Under the Wave is a small NGO collective founded in 2022 to protect Zanzibar’s marine environment. The team runs a sea turtle hatchery (over 2,000 hatchlings released since 2021), uses photo ID to track sea turtles, and provides environmental education directly to locals. Responsibilities & Ideal Background Learning opportunities include writing monitoring protocols, fish identification, and dolphin behaviour monitoring, alongside seeing how a small NGO operates. A good fit is someone in Marine Science or with a marine-related research background; those with social-media marketing skills can also contribute. LiA Champion Our LiA Champion is Nicola Mayer. Curious about this project but not sure where to start? They can share candid insights from their experience—what the work involved, skills that proved useful, and pointers for exploring a good fit. Please contact them via the Laidlaw Scholars Network: https://laidlawscholars.network/users/nicola-mayer Organisation Contact Under the Wave / The Living Ocean Email: yongmi@thelivingocean.org

Hello! I am an incoming third year student at the University of St Andrews undertaking a joint Honours in Art History and Geography. I am interested in the intersection of the visual arts and the climate crisis; exploring the interactions between artists, cultural institutions, and the environment, past and present, as well as imagining what future interactions may look like.             In my first year with Laidlaw I undertook a research project on the environmental impact of digital practice in museums and heritage institutions. This project delved into carbon costing, water usage of data centres, and the new age of digital colonialism with mineral extraction and e-waste disposal - highlight the great ecological, economic, and social impacts of increasing digital activity. My research implemented the concept of Active Hope. I explored how different experiences of hope across and in curation with different communities could write another story of our time. I questioned how hope could be the central axis for social and environmental change within digital policy in museums.               Presently, I am based in Paris working with Karuna-Shechen for my Leadership in Action. I am writing the sixth edition of their key philanthropy output: 'Letters to our Friends'. Centred on the theme of Hope, I am carrying the insights from my first year into my conversations with colleagues across the field in India and Nepal. I am writing articles that capture the charities' commitment to alleviate poverty and how they pass agency back into the hands of the communities they support. 

Researching climate finance in Scotland - How to Fix the Hurdles that Prevent Funds from Reaching Net-Zero Housing Projects?  Studying economics with a concentration in finance. 

My research is about the relationships between Indigenous Christians, the British Government, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and non-Christian indigenous peoples and how these relationships, desire for land, and Christian beliefs led to the expulsion, murder, and resettlement of Indigenous Christians in 1675-6.

Hey everyone - I'm Gitika, but I go by Aki, and I'm a 2024 Laidlaw Scholar based at the University of St Andrews. I'm originally from California, but moved to Scotland to pursue my undergraduate studies in history and economics. My Laidlaw research focuses on the colonial and postcolonial histories of sexuality and gender in Asia, and particularly how it has impacted the current lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals based in India and Japan.  I'm eager to meet you all, so do reach out if you want to chat about research or just connect over a shared interest! Apart from my work in gender and sexuality history, I'm also keenly interested in archival history, colonial/postcolonial studies, and language / linguistics. Outside of academics, I'm often playing music, walking along the Fife coast with a hot cup of tea, writing, or watching Doctor Who with my friends.

I am a Fourth year Geology student at the University of St Andrews. Acquired knowledge of independent practical mapping, theoretical geophysical methods and petrological lab work. I am highly motivated to succeed, and my communication, leadership, and organisational skills have led me to become a trusted team member and be elected for multiple high-responsibility roles.  I am deeply passionate about environmental conservation and aspire to pursue a career in critical metals, contributing to the transition towards a sustainable green economy. Outside of my studies, I enjoy hiking, wildlife observation, and cycling.

Hello! I'm from Edinburgh, and am currently an Actuarial Trainee at Hymans Robertson. Prior to that, I studied Astrophysics at the University of St Andrews, where I was particularly interested in computational aspects of the field (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.

Physics undergraduate at the University of St Andrews.

Currently a second-year medical student at the University of St Andrews, with an interest in medical ethics and humanities.

Hi everyone! I am a second-year at the University of St Andrews studying Modern History and International Relations. My project investigates the intersection between the performing arts and the Esperanto movement, focusing on how the performing arts were (and continue to be) used to grow and enrich Esperantujo. 

My name is Sophie (she/her) and I am from South Wales but am currently studying International Relations and Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. My Laidlaw research project will be studying how nostalgia for life in the former East Germany continues to affect politics in today's reunified Germany, in particular Germany's foreign policy towards Russia. This research is trying to explore the legacy of the Cold War in Europe and how its effects continue to be lived by people today. One thing I am particularly excited about with this research is that I will be going to Berlin for a week to conduct ethnographic research (interviews and participant observation) with former citizens of East Germany.   In my free time, I like to read anything i can get my hands on, as well as cook a lot and try different recipes from around the world. I also really love travelling and exploring new places.  I'd love to connect with someone who is interested in politics and diplomacy or otherwise shares my interests. And if you have any questions about my research, I'd love to chat about it!

Hi, I'm Elena and I am a part of Laidlaw's 2023-24 cohort at the University of Leeds. I am currently studying Biotechnology with Enterprise which focusses on applying aspects of molecular and cellular biology to solve current problems. This can be in the form of using genetic modification to improve food security, discovering useful antibiotic properties of bacteria or the creation of vaccines via investigation of viruses. Along side this I also have begun learning about various areas of business in my enterprise modules.  I have chosen to work on a pre-defined research project: 'Bees, Pesticides and Insect declines: defining the sublethal effects of pesticides on honeybees'. I am excited for this project as I will be able to expand my biological knowledge into the field of entomology and continue to develop my lab-skills independently as I will be observing effects of sulfoxaflor and biological chemicals on young honey bees whilst also analysing their DNA to investigate any genetic mutations.  I enjoy spending time walking and running (especially around my home in the Peak District), making me motivated to make a difference in conserving and rebuilding our world's natural environments. Additionally outside of my studies I love to dance (ballet, jazz, lyrical, musical theatre...), sing, attend classes with Uni's yoga society, bake and explore in & around leeds (including finding good places to eat) with my friends. 

I was fortunate enough to conduct academic research under the supervision of Stephen Gethins,  Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St Andrews and now a sitting MP. Stephen introduced me to a truly fascinating yet often overlooked area of International Relations: sub-state and regional actors and their place in global politics, with a focus on Scotland in particular. Through this, I have developed an interest in Scotland's place in the world as a nation without an independent foreign office, but as a nation with extensive international influence and a powerful global diaspora. This topic formed the basis of my Laidlaw project, my undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation, and my PhD. I take a keen interested in other academic fields such as politics, history, and philosophy. Although an International Relations and Sociology student first and foremost, I had the opportunity of studying Ancient History and Classics alongside my degree for two years. If I were to ever win the lottery, you would find me endlessly cycling University, spending my remaining days studying Ancient History and Philosophy, Politics, Anthropology, Theology, Theoretical Physics and Maths, or whatever subject I develop an interest in down the line. Since leaving the University of St Andrews and the Laidlaw Programme, I completed an MRes degree at the University of Glasgow in Sociology and Research Methods. I received a scholarship for a PhD in Sociology at the University of Glasgow which I am completing part-time in addition to my role as Research Officer at Carers Trust Scotland - a charity supporting unpaid carers which I had previously volunteered for. My PhD is a continuation of my Scottish diaspora studies, seeking to reconcile the notion of 'civic Scottishness' with the Scottish identity of the lived diaspora.