Nikol Chen (She/Her)

Design and Development Manager, Laidlaw Foundation
Kyle Ginsberg

Student, Trinity College Dublin

I am a fourth year Sociology and English Literature student at Trinity College Dublin. My research involves the digital LGBTQ+ community during the initial COVID-19 quarantine and mental health resources. I also have a charity zine series called 'Sick and Tired' that focus on the queer experience during COVID-19.
Charlie Norman

Student, St Andrews University

I study International Relations and Russian at the University of St Andrews', and have a specific interest in the history, cultures and politics of the everyday. I am particularly interested in identity and security in the post-Soviet space, especially Central Asia. I'm looking to take these interests into practice and policy. This summer, I've been researching the interplay between regional foreign policy and how interacts with the development of state identities, by conducting research and then fieldwork in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.  I'm also an adventure cycling obsessive and love being outdoors (even in the Scottish weather). 
Joel Beckles

Undergraduate Student, University of St Andrews

I am a Physics student at the University of St Andrews excited about theoretical physics and its applications to industry. I quite like programming as well, and seeing where code can be used to model physics. I also have an interest in improving the speed with which the latest scientific developments can be implemented into humanitarian aid. 
Jackson Williams

Student, University of Leeds

Hey, I'm Jackson. I'm one of the 2022 scholars at University of Leeds. My course is Mechatronics and Robotics; in particular I'm interested in the ways that technology interacts with social and political issues that are important to me, such as environmentalism, the digital divide and the racial and gender biases in algorithms. My research focusses on improving the robustness of energy storage devices, e.g. for electric vehicles and solar panels. You can read a quick summary below! The recent global shift towards electrification is raising questions concerning the robustness of current energy storage devices. Electrical vehicles require many battery cells connected together in order to provide a sufficient amount of energy to power the car and solar panels contain many generating cells connected. However, the assumptions made when designing and developing these storage devices, can become invalid due to the uncontrolled environmental conditions or unpredictable faults with individual cells in the arrangement. In order to prevent failure and premature end-of-life, a unique collection of equalisation circuits can be designed for a system. My research centers on widening the use cases for these equilisation circuits and investigating whether a single set of circuits can be designed in a way that allows it to be used for a variety of applications rather than just one.
Ella Burkett

Student, Trinity College Dublin

PPES student specialising in politics and economics. My research concerned the relationship between the Turkish government's usage of policy, specifically the Istanbul Convention, and its impact on rates of femicide in Turkey. I have recently completed my LiA at the Timothy Smith Network as an Administrative Support and Curriculum Intern. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to chat about any of my experiences!
Ruby Palin

Student, Durham University

My name is Ruby Palin. I am a second-year undergraduate student at Durham University studying BSc Biological Sciences. This is my favourite quote from a biologist... “The known is finite, the unknown is infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability…our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land” –Thomas Henry Huxley, Evolutionary biologist.
Emory Southwick

MLitt researcher, Newcastle University

Emory Southwick (he/they) is postgraduate researcher at Newcastle University, formally a Laidlaw scholar at Durham University, UK, where they achieved a First Class BA with Honours in Music at Stephenson College. Emory has a research interest in those underrepresented in music, focusing on marginalised genders and LGBTQ+ people. Currently, they are working with Contemporary Music for All (CoMA) and has also set up their own business as an artist.
Kayla Kim

Community Analyst, United Nations Development Programme

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.
Andrew Hill

Student, University of York

I am studying BSc Archaeology at the University of York. My primary interests are working on a ‘large scale’: archaeological field survey, GIS and digital methods, and utilising landscape and multiperiod approaches. Accordingly,  my research combines field investigation and digital analysis in a multiperiod study of the Mid-Cheshire Ridge, testing the potential contribution of comparative viewshed analysis to understanding past reasoning and change in the landscape.
The University of Oxford was a part of the Laidlaw Scholarship programme from 2016 to 2019. In 2020, Oxford's Saïd Business School became a partner of the Laidlaw Foundation's Women's Business Education Scholarship Programme. The Oxford SBS Laidlaw Scholars will be joining over 300 Laidlaw Scholars from Columbia Business School whom the Laidlaw Foundation has supported to earn their MBAs; and Scholars at London Business School where the Foundation launched a Women’s Movement in 2019.
Alvalyn Dixon-Gardner

Student, Tufts University

I am an aspiring Clinical Psychologist, a second-year Psychology student at Tufts University, and a devotee of the arts. My interests consist of aiding in the destigmatization and reformation of mental health within Black and Brown communities. Another passion of mine is fighting for the prevention of child abuse as I continue to intern with Masskids, the Prevent Child Abuse chapter of Massachusetts. As a Laidlaw Scholar, my research coincides with my interests as I focus on how stereotypes, misrepresentation, and instances of erasure within the media impacts the socio-emotional and mental health of adolescents. The goal of this research is to further understand the problem then understand and navigate solutions. I hope to work with non-profits and other initiatives in the fight for mental health in underrepresented communities and would love to be contacted in support of these efforts.
Michael Officer

Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant, Trinity College Dublin

Hello, my name is Michael and I'm a recent Zoology graduate from Trinity College Dublin. My Laidlaw research investigated factors contributing to the transmission of avian influenza to farmed poultry. And I completed my Leadership in Action project with Think Pacific on the Environment & Sustainability programme in Rarabasaga, Fiji. I'm delighted to remain a part of the Laidlaw community and am as excited as ever to get to know many of you! My current research interests are in freshwater ecosystem responses to multiple stressor effects. But really anything!
Bryley Williams

Student, Columbia University

Hi! My name is Bryley (she/her), and I am a second-year student at Columbia University. I study History, and I am deeply interested in memory, religion, and the preservation and adaptation of culture. As a Laidlaw Scholar, I am researching Khmer Buddhist revival in post-genocide Cambodia, looking especially at how social, spiritual, and moral orders were and are intertwined in processes of reconstruction.
Iman Lalani

Student, University of Toronto Mississauga

Hello! I am a Lester B Pearson Scholar in my fourth year at UTM. I am majoring in Environmental Management and Geography and minoring in Environmental Policy and Law. Having grown up in the U.K., Pakistan, and Kenya, I have had the opportunity to work on various volunteering, afforestation, and educational projects which sparked my interest in sustainable development. I am particularly interested in learning about how to decolonize the ways in which we achieve environmental justice. Last summer, I conducted research on how the post-colonial context of Sub-Saharan Africa has impacted the region’s ability to tackle climate change. This summer, I worked as an intern and project manager for Youth4Nature, a youth-led non-profit organization that works to educate, empower and mobilize youth to lead on solutions for the ecological and climate crises.
Meegan Worcester

Student, University of Leeds

Hi! My name is Meegan and I am in my industrial placement year working as an Air Quality Research Assistant for the NHS, and I am on the Sustainability and Environmental Management degree programme at the University of Leeds. I am also the UK Chapter President for the Laidlaw Foundation, and I am looking forward to working with the other Chapter Presidents to organise and host social and career-related events throughout the year! I love the outdoors to go for a hike and wild camp whenever I get the chance. I love promoting sustainability, and I volunteer at the local charity Development Education Centre in Leeds to help local schools engage with the Sustainable Development Goals and environmental/human rights issues in their curriculum.
SUN JIERAN

Medicine & Health Subject Lead, the University of Hong Kong

Hi, I am an undergraduate student at the University of Hong Kong. I have some research experiences in heritage imaging, genome engineering, nanoparticle drug carrier, and surgical augmented reality. And I am currently learning more about computational bio-molecule stimulation and screening model for further studies. I'd love to communicate, share, and build wholeheartedly about the past, present, and future stories.
Inkindi Mutoni Sabine

STEM Subject Lead, University of Rwanda

I am a graduate of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Rwanda. I am also the STEM Subject Lead. My Laidlaw research project is about bringing a system that could help minimize the number of high-school and primary students who bring cell phones to school since it's one of the major sources of distraction. I did my Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University Africa, majoring in Cybersecurity and Data Science.
Maria Valenstain

Student Researcher, University of York

I am an undergraduate Laidlaw Scholar studying Philosophy and Politics at the University of York. I am very interested in climate education. My project investigates collective responsibility regarding climate change in the primary years of school.
Brandon Yu

Medicine & Health Subject Lead, University of Toronto

I'm a student at the University of Toronto interested in neurological and ocular health, immunological mechanisms and self-immunity, as well as innovations and leadership within health care. I look to empower the aspiring youth through limitless, accessible education, and foster positive change in our dynamic reality!
Cath Brislane

Subject Lead/ Undergraduate Scholar, University of York

I am a final-year undergraduate scholar pursuing a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Linguistics at the University of York. Besides being a scholar, I am the Arts and Humanities Subject Lead on the Scholar's Network and the 2020-22 Arts and Humanities faculty rep at the University of York! My first summer of research was based in phonetics, entitled 'The untapped potential of human language: Investigating the perception of typologically unattested and rare sounds'. In it, I get to look at phonemes that are not commonly found in speech, if at all! My Leadership in Action project was based around the experiences of students with disabilities and long-term health conditions when accessing Higher Education in the UK. I'm currently creating teacher training based on the paper I wrote for this project, and working with UCAS to help inform UK university admissions policy.