A student at the University of St Andrews studying Modern History and Art History, my research project was interested in the history of cultural heritage policy and its relationship with conflicts in Latin America. My LiA project is taking place in Lima, Peru with Make_Sense, working to empower indigenous communities through reclaiming the power of culture by promoting the Quechua language. My broader academic interests include modern art beyond the west, comparative approaches to histories of empire, and the creation of national identities. I enjoy outdoor pursuits like hiking and skiing, and love to drink tea and have a chat about just about anything! Please feel free to reach out to discuss anything, research-related or otherwise!

Hi! I’m Poline, an engineering undergrad at the University of Cambridge. I am passionate about semiconductors and turning cars into sun-powered wonders. To do this, I’m exploring flexible perovskite solar cells that get attached to the curves of car roofs—think solar panels that bend instead of break! By tweaking their chemistry, we keep them efficient even when bent 🚗🌞

Hello! I'm Noura, a University of St Andrews student heading into third year. I study International Relations and Modern History, and I particularly am interested in migrant rights and decolonial histories. My project aims to examine the experiences of children in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, pinpointing the uniqueness of those experiences and utilizing both data and autobiographies of enslaved people in order to come to new conclusions regarding our understandings of the slave trade.  Outside of my studies and project I love the outdoors, baking/cooking for my friends, art in all forms, and cultural exploration!  If you want to chat send me a message! I would love to connect with you about your project or interests, or if you have any knowledge that could contribute to my work!

Hi! My name is Kamala Karuppiah, and I am a rising third-year student at Cornell University. I am very excited and honored to be a part of the Laidlaw Scholars Network! I am majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations and minoring in Global Health and Health Equity. I hope to pursue law school after my undergraduate career! I am interested in employment law and healthcare law.  In my free time, I love to dance, write poetry, and draw.

Hello! I'm from Edinburgh, and am currently a fifth-year undergraduate student studying Astrophysics at the University of St Andrews. I'm interested in almost all of astronomy and astrophysics, particularly on a computational side (handling and analysing observational data, and simulations). Away from academics, I enjoy playing a variety of sports, exploring the Scottish hills, and am a keen musician. My research project in summer 2023 focused on mapping a region of the sky known to be star-forming, around the Monoceros constellation, with the hope of using analytical techniques to attempt to find new star clusters. My LiA in summer 2024 was with the Timothy Smith Network in Boston, Massachusetts, teaching coding and microelectronics as part of the Elevating Agriculture Technology (EAT) course.

Hi, I'm Ele, a University of St Andrews Scholar. Primarily, my studies are in psychology but I am undertaking research in biochemistry and biophotonics. The aim of my project is to understand the effect of alpha-synuclein aggregates on astrocyte Calcium signaling in neurodegeneration (more precisely Parkinson's disease). This research has not been conducted before and the aim is to understand astrocytic calcium waves with the hopes of finding an aid to therapeutic targets for Parkinson's. My future research and ambitious lie in clinical and forensic psychology as well as gender psychology. I am also a mental health advocate and I am extremely passionate about raising awareness about mental illness.  Outside of my academic pursuits I enjoy music (especially drums), writing, any and all forms of art, being with my family and friends. and most of all traveling. I am also a die hard football fan and avid watcher.  I also love most things to do with Spanish and Latin American cultures as I am from Madrid myself. If you would like to chat about practically anything, I would be very excited if you sent me a message! I would love to connect and understand your project and personal interests! Have a great day!

Hi there! My name is Finn Smyth and I am a final year student in Modern History at the University of St Andrews. For the Laidlaw programme my research focused on how Left political organisations across Scotland have performed, organizationally and ideologically, since devolution. I am also interested in modern political economy, and the emergence of modern political communications strategies and how they have been used in political campaigns since the 1980s.  My dissertation this year focuses on the modernisation of the Labour Party in the 1980s, and among recent projects I have been awarded grant funding to research the rise of populism in Europe alongside colleagues at Charles University, Prague.  

Hello everyone! I'm Sarah (she/her) and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student in Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. I am particularly interested in the applications of philosophy to social and political issues, and how we can use philosophical arguments to inform policy decisions. As such, my research project concerned the appropriateness of belief and doubt in cases of sexual assault and the implications for university and legal policy. For my Leadership-in-Action, I conducted an evaluation of a sexual violence prevention education programme run by an NGO in Auckland, New Zealand

Hi! My name is Jimena Alvarez and I am a Peruvian second year student in Trinity College Dublin. I currently concluded my second year studying Political Science and Economics. My research project is titled "Exploratory research into the support worker’s perceptions of the integration experiences of Ukrainian refugees in Ireland".  The purpose of the research is to gather relevant and comprehensive data about support worker’s perceptions of the integration experiences of Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. I will be conducting a focus group and individual interviews with 12 support workers in the field of refugee aid.  I am very excited to connect with other Laidlaw scholars regardless of how different our research projects may be. I am always interested in learning from people with different backgrounds and interests. Feel free to contact me. See you all soon in the Laidlaw annual conference here in Trinity College Dublin!  

I am a fourth year student studying Geography and Sustainable Development at The University of St Andrews. I have a particular interest in reforestation, conservation and climate change mitigation. For the first summer of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme I produced a research essay and poster titled 'Climate Change Mitigation: Investigating the impact of land use on soil organic matter (SOM)'. My research focuses on measuring and reporting soil organic matter content across different land use types such as cropland and woodland. I explore the climate change mitigation potential of soil and the potential of adding soil organic matter through woodland restoration. For the second summer of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme I produced a Leadership-in-Action Video about my project on sustainable agricultural practices in Williamsburg, Virginia. My LiA project involved interviewing farmers in and around Williamsburg, academic researchers at the local university, The College of William and Mary and the manager of the Williamsburg Farmers Market. I also produced a reflective essay about my experience over the Laidlaw Scholarship titled 'Learning, Growing and Developing as a Leader'.

Toronto based designer, researcher and community volunteer involved in interdisciplinary projects and student-led mentorship and leadership initiatives. My architecture work focuses on digital timber fabrication and AI computational architecture. I incorporate GIS, Grasshopper, Midjourney, Blender and other tools to look at architecture through a multifaceted lens and dissect problems pertaining to sustainability and urban planning, My other interests include advocacy, library-hopping and deep sea diving. I am always happy to connect over a coffee! 

I am a third year undergraduate student at the University of St Andrews studying physics (with a focus on experimental physics). My project this summer involves researching ENZ (epsilon-near-zero) metasurfaces, focusing more specifically their design process, and using simulation techniques to try to optimise this process.   Outside of academia, I enjoy being out in nature, and regularly go on walks/hikes around the beautiful countryside around the town. Having lived and grown up in several countries in Europe, I am also an avid language learner, and love connecting with people across different countries and cultures.   

Hello! I was Laidlaw scholar in 2019, and I studied national, regional, and local identity in northern Tajikistan through the lens of women's fashion.  For a year after graduating, I worked for the UN Mine Action Service which removes landmines from conflict and post-conflict regions. I then worked for the Laidlaw Foundation 2021-22 and completed a Master's Degree in Anthropology and Development Management at the London School of Economics. Now I'm working with the UN on innovative finance for biodiversity conservation, focusing on marine ecosystems. Please feel free to reach out on the network, on LinkedIn, or by email. I'm always happy to meet new people and chat.