I’m a Year 1 MBBS student at the University of Hong Kong, deeply passionate about making a positive impact through both medicine and community service. I strive to give my best in everything I do, whether in my academic journey or in serving others. With a strong foundation in public speaking and debate, I’ve been fortunate to receive several awards that reflect my love for clear and empathetic communication. Beyond academics, I’m currently the project leader of the We Children Care Team at HKUMed. Our team is dedicated to promoting mental health awareness among secondary school students and equipping them with essential mental health first aid knowledge. This role has been a meaningful way for me to empower young people and advocate for mental well-being in the community. Social service has always been close to my heart. I’ve volunteered in hospitals, participated in flag selling, visited elderly individuals living alone, and contributed to various charity fundraising efforts. I find joy and purpose in building connections and giving back, whether through small gestures or larger initiatives. In secondary school, I served as the head of both the Peer Counsellor Team and the Student Ambassador Team, where I developed leadership skills and a sense of responsibility toward those around me. These experiences strengthened my belief in the power of youth to lead change with compassion and courage. Outside of service and studies, I’m an animal lover who shares my home with a cat, a hamster, and a parrot. I also cherish time in nature—whether it's a quiet walk near home or a breezy day at the beach. These moments remind me of the beauty and harmony we can find in the world, and why it's worth protecting and improving. I aspire to become a safe, competent, and compassionate surgeon, someone who heals not just with hands but with heart. Guided by the motto “Life influences life,” I’m committed to spreading kindness and uplifting others in every way I can. With boundless enthusiasm and a sense of duty, I aim to help build a better, healthier world—for individuals, communities, and generations to come. As a Laidlaw Scholar, I hope to grow as a leader and change-maker, using both knowledge and empathy to serve with purpose and integrity.

Hello! My name is Rowena, I am an undergraduate at UCL studying Sustainable Built Environment, Energy and Resources. It is an honour to study at the QS ranking’s #1 university in the UK for sustainability and the Bartlett School which is the #1 faculty in the world for built environment studies. I am passionate about sustainability and strive to combine academic research with real-world impact through quantitative and qualitative analysis, policy evaluations and environmental advocacy. My Laidlaw research builds on my previous work on Biodiversity Net Gain and its impact on sustainable housing of which a summary was published in the Harmony Journal in 2024. I am keen to pursue a meaningful career in sustainable finance consultancy. In school I was recognised for my academic achievements with the International Gold Medal at Ireland’s Young Economist of the Year competition, a certificate of commendation from Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge in their economics essay competition and a feature on BBC Radio and ITV News at Reading Schools’ Model UN COP27.  Beyond academics, I am an active leader and environmental advocate. At UCL, I serve as a Green Impact Strategy Ambassador and Academic Representative, attending conferences, forums and committee meetings on a regular basis to ensure my peers’ voices are heard. I also love the performing arts, having directed and acted in multiple theatre productions as House Captain at school and playing the organ and singing in my church choir. I thrive in dynamic, high-pressure environments and am always looking for opportunities to drive meaningful, sustainable change. My goal as a Laidlaw Scholar is to merge research, technology and policy to creative innovative solutions for our global future.

I am extremely excited to be a member of this community and to share with you the wonderful journey the Laidlaw Foundation takes me on. My research project concerns the existence of the death penalty in the UK, and my abolitionist stance on capital punishment will hopefully come across. I see little value in returning to a capital system, where the maximum sentence is death. However, my views on the criminal justice system and desire to spread awareness on the death penalty do not encompass all of who I am. Beyond that, I’m the eldest daughter in a working-class family, the ultimate triple threat theatre kid (for non-theatre kids, that means I love to sing, act and dance) and a passionate writer. I wrote a short play as part of my Laidlaw research project. I have written poems and performed them in front of audiences. I am currently writing a novel. Many would describe me as stubborn; I think determined would be a better word, but I am certainly a bundle of energy and someone who wishes to do their part in this rapidly changing world we live in. Hopefully, I will continue to share all aspects of who I am and make connections like no other via this Network.

Hi, I'm Angel, a first-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student at UCL. My current Laidlaw research project explores the use of fire in modern Chinese history with a particular focus on the burning of the old Summer Palace and the military use of fire during the 1911 Revolution. This project brings together my passion for Chinese history and literature with an analytical approach to understanding how these events have been interpreted by later generations and in secondary scholarship. Outside of research, I’m a rock music enthusiast and electric guitarist — and I’m always on the hunt for great restaurants. Feel free to reach out at angelchanln@hotmail.com. I always enjoy a good conversation!

Hi! My name is Freya, and I'll be doing my research on defining the geotechnical properties of Lunar simulant regolith so that when we begin to create high fidelity infrastructure replicas here on Earth ( whether that be a road, a building or a launchpad) we can predict how the surface will change based on these loads! Aside from all things space, I do a MEng in Engineering and Architectural design, with an interest in small space architecture (such as space habitation) and multifunctional/modularity within spaces. I'm also interested in Japanese architecture, spending my gap year living and working in Tokyo whilst also developing my Japanese to N3 intermediate (plus I love 7/11 and all the Konbini's haha).

My name is Kimberly Gan, and I study Medical Innovation and Enterprise at UCL.  For my summer Laidlaw Scholarship research project, I explored the development of orodispersible films designed to improve the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting in children. Based at the UCL School of Pharmacy and in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London, my project combined hands on laboratory work with direct patient engagement.