Hey everyone! My name is Annabella Mack. I'm from Rochester, NY (which is western NY, far from Long Island) and I study at Harvard. I currently work with Anne Takesian's lab at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston.  I'm interested in auditory neuroscience research since it combines my passions of music, Deaf Culture, and neuroscience as a double bassist and a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA). Outside of research, I'd love to talk about music, crochet, and different cultures with you!

Hey, fellow Laidlaw scholars! I'm Maria Clara! I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the US in 2025 to start my academic journey at Harvard University, where I am studying Economics and Political Science! As a MUN and debate kid during high school, I became passionate about studying and creating solutions for the world's issues early in life. I can say that I am a very impact-driven person: I love to lead teams and work with inspiring groups to think about problems and their possible innovative solutions.  As part of Harvard's inaugural cohort of Laidlaw Scholars, I am doing research in the area of development economics with a team of economists and political scientists. At Harvard, I also do research with the Government department, I am involved with the Brazilian community on campus, various MUN groups, conferences, and mentorship initiatives, serving as a Peer advising fellow for incoming first-year students, and helping to lead the first-year international program in our school!   One of my defining characteristics is that I am passionate about travelling, meeting new people, and hearing their stories. I have already visited many places in South Africa, Europe, and some in Asia! If you want to connect with a fellow Laidlaw scholar who wants to make a difference in this world, please reach out to me and let's connect! I am genuinely so happy to be part of this community! Please, have a look at my LinkedIn or email if you want to reach out and talk about bold ideas, projects, laidlaw, research, life, or anything:) 

Krishaan Vadia is a rising sophomore at Harvard College who is passionate about global development and human welfare, with a particular focus on poverty, education and human capital, and humanitarian crises. His interests lie at the intersection of economics, public policy, law, and social enterprise as avenues for reform, especially within emerging markets.  As a member of Harvard’s inaugural cohort of Laidlaw Scholars, Krishaan researches how innovative financing mechanisms enabled private capital markets to make infrastructure investments with diffuse public benefits a mainstream asset class and what lessons these models may offer for mobilizing private investment in human capital development. At Harvard, he was one of two first-years selected as a liaison to former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and also served as an associate to former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb through Harvard’s Institute of Politics. Additionally, he served as Policy Chair of the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative, where he led a six-member team as first author of a 56-page policy white paper on the impact of fiscal constraints on chronic malnutrition in East Africa, presenting recommendations to the commissioner (Action Against Hunger, a global NGO) in New York City after winning a competitive travel grant. He is also on the masthead of the Harvard Undergraduate Law Review as Director of Outreach, is Project Head of Education & Admissions Initiatives for the Harvard Undergraduate Rural League, and conducts intelligence research for Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic on genocidal rhetoric, active peace negotiations, and field reporting related to Russia’s war in Ukraine.  Beyond campus, he conducted original cross-market economic development research adopted by City of Indianapolis to support stakeholder engagement on 60+ large-scale AI data center projects, analyzing enacted land-use ordinances across five peer cities to develop regulatory compliance and tax abatement recommendations for capital-intensive development initiatives in the city. He also serves as a Campaign Fellow for Beau Bayh’s Indiana Secretary of State campaign. Outside of his academic and professional interests, Krishaan has a longstanding love of vocal performance/dance, for which he has competed and won awards at the national level.

Hi! I'm Mirari and I’m currently pursuing a double major in Anthropology and Chemistry. I’m particularly drawn to global health and social medicine, especially how structural barriers and stigma shape healthcare outcomes. I’m curious about how we can design more equitable systems of care that better serve marginalized communities.

Emily Yu is a rising sophomore at Harvard College studying Chemistry with a secondary in Sociology. She calls Boston, Massachusetts her home and is proud to be part of the family that is the inaugural class of Laidlaw scholars at Harvard!  Before college, Emily was often knee-deep in case problems and Latin phrases as the captain of her mock trial team. As part of her love for public service, Emily interned in the office of the Honourable Patti B. Saris and MA's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, gleaning wisdom from observing trials, reading opinions and Statehouse bills, and compiling and presenting a comparative study of workforce services across four states.  In addition to researching in college, Emily writes for The Harvard Crimson and is tapped into the many mentorship networks across campus as a Peer Advising Fellow and First-year Outdoor Program leader.  Through Laidlaw, Emily hopes to bring her research and understanding of colorectal cancer studies and treatment to new heights and depths. The intersections between law and new technology is something Emily is constantly exploring, whether it be through possible career paths or a casual conversation.  Outside of work, Emily loves trying out new styles of dance, playing around on the piano, dissecting movies, and wrapping her head around interesting would-you-rathers. She is always open to chat for anything at all!! 

Ellis Schroeder is a student at Harvard from Atlanta, Georgia, passionate about health equity. He is studying anthropology alongside art history, exploring how science and visual culture shape understandings of health, illness, and care. Before Harvard, he led the nonprofit DermaTeens and various initiatives for skin cancer prevention and health equity across Atlanta, working with city government and public health officials to install IMPACT Melanoma sunscreen dispensers, promote access to preventative healthcare and sun safety, and educate youth on skin health. He advises the first National Skin Cancer Prevention Youth Council, an initiative he founded, and mentors youth across the country on public health community impact projects. At Harvard, Ellis researches LGBTQ+ population health, eating disorder epidemiology, and medical sociology. Inspired to understand the growing mistrust in healthcare and science in a post-COVID-19 world, as a Laidlaw Scholar, he researches how LGBTQ+ young adults come to trust or distrust healthcare systems, using mixed methods to trace how real experiences shape engagement with care and impact health outcomes. Ellis hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health leadership.

Matt DelSesto, PhD, is a sociologist with over ten years of experience in higher education and the nonprofit sector.  He works in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships at Harvard, where he manages Harvard's Laidlaw Scholars program. He also, advises students on the risks and ethics of their research in coordination with the IRB, assists with management of URAF research grant applications, review and administration, and contributes to coordination of URAF programming. He is especially interested in working with students on ethically engaging with partners outside of academia to develop collaborative projects, communicating the broader societal implications and results of their research, or connecting research to social impact. Outside of URAF, Matt has led collaborative research projects, developed community engaged learning programs at universities, consulted with nonprofit organizations on outreach initiatives, taught experiential learning courses on college campuses and in community-based settings, and worked to strengthen public engagement and accountability in city government.  Matt’s writing appears in more than a dozen publications in academic journals and other outlets on topics including human relationships to the environment, crime prevention, design for social innovation, and community engaged learning. His book on the sociology of community engagement and applied research, Design and the Social Imagination (Bloomsbury, 2022), describes models for research and practice from the 20th century to the present.

I am a second-year student at Harvard College double concentrating in Chemistry and Economics, driven by a desire to explore how scientific innovation and economic structures must align to expand global access to medicine. This summer, as a member of Harvard's inaugural Laidlaw Scholar cohort, I am conducting faculty-mentored research in the Richard Liu Group, focusing on the design and synthesis of light-activated molecules (photocages) to improve the efficiency of drug delivery in water. Through the Laidlaw program, I am combining this rigorous laboratory research with leadership development and an upcoming international Leadership-in-Action project, all to build a foundation for a career bridging the pharmaceutical, biotech, and finance sectors.  Beyond my research, I love exploring foreign languages, skiing, and traveling. I am also an avid sports fan and player, particularly when it comes to volleyball and soccer (football). I look forward to connecting with fellow Scholars who are passionate about combining scientific discovery with leadership to drive real-world healthcare and economic solutions.

I'm a second-year at Harvard College concentrating in Neuroscience with a secondary in Psychology, on a pre-med track. My research at Massachusetts General Hospital focuses on cerebrovascular diseases and the early detection of Alzheimer's Disease. As a member of Harvard's inaugural Laidlaw Scholar cohort, I'm combining faculty-mentored independent research with leadership development through Oxford's Ethical Leadership Programme and an international Leadership-in-Action project — all in service of becoming a physician-leader who approaches healthcare with both scientific rigor and ethical grounding. A core conviction of mine is that lifestyle and nutrition are underutilized tools in chronic disease prevention. I hold a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification from eCornell, serve as Treasurer of Harvard Undergraduate Plant-Based, and am a Fellow of Harvard's Food Literacy Project. Outside academics, I'm a Board Member and Company Dancer with the Harvard Ballet Company, continuing a 13-year classical ballet background. I also founded Taylor Bears Inc., a DFW-based 501(c)(3) that donates teddy bears to children at Cook Children's Medical Center and supports pediatric cardiovascular units. Looking forward to connecting with fellow Scholars who are thinking boldly about science, leadership, and meaningful impact.