I am Sampada Wagle, a mathematics major from Tufts University, all the way from Nepal. My interests span in topology and quantum information science. However, as I have lived throughout these years, I feel a strong sense of civic responsibility of mine, no matter what I choose to study, to understand the political landscape of my country and the whole world in general. I believe that to not care about politics is a privilege--a privilege only few enjoy, thus, I envision to use my knowledge in Math to aid different ways of how youth view politics and quantize qualitative data to best represent political leanings, ideologies and other metrics.
Coming from Kathmandu, a place where political unrest and daily turmoil and riots emerged with a little to no streamlined understanding and advocacy from youth, I want to use the platform I have to freely examine and communicate policies and history from a mathematical standpoint--something I deeply adore! Outside of academic life, I enjoy reading Camus, wandering through scenic routes with a cup of coffee, and writing existential literature that reflects my ongoing attempts to understand solitude, identity, meaning and human existence. If you'd like to explore this side of me, feel free to visit my blog: Oblivion!
I love and adore many little things that wouldn't be possible to list here, but I deeply value connections and conversations where I can know about different stories, experiences and lives of people, expanding what humanity means to me, and learning something new about the world and myself every day!
Hello! I’m Zoe, I am a junior at Tufts University studying both Political Science and History with an American concentration. Originally from New York City , I’m passionate about using research and policy to address complex issues at the intersection of political campaigning, elitism, and relationship to voter turnout.
As a Laidlaw Scholar, I’ve focused my research on the history of presidential campaigning, and how it has shaped patterns of voter turnout. This summer, I am conducting a literature review and initial fieldwork exploring the presidential campaigns of three different presidents, and how they interacted with their voters differently based on their campaign strategies. I am aiming to investigate what they ultimately reveal about the voter politician relationship in America.
Outside of research, I’m active in Tufts Mock Trial, and deeply committed to public service. I aspire to become a litigation attorney and am particularly motivated by questions of equity, representation, and justice. In my free time, I enjoy reading, baking and running my radio show - tune in on WMFO 91.5! .
I am really excited to be apart of the Laidlaw community, if you’d like to connect, share ideas, or chat about Laidlaw, feel free to reach out to me at zrenaz01@tufts.edu. I’d love to hear from you!
My name is Roxanne Oh and I'm an incoming junior at Tufts University. I am a Biopsychology major on the pre-med track.
International Relations and Art History student at Tufts University, passionate about the intersection of law and art. I would love to connect, please feel free to reach out!
Youness Robert-Tahiri
Founder, HaHaHelps & MSocSci Psychology Candidate, University of Cape Town
Hello! I’m a psychology researcher and the founder of HaHaHelps, a comedy-based psychosocial programme designed to support young people in residential care.
I am currently completing an MSocSci in Psychology at the University of Cape Town, where my dissertation examines the feasibility of HaHaHelps with adolescents in South African child and youth care centres. My broader interests include youth mental health, psychosocial intervention development, implementation, participatory approaches, and the use of humour and play to support connection, emotional expression, self-efficacy, and coping with uncertainty.
HaHaHelps grew out of my Laidlaw Leadership-in-Action project at SOS Children’s Villages in Cape Town, where I designed and facilitated an improv-comedy programme for adolescents. Since then, I have continued developing and delivering the programme with young people in residential care and am now studying how it can be refined, evaluated, and ultimately adapted for use in other communities and settings.
Before this, my Laidlaw research at the University of Toronto examined relationships between childhood adversity, aggression, and self-regulation.
I’d love to connect with other Laidlaw Scholars and alumni interested in youth mental health, social impact, intervention development, social entrepreneurship, or simply finding creative ways to turn research into something useful in the world.
Hi! I'm Alexa -- nice to e-meet you. I am a current fourth year student at Tufts University studying Biopsychology. In my first summer, I conducted a preliminary data analysis on chimpanzee behavior. After taking a pause last summer to complete classes for my major, I am excited to be back with the program. I love chatting about anything and everything, from the history of ice ages to the evolution of art! I'm super inspired by everyone's projects and thoughtful insight, and I look forward to connecting!