Hello! I am a multidisciplinary designer and have been with the Laidlaw Foundation for over five years, working to strengthen our global Scholar community and amplify the impact of our programmes.
My work lives somewhere between design, education, and anthropology, usually with sticky notes involved. I studied Human Sciences as an undergrad and am currently doing a Master’s in Anthropology at UCL. Degrees I struggle to explain at parties.
Born and raised in Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 Outside of work? Probably in the ceramics studio, wandering aimlessly with a podcast in my ears, attempting a handstand, or watching far too much TV. Big fan of nature and very small bugs.
I am the founder of buddhistphilosophy.co.uk where I currently host podcasts with expert guests in Buddhist philosophical practice and theory. With this project, I am to contribute toward correcting the entrenched Eurocentric bias in philosophy by creating an inclusive space for learning about Buddhist philosophy.
As a Laidlaw Scholar, I have researched on researched philosophy of time, Buddhist philosophy, and philosophy of language. My research output includes a paper entitled Meaning in Gibberish (forthcoming in Aporia). I have presented this paper and discussed related issues in talks and workshops at the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh.
Language learning holds a high in priority in my studies and research. I have studied some Pali (OCBS levels 1 and 2) and I read French fluently.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any interest in the following: Buddhism, Buddhist philosophy, Ambedkar studies, women and Buddhist philosophy, cross-cultural philosophy, critical theory, French philosophy, Laruelle’s non-philosophy, non-Buddhism, philosophy of nonsense, philosophy of death.
I am a passionate and enterprising individual about to start her Honours career in Art History at the University of St. Andrews. My main interests are art, literature and public affairs, which I am trying to pursue both at university and in my research "Artistic translations of Dante's Inferno". I am deeply committed to connect my own Italian educational background with the experiences I am making abroad, as it emerges also from my research topic: I advocate for a better understanding of my culture but also a wider integration in a globalised academic environment. I am always looking for opportunities in the art world, with focus on the art market and investment sector, and I am also open to any kind of entrepreneurial programme for young women, since I see my faculty of choice as just a starting point for my future career, rather than a closed sector.
I'm originally from Boston, Massachusetts and currently studying International Relations and Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews.
Graduate in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Durham University. Have conducted research on climate security in the Israeli-Palestinian context. Experience in public speaking in an academic context, journalism, and journalistic editing.
I am passionate about literature and foreign languages. I love creative writing and hope to pursue a career in an artistic field. A lot of my research involved finding out about the horrific military dictatorships in Argentina and Uruguay towards the end of the 20th century. For this reason, I have become really interested in the notion of emotional trauma, how it can leave invisible scars on a population, and how it can haunt a nation. I'm also a huge fan of podcasts and hope to start my own one day! I'm in love with The Poetry Exchange podcast and the BBC Arts and Ideas!
Hello, it's very nice to have you on my profile! I'm Lucy, a Laidlaw Alumna from the University of Oxford. I had the pleasure to join the Laidlaw Scholars network upon the completion of my research project into increasing crop yield through biotechnology and genetic modification. I am passionate about using the innovative potential of science and technology to address some of the greatest issues that the humanity is facing such as food security and climate change. I look forward to connecting with fellow Laidlaw Scholars who believe that it's time to take action and bridge the science-society gap!
Hello! I am a penultimate year French and Politics student at the University of Leeds with the drive and tenacity to effect positive change on a global scale. My research focuses on identifying West African resistance fighters in the Second World War. I have also developed a keen interest in the Francophone world, French philosophy and Post-colonial Feminist security studies.
I am a PhD researcher in Global Health at University College London. I am also a qualified pharmacist (MPharm and BSc Pharm) with an MSc degree in sociology. My research interests include global health, health inequity, health policy, politics and systems and gender. More details are available here.
I’m a proud care-experienced Neuroscientist. My research focuses on how serotonin and psychedelics shape neuroplasticity in brain regions greatly affected by early-life adversity. In my experiments, I measure how well brain cells can talk to each other during natural serotonin release and following the administration of classic psychedelics (e.g., magic mushrooms). Care-experienced young people represent one of the largest untapped STEM talent pools in the UK. They have all the potential required to succeed and yet, they are still eight times less likely to enrol in university and choose a STEM subject. Care-experienced young people don’t lack talent, they lack the opportunities to unlock it. In my early 20s, I migrated to the UK in search of a brighter future, when I still couldn't speak the language. During my time in care, I struggled at school and didn’t do well academically. But the Foundation Programme at Durham University gave me the chance to catch up and build the confidence I needed. Four years later, I graduated at Durham as the top student in my cohort - with an average mark of over 80%. Only when potential meets opportunity talent can thrive. Driven by this belief, I founded WISHFULICIOUS to give children in care and care-experienced young people the opportunity to see that STEM isn’t just for “someone else” - it’s for them too. To start-up this initiative, I’ve baked and sold cookies, run a small online fundraising campaign, and am now part of the The CareLeaders Fellowship where I’m working to lay the foundation for delivering our first STEM programme. If you share this mission or simply want to help open doors for care-experienced people, I’d love to connect and hear from you!
Hello! I'm Emma, a 2017 Undergraduate Leadership & Research Programme alumna and one of the Founding Co-Presidents of the Laidlaw Alumni Society.
My 2017 Undergraduate Research project focused on UK legislation which requires certain organisations to publish an annual statement about the efforts they are making to stop modern slavery in their supply chains. In particular, I looked at whether this legislation was really making a difference in the fight against modern slavery in supply chains. At the time, I concluded that the legislation was largely ineffective - however, you'll be pleased to know that, just a few years later, topics such as modern slavery in supply chains have risen much further up the corporate agenda (for various reasons largely unrelated to the UK legislation).
These days, I work as a lawyer. For the first few years of my career, I advised corporate clients on ESG disputes and regulation (including matters relating to modern slavery statements!).
I am about to start a new, exciting chapter of my legal career, working to develop two nuclear projects which will help the UK to achieve net zero by 2050 and ensure that its energy supply is secure.
I have spent the last 10 years working on the concept of mental fitness, as counter to the old stigmatized concept of mental health. I am hugely interested in how people can develop resilience and endurance. This has led me to studying applied psychology. My Laidlaw scholarship research project has been looking into the effects of emotion on the performance of Ultramarathon runners at distances of both 60 miles and 110 miles. This is the first sports psychology study that has attempted to measure this actually within-race rather than just pre and post race.
Since suffering a nervous breakdown in 2009, and finally admitting to himself his own mental health and alcohol problems. A period of his life that is now looked upon as the positive beginning of a new chapter. Paul has gone on to build an awarding social enterprise BCT Aspire CIC, completed numerous high-profile endurance challenges and applied his learning to helping others and now supporting his academic journey as a mature student.
BCT Aspire CIC has over the last decade delivered thousands of successful youth sessions and activity programmes for local children & young people on Teesside. Currently BCT Aspire delivers five youth sessions every week in Billingham including; Youth clubs, fitness sessions, music lessons, Duke of Edinburgh Awards and community events all with a voluntary team.
A former talented Rugby player who represented England North at his peak, Paul’s attempt to get to grips with his problems led him to begin walking. This resulted in a 3000 miles adventure spanning the length of Europe, from the Southern Tip of Italy to the edge of the Orkney Islands, also passing through France, England & Scotland. All completed without support and relying on the human kindness of strangers. This has been followed up by running single stage ultramarathons up to 160 miles and last year completed the Wainwrights Coast to Coast completely barefoot to raise funds for his work and supporting his belief in positive thinking.
Paul’s first two EBooks from the “Jumping the Cliff” series have topped the Amazon EBook charts for both Depression, Anxiety & Mental Health sections, with his next book from his six-week journey across Italy now out in paperback.
Paul started his speaking career talking to pupils at a school with children who had behavioural problems, a place where Paul gained the courage to talk about his own way of trying to reset his own learnt behaviours. Since then he has given talks to a cross section of people including business people, professional sportsmen, youth groups, colleges & universities. Paul has also won numerous Business & Community Awards for his diverse range of work including; Entrepreneurs Forum Emerging Talent 2012; Evening Gazette’s Community Champion for Children & Young People 2012; Gazette Community Awards Finalist twice (Ambassador & Fundraising), Teesside Philanthropic Charity – Teesside Hero
Paul is a qualified outdoor leader with BCT Aspire CIC who enjoys sharing these skills with people aiming to build confidence and also relaxing on the hills with his dog Molly and now his young son Pavel. Paul currently mixes his role as Managing Director of BCT Aspire, with speaking work, and studying applied psychology at Durham University. This also includes holding a prestigious Laidlaw scholarship for emerging global research talent, currently researching the mental approaches of endurance athletes. Furthermore, a trustee of Catalyst Stockton on Tees the VCSE infrastructure body for the area.
Since 2015, I have been passionate about ending poverty in the UK. I began my journey as a campaigner against poverty in my local area with Poverty Ends Now, a young person lead group ran by Children North East. Since then, I have represented the UK in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and other positions of influence with poverty as my main focus point. My Laidlaw Scholarship research project is all about the relationship between language, meaning and poverty. By understanding and changing unhelpful public discourse about poverty, we can start to shift power.
Final-year Durham student studying Politics; President of Durham Laidlaw Scholars' Organisation; Incoming ESRC-funded MA-PhD student in NINE DTP. My research so far has covered ideological identity in left-wing student activism, examining the interplay of social movement theory and the philosophy of identity, and my general research interests include citizenship education, democratic theory and the occasional bit of political anthropology. Outside of my studies it's mainly twentieth-century literature, cocktails and cooking!
Trinity College Dublin joined the Laidlaw Network in 2018. The Laidlaw Programme offers undergraduate students at Trinity the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and experience to become active global citizens and future leaders.
Laidlaw Scholars work with an academic supervisor on a self-directed, independent research project and take part in a suite of integrated leadership development activities which culminate in a challenging applied leadership experience. Laidlaw Scholars join a community of learning, driven by curiosity and collaboration, which enables diverse voices to make a meaningful impact.
The Laidlaw Programme at Trinity is open to undergraduates in the second year of a four year programme or the second/third year of a five year undergraduate/integrated masters programme.
London Business School (LBS) was established in 1964 to improve management abilities by ‘equipping men and women to take decisions more quickly, more confidently, and with a better chance of proving right in the unpredictable conditions of business life.’ Our commitment to women is embedded within our foundation. Over the last 55 years it has become a central part of our identity, and it is now more important than ever.
The Laidlaw Scholars Programme has been made available to HKU students (HKU Laidlaw Scholars) in 2019 by the generous funding support from Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay. As a prestigious scholarship programme embedded at the Universities of Leeds, Oxford, UCL, York, to name just a few, the Laidlaw Programme equips students with research and leadership skills to help them pursue their academic and professional aspirations beyond their current course of study.
Columbia University is delighted to offer two Laidlaw programmes to its students. The first is the Research and Leadership programme given by Columbia College to first year undergraduate students to allow them to get involved in the university’s research, working with academic staff on questions of global significance. The second is the Lord Irvine A.S. Laidlaw ’65 Scholarship at Columbia Business School, which provides crucial financial assistance to full-time female MBA students each year, giving them access to an unparalleled business education and network. To date, over 300 exceptional women have received Laidlaw Scholarships.
This prestigious programme at UCL makes available 25 generous bursaries as part of its package of training and research opportunities. The Laidlaw Research and Leadership Programme aims to create the leaders of the future. It is open to ambitious high-performing first year undergraduate students in any discipline who have a desire to undertake research at a high level.