes. Ellis hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health leadership.