Hi there, I'm Joe, an undergraduate student at the University of Leeds, and a part of the 2026 Laidlaw cohort, in the second year of my studies, undertaking an integrated master's in Civil Engineering. I'm from a coastal village in Northumberland, UK. Around my studies, I love hiking, playing ice hockey and spending time with friends. Academically, as aforementioned, I'm interested in a wide range of civil engineering disciplines, including structural and environmental engineering; my research project is in a slightly different field, however. Over the course of the summer, I shall be studying applicability of neuromorphic imaging, set cameras for use to measure and map cell deformities in real time. I'm, very excited to be a part of the Laidlaw community, and I'd love to meet as many people as possible so please feel free to reach out to this email address bcms1943@leeds.ac.uk .

Hi there!  I’m Claudia, a second-year undergraduate at the University of Leeds and a proud member of the 2026 cohort. I study Biology, History and Philosophy of Science which takes a holistic lens to science. This allows me to explore and question our current knowledge, and its objectivity.  This summer I’ll be setting off my Laidlaw experience researching at The University of Hong Kong’s School of Biomedical Sciences. With Professor Sugimura, I aim to transdifferentiate myeloid progenitor cells to Natural Killer cells, an essential part of our innate immune system. NK cells identify and destroy cancerous cells, thus constructing them in vitro could provide a useful treatment to cancer.  Alongside learning I feel the happiest outdoors with other people. I love being active, running and going on long walks, or being more relaxed, doing yoga and exploring new places with friends (especially love if a cafe is involved).  I’m really excited to be part of this incredible opportunity and hope to learn and connect with as many scholars as possible. Please reach out to talk about research or anything else at all!

Hi! I'm Lizzie, a second-year Biological Sciences student at Durham University. Deeply passionate about advocating for and taking action to maintain environmental health and sustainability, I aim to contribute meaningfully to these efforts by expanding my understanding of such challenges and collaborating with like-minded individuals who share a dedication to environmental conservation.   I have a particular interest in conservation strategies that focus on umbrella species, such as the macaw, where protecting one species can generate wider ecological benefits for entire ecosystems. This interest has been deepened through my current summer placement with the Macaw Recovery Network in Costa Rica, where I am contributing to species recovery and environmental education. My work includes practical conservation tasks at the breeding centre and reserve, supporting welfare and maintenance, developing resources for volunteers, and collaborating with staff and community members to strengthen outreach programs. Alongside this, I am documenting activities and recommendations to create a volunteer guide, ensuring future interns and volunteers can contribute effectively. These experiences are helping me explore how conservation initiatives can balance ecological impact with community engagement, while also testing and developing my leadership capacities and character. In my free time, I actively participate in environmental volunteer work and love to do anything creative, from painting to crocheting and reading. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, particularly dog walking, and practising karate with my university club.

Hello! My name is Leyla and I’m a first year student at the University of Leeds studying Biomedical Sciences. I have a keen interest in pharmacology as well as science and public health communication. This summer I will be working on a project titled: The Development of Public Engagement Materials for the Pharmacology Degree Programme. This focuses on exploring the public’s understanding of pharmacology and prospective student’s expectations of the subject in order to create resources that improve public awareness of pharmacology. Outside of academics, I enjoy travelling, reading, hiking and spending time outdoors. If you would like to chat, whether about pharmacology, public health communication or otherwise, I am happy to connect!

Hi! My name is Naziba and I am from Bangladesh, but currently in Hong Kong for my undergraduate studies at The University of Hong Kong where I study Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Besides my academics, I am a very passionate teacher who enjoys making high school science feel more interesting and less taxing. I also love watching movies with my cats and taking nature walks with my friends. I am excited to start my Laidlaw research journey this year under the Faculty of Health and Medicine at University of Leeds . I am really looking forward to making friends in the Laidlaw community so feel free to reach out in my DMs if you wish to connect!

Hi everyone! I am a rising sophomore, Mech. E student with a strong interest in Aerospace engineering. My current research involves the characterization of the Emirates Lunar Simulant, which means analysing the chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of our lab-made ELS. The ultimate goal is to make sure the simulant produced by our space lab matches the real lunar regolith brought back during the Apollo and Luna missions. Our research would later also extend to learning how to extract oxygen from the simulant, which will be a huge breakthrough in establishing Lunar bases. From there, partners like the UAE Space Agency use it to test rover performance, train astronauts, and validate lunar equipment, since all this helps optimize missions and reduce the risks that come with lunar exploration. Outside the lab, you'll catch me curating playlists, playing ATC on VATSIM with friends, or wandering somewhere I haven't been before.

I've been looking after Research Scholars in the Arts and Humanities since 2008, and have been involved with the Laidlaw Network since it was established.  I'm passionate about increasing diversity and making opportunities available to more. I'm a proud Loiner (someone from Leeds) and particularly love to work with students to engage with the city and the amazing cultural and creative industries that we have here. 

Hello! I’m a Philosophy student at Durham University, with academic interests in applied ethics, decision-making and sustainability. My broader aim is to use interdisciplinary research to drive measurable, socially meaningful change. My summer research explored barriers to public transport adoption, with a view toward long-term policy implementation. This project combined behavioural science, psychology, urban planning, and design to contribute to more sustainable and inclusive transport policies. For my LiA, I will be travelling to Kerala for the central CraftHER project, where I will undertake four consulting projects with local female-led businesses and a research project. 

I'm a second year MEng Chemical Engineering student at Imperial College London. My Laidlaw project compares electrification and CCUS pathways for industrial decarbonisation, supervised by Dr. Bakkaloglu at Imperial. Last year I coordinated a project across four universities with Rolls-Royce SMR on integrating high temperature gas reactors with desalination and ammonia production.  Before Imperial I took a gap year and backpacked through 50+ countries solo, mostly on overland routes. That is where my emerging markets focus came from.

Hi, my name is Mazzi! I am an undergraduate at MIT studying Chemical-Biological Engineering. Passionate about the biomedical sciences, I aspire to merge my research interests with humanitarian impact via the Laidlaw Scholars program and my prospective career as a physician-scientist. 

Hi! I’m Evie, an undergraduate student at the University of Leeds studying a joint honours in Law with Hispanic Law. I am deeply motivated by the prospect of making meaningful change through legal and political research, with a specific interest in language, culture and international human rights.   This summer I will be researching the project entitled ‘Queering Citizenship: LGBT+ Activism in Democratic Transitions in South America’, which aims to take an intersectional approach to understanding the treatment of queer individuals in South America through primarily researching and analysing archives.    I am really excited to learn more, and extremely grateful to be able to participate in and contribute to the Laidlaw programme!

I am a first-year Electronic and Electrical Engineering student at the University of Leeds and a UKESF Semiconductor Talent Award holder. My research explores what machine learning models are actually learning when applied to physical systems, investigating whether they capture genuine physical principles or simply identify patterns in data. Through this project, I hope to develop my understanding of AI, strengthen my Python and analytical skills, and contribute to the responsible use of machine learning in scientific research.

Hello! I’m Jess, a Civil Engineering student at the University of Leeds with a strong interest in sustainable development, climate‑resilient design, and the role of engineering in addressing environmental and social challenges. I’m particularly motivated by how infrastructure can be designed to support communities and contribute to a more sustainable future. This summer, I’ll be working on 'Turning CO2 into power: Investigating how Ni-Co morphology affects electrode performance in CO2 batteries' with Professor Fang at HKU. I’m still at the early stages of the project, but I’m excited to explore emerging approaches to carbon utilisation and the potential for converting CO2 into usable energy. I’m looking forward to contributing to research that sits at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and low‑carbon technologies. Outside of academics, I really enjoy going climbing and going on long walks/hikes. When I am not outdoors, though, I will probably be watching a k-drama in my room to relax.  Please get in touch to talk about anything engineering or sustainability related, or if you have a good k-drama recommendation!

Hello! I’m a first-year Economics student at the University of Leeds, with a strong interest in economic inequalities and development.  My research focuses on the Leeds University Business School Skills Maps - a visual representation of the skills that the student’s course is equipping them with. I will be investigating how these skills maps can be made more accessible and better aid students in the articulation of their transferable skills, hopefully enhancing graduate prospects. Outside of my studies, I enjoy live music and exploring new things, whether it be a place, form of fitness, or a food spot. Please feel free to connect!

Hi, my name is Ruby Blaney and I am a first year Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering student at the University of Leeds. My future aspiration is to push myself hard enough so that I can receive a DAAD scholarship and complete my Masters in Medical Robotics in Germany. My project involves the Franka-Emika Panda robotic arm and I am going to be learning new coding apps to make a virtual reality controller that would control this arm remotely. In my free time, I enjoy reading and playing video games. I also work part time as a waitress to develop my skills in customer service alongside completing my degree.

I am currently studying an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at the University of Leeds. I have a particular interest in Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease Over the past few years I've contributed to healthcare environments through volunteering in a variety of settings including an NHS hospital and non-profit Hospice. This work has inspired my long term goal of a  career in either Medicine or Clinical Science. Over the summer I will be carrying out a research project under the supervision of Dr Amanda MacCannell Investigating whether we can reliable manipulate fat cells into burning energy instead of storing it as fat, this would offer a genuinely novel approach to treating obesity, heart disease, and metabolic conditions.