Hey! I’m Samuel Kamalendran, a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto (Mississauga), where I major in Political Science and minor in English and Classics. My research project is titled “In the Valley of the Shadow of Death: Evaluating the Protection Afforded to Vulnerable Canadians by Bill C-7” and will explore whether Canada’s assisted-dying legal framework sufficiently protects the disabled, mentally ill, and those in poverty. I was first introduced to this topic through a term research paper in a Canadian Political Science course, and quickly became very engaged in the subject. What truly stood out to me about this subject was the intellectual conflict underpinning the debate about the Bill’s provisions. I was fascinated by the justifications both sides offered—all of which contained some measure of truth—and the simultaneous inability of scholars to come to a clear consensus. I was also very drawn to the real-life stories of individuals who interacted with MAiD—every one of which spoke directly to the implications of any law that intersected law, medicine, and the ethics of self-autonomy. Furthermore, as an aspiring legal professional, I am especially interested in diving into the legal and parliamentary cases that drove the development of assisted-dying forward, and performing a comparative analysis of international jurisdictions to decipher key lessons which can answer questions about the effectiveness of MAiD frameworks. In my free time, I enjoy working out, creating music on the piano and drums, and exploring local rivers, lakes, and trails with my brothers. I’m also active in journalism at my university, interested in AI and business, and passionate about serving my peers through my work with my school’s International Centre and my upcoming roles on various committees and boards. I’m sincerely looking forward to learning more about you all and your research projects! I would love to connect with y’all via LinkedIn, email (at samuel.kamalendran@mail.utoronto.ca), and/or through the Scholars network. I hope everyone has a fun, relaxing, and productive summer! :)

Hey! It's so nice to connect with you. I'm a Business Management with Marketing Student at the University of Leeds and in the 2025/2026 Laidlaw Scholar Network. My research project is 'Exploring Student Perceptions and Experiences of Experiential Learning at the University of Leeds', and I'm so excited to be a part of this programme! I'm extremely passionate about leadership, creative problem-solving and driving impact through everything I do. Alongside my studies, I'm a highly productive individual who balances multiple part-time jobs such as being a Marketing Executive, Podcast Director for Women in Leadership Society and a Social Sciences Student Ambassador. I also love creating content around personal growth, student life and career development and utilise my platform (on TikTok and Youtube) to connect, inspire and share value. As an extrovert, I love spreading positivity both in person and online and look forward to getting to know you!

Hello wonderful people :D My name is Deep and I am a first-year undergraduate studying Biology at Pembroke College, the University of Oxford.  I am also proud to be part of the 2025-2026 Laidlaw Scholars Cohort at the Oxford SDG Impact Lab! I'm excited to learn about and get experience in using biology to create a meaningful impact in the world, particularly in the fields of conservation, climate change, ecology and sustainability.  I am also passionate about learning science and student empowerment! I hope to help build a world in which every child and student has the resources, support, guidance and opportunities to dream big; turn their dreams into goals; and turn their goals into reality. I hope to help build a world that is brighter, kinder and more loving, in which more people reach their full, golden glowing potential.  So far in my leadership journey, I have been creating meaningful impact on a small scale, through volunteering as a tutor and at my high school's pupil support centre; my current role as a student mentor at Biology By Clare; and more recently starting an online academic empowerment project! Over the years, I have become fascinated with ways we could empower more students using larger-scale initiatives, at the levels of education policy, charities and other organisations. Hence, I am very excited about my Laidlaw research project!  For my research project, I am going to be working in a group with some of my Laidlaw Scholar friends at the Oxford SDG Impact Lab. We are going to be researching how we can use co-curricular programmes to improve student well-being and educational outcomes, particularly with the hope of helping solve educational inequity in Oxfordshire.  Outside of Biology and academic empowerment, I love English Literature; Drama, Theatre and Film (I'm currently obsessed with the Wicked!). I am also a big Taylor Swift fan :)  Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, want to work on a meaningful project together, or just want to have a good conversation :) (I prefer email or Instagram)  I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and for being part of this incredible global community. Wishing and sending everyone here so much joy, light and happiness! I'm rooting for you! Here is a link to my YouTube channel by the way, in case you want to check it out :D  A link to my YouTube channel, in case you want to check it out :D A link to my empowerment Instagram channel A link to my personal Instagram account My email: deep.thakkar.world@gmail.com

Hello! I am Major Richmond, and I enjoy spending time with friends, playing tennis, and visiting the best theme parks in the country. I am a PROUD Blue Devil and a member of Duke University's Class of 2028! I intend to pursue a degree in Public Policy Analysis and explore Environmental Science and Spanish💙😈 In general, The United States is in an unprecedented state of division, specifically in the political realm. The US democratic system has turned into a battle arena full of uncertainty, hatred, and various bad decisions. For my life goal, I have sworn to put a halt to this crippling division and start to put compromise over stubbornness. The best current policy solutions arise when democrats, republicans, conservatives, liberals, and independents unite to create change TOGETHER, rather than separate. As an aspiring politician, I plan to end division for the country's benefit.

I study Politics and Peace, Conflict, and Justice at the University of Toronto! I'm researching historical maritime delimitation disputes between Canada and the United States.  I grew up between Singapore and Vancouver, which has undoubtedly influenced my current interest in global affairs and international relations. I love travelling (I'm hoping to travel to Morocco next), tennis (playing and watching), and reading. 

Hi, I'm Natashia, it's nice to meet you! ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚ I'm an incoming third-year student at the University of Toronto double majoring in English and Psychology. As my majors might suggest, my passions lie in using literature as a means of moral and political education, and how literature might shape the development of children! For my research summer, I'm investigating how Indonesian parents censor literature for their children. Through my research, I hope to discover the factors that go into such censorship, the psychological and developmental impacts of censorship, and how we can create a culturally-relevant recommendation for censorship of children's literature. Outside of research and studying, I spend most of my time watching anime (current favorite is Frieren!), lifting weights, and reading cozy fantasy! ૮ ․ ․ ྀིა If anyone wants to chat, collaborate, or ask any questions I may be able to answer, I would be more than happy to oblige! You can email me at natashia.septirymen@mail.utoronto.ca ♡

Hello :) My name is Ella, a second-year student at the University of Toronto! My research looks at how Chinese slash fiction is used by women to reflect real-life struggles and promote feminist awareness. I focus on why this genre—centered on queer male relationships—is chosen to express female experiences, and how censorship and cultural factors in China influence that decision. In the past, I have researched how coming-of-age narratives are portrayed in Western slash fiction. Outside of academia, I love to snowboard (in the winter) and ride my electric unicycle (in the summer). My favourite pastime is trying new foods and drinks while (sometimes) discussing how certain aspects of fanfiction reflect social justice issues. My (more normal) hobbies include reading—anything except mysteries—with a focus on Asian North American stories, listening to pop and classical music, and playing badminton. I will be studying English and East Asian Studies over the next three years!