Kate Ivanchenko
Student Employability Officer, Laidlaw Programme Coordinator, Trinity College Dublin
I am the Programme Manager for the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership & Research Programme at Trinity College Dublin. Before joining the Careers and Development Service at Trinity College Dublin, I have been looking after a portfolio of open enrolment short executive education courses at Trinity and have over 10 years of experience in admissions, event coordination and higher education management across Ireland, United Kingdom and Ukraine.
Hi! I'm Amanda, a third year Neuroscience student and Laidlaw alum from UCL. I'm Swedish-Persian and grew up in Sweden before moving to London for uni. These days, alongside my studies, I work for the Foundation as a Marketing Assistant.
For my first year research project, I worked on optimising alginate hydrogels for 3D astrocyte culture systems. In simpler terms, I was figuring out the best way to prepare a jelly-like scaffolds so that star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes could grow in three dimensions rather than flat on a dish. This matters because 3D environments mimic the brain more realistically, which could help researchers develop better treatments for neurological disorders!
For my Leadership-in-Action project, I co-created Beyond the Books, a resource designed to help students from underrepresented backgrounds navigate the unwritten rules of university life, from internships and networking to professional opportunities that aren't always obvious if you're the first in your family to go to uni.
Always happy to connect, whether you want to chat about neuroscience, widening access, the Laidlaw experience, or just say hello! One of my favourite things about this community is getting to meet people from different universities and backgrounds, so please do reach out! 🌟
Dia dhuit! My name is Seán Radcliffe and I am an Economics and Mathematics student at Trinity College Dublin. Outside of my studies, I am a political campaigner, pro-Palestine activist, and the Housing Rights Officer of my student union. I love to sing, travel, and have a laugh!
This summer, under the academic supervision of Trinity Fellow and Associate Professor Dr. Davide Romelli, I will be conducting research at Trinity College Dublin on the effects of economic conditions, shocks, and crises on cocaine-related harm and deaths in Ireland between 2004 and 2024;
"Reading Between the White Lines: An Investigation into Cocaine-Related Harm in Ireland During Periods of Economic Change and Crisis, 2004-2024."
Using statistical analysis and interviews with experts, policymakers, and activists, my project aims to challenge damaging assumptions around drug addiction and harm in Ireland, particularly narratives that simplistically link economic growth and employment with reduced harm.
Grateful for this opportunity and excited for what lies ahead.
Joshua Tickner Bellau
Laidlaw Scholar | Undergraduate Student | French and Spanish Joint Honours, Trinity College Dublin
I'm a Joint Honours French and Spanish student at Trinity College Dublin. My Laidlaw research has focused on immigration and the role of non-profits in supporting migrants and low-income families across Latin America, drawing on fieldwork in MedellÃn. For my Leadership in Action placement, I worked with Green Sanctuaries, a Paris-based environmental NGO, conducting legal and policy research on community-led conservation across France, Spain, Peru, and Ecuador. I'm interested in the intersection of law, language, and social/environmental justice.
I am currently in my third year of English Studies at Trinity College Dublin, with a minor in Middle Eastern, Jewish & Islamic Civilisations. . My subject interests include post-colonial and modernist literature (particularly in an Irish context), as well as representations of climate breakdown in media and the capacity of literature to empower people to take action.
Hi! My name is Ronaish and I'm a third-year at the University of Toronto, studying Neurosceince & Philosophy. In Summer 1, I conducted a scoping review on the current state and future directions for palliative care in Pakistan. In Summer 2, I intered at FrameWorks UK - a research services organization based in London. Besides research, my hobbies include parliamentary debate, trying new cuisines, occasionally binging shows and traveling! Feel free to reach out at ronaish.arshad@mail.utoronto.ca for a chat or if you have any questions about my research.
Hello! My name is Meabh, I'm a second year Geography and Geoscience student in Trinity College Dublin. My main interests are igneous petrology and critical raw materials for green technology!
Hi! I’m Rachel, a 3rd year undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin. I'm a Computer Science major with a minor in Business. My current research focuses on AI-generated content detection in academic writing, and how we can design systems that go beyond surface-level tone analysis and actually look at how something was created, not just what it looks like on the page.
I’m particularly interested in where technology meets accountability; whether that’s through blockchain-backed transparency, ethical design, or just building tools that help people do good things better. I think we need to be a lot more thoughtful about how we integrate AI into education, and a lot more ambitious about the kinds of institutions we want to shape in the process. Also, like most people who spend too long on side projects, I occasionally forget how to relax.
When I do, though, I read whatever I can get my hands (usually poetry or classic fiction). Or I try baking some treats. Or I go cafe hopping with friends for conversation. If you’d like to chat about any of the above, or anything really, I’d love to hear from you.
Hi everyone my name is Hammad, I am a third year medical student in Trinity College Dublin. I have an interest in loads of different medical specialties with respiratory medicine top of that list which is why I tried to do a research project related to that topic. Medicine has so many different aspects to it, almost all of which is fascinating (minus the stress and pressure and sleep deprivation etc) but what really motivates me is how medical research can inform and improve medical treatment which makes an observable and at times enormous difference to real people with real conditions and real symptoms, not just the words we read in our lectures and textbooks all the time.
I like watching football, basketball and cricket and used to play football when I was in school. Now I spend most of my free time either in the gym, teaching or spending too much time watching Reels on Instagram.
Hello, I'm Ethan! I am a Political Science and Social Policy Student at Trinity College Dublin. I am originally from California, but I split my time between California and Ireland growing up. As a politics student, I am interested in the policy and regulation of the technology sector.
Through my research, I wish to study the relationship between innovation and regulation for countries looking to remain innovative while also mitigating the adverse effects that come along with the rapid development of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
I look forward to connecting with other scholars at Trinity and beyond!
Law student at Trinity College Dublin
Bhadra Panicker
Law Student & Laidlaw Scholars' Advisory Board Member, Trinity College Dublin
David Emanuel Elcock
Student | Founder of the Journal of Biometallics, Trinity College Dublin | Journal of Biometallics
Hi! I'm Sophia, an aspiring scientist and philomath. I love learning about everything and anything and delight in spending time with people who are passionate about the things they love!
I am really interested and curious about how we can use chemistry to improve processes and products to help society. For example, my research project is looking into the possibility of turning struvite, a mineral which is a by-product of waste-water treatment processes into slow-release nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers, which would be a green source nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers and help achieve goals of zero-waste.
If you are researching something similar or are interested in learning more about the project, please reach out! I am super happy to talk about the project and meet other who are doing something similar and possibly collaborate!