Hi, my name is Aleena Mehta and I am a sophomore at Barnard College, majoring in Economics with a minor in Political Science. I grew up in Jammu and Kashmir, India, and hence have always been fascinated by the field of geopolitics. My research at the Laidlaw Foundation would revolve around extrapolating a relationship between state sovereignty and civil rights violations in the Kashmir crisis. This includes understanding the threat to the autonomy and stability of non-state actors in periods of territorial conflicts while investigating the recent socio-economic developments in the region.
Hello!! My name is Vedika Jha (Vay-dih-ka), my pronouns are she/her, and I am going into 2nd year at University of Toronto! My first research project focused on the genetic factors contributing to cerebral palsy, a common disorder. My second research project explored patient perspectives on privacy and trust in digital genomic tools. However I am more broadly interested in Molecular Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, and Climate Change! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just to talk :)
Hi, my name is Ecem and I’m a current architecture student, research assistant, and web/graphic designer!
Internalizing the current issues of cities including crisis management and housing problem, I work on multiple volunteer, mentorship, and leadership projects. My research for the Laidlaw Program revolves around how architecture can be designed as a crisis management tool and its applications in the past, present, and future.
Hi👋🏾 I’m Pearls
I am a final year Law student at the University of Leeds. I recently completed a placement year at The Walt Disney Company as a CPGP Contract Management Intern (hence the 'industrial' next to my degree title)
My first-year research project looked at the way game-based learning could be incorporated into Multi-Academy Trusts (aka MATs) to improve the academic attainment and classroom engagement of GCSE-year black students. My Leadership-in-Action project was with MakeSense and focused on empowering minority communities within Mexico City.
I'm a medical student at the University of York interested in immunology, public health, as well as education and leadership within health care! My research project is about understanding how mutations in immune cells impact a certain group of rare bone marrow disorders (MPNs) that can lead to cancer.
Hi there! My name is Asha, and I am a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, where I study global health, political science, and psychology. I was part of the 2021 Laidlaw Scholars cohort at UofT — my research summer focused on determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among ethnocultural minority communities in Canada, and my Leadership-in-Action project was with Tortoise Media in London, UK. I'm always eager to chat about topics in global health, particularly public health policy, planetary health, and health equity!
Yusra Shafi
MSc Candidate, Columbia University (MSc) The University of Toronto, St. George (HBSc)
Hello! My name is Yusra, and I graduated from the University of Toronto, St. George, in 2023. I'm now currently doing my MSc. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia University.
My Laidlaw research utilizes the concepts of Self-determination theory, and focused on analyzing the biggest barriers to a 'positive' university experience, possible solutions that can be enacted, and how all these factors influenced student mental health.
My work now spans the intersection of mental health, conflict resolution, and social justice. I work as a Case Manager at an anti-human trafficking organization, and also work in the climate justice space with Canadian civil society.