Hello everyone, I am a (graduated) Laidlaw scholar from the 2021/2022 cohort. I am very interested in African studies, linguistics and all forms of art and media. I am currently in my penultimate year at LSE, whilst undertaking a year abroad at Sciences Po in Reims to improve my French language skills. In my free time, I work as a freelance photographer whilst writing and editing for magazines.
Hello! I'm Heather, a third year student at the University of St. Andrews studying marine biology. As you might imagine, I am interested in almost all topics sea-related and have been enjoying spending my summer researching marine-mammal tracking technology in southern Iceland. The aim of my research has been to quantify the performance of certain aspects of this technology for the first time, the results of which will be used to inform design and procedure of future projects.
Hello! I'm from Edinburgh, and am currently a fourth-year student studying on the MPhys Astrophysics programme at the University of St Andrews. I'm interested in almost all of astronomy and astrophysics, particularly on a computational side (handling and analysing observational data, and simulations). Away from academics, I enjoy playing a variety of sports, exploring the Scottish hills, and am a keen musician.
My project focuses on mapping a region of the sky known to be star-forming, around the Monoceros constellation, with the hope of using analytical techniques to attempt to find new star clusters.
Hello! I'm Noura, a University of St Andrews student heading into third year. I study International Relations and Modern History, and I particularly am interested in migrant rights and decolonial histories. My project aims to examine the experiences of children in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, pinpointing the uniqueness of those experiences and utilizing both data and autobiographies of enslaved people in order to come to new conclusions regarding our understandings of the slave trade.
Outside of my studies and project I love the outdoors, baking/cooking for my friends, art in all forms, and cultural exploration!
If you want to chat send me a message! I would love to connect with you about your project or interests, or if you have any knowledge that could contribute to my work!
Hello! I'm Yoshino, a second-year student triple majoring in International Relations, Spanish and Italian. My Laidlaw research is 'Retelling Christian-Muslim Relations: Christian "Fascination" with Moors in the Middle Ages'. I love languages, and I am thinking about words and names all the time. I also love travelling. I love exploring new places and meeting people so much.
I am aspiring for a career in law, consulting or academia. Although I am particularly interested in those three fields, I am open to various experiences.
If you would like to chat about research, career or hobbies, please feel free to message me! I would be more than happy :)
Hello! I am currently a second year BSc Psychology student at the University of St Andrews. My research explores the effects of attentional focus as a potential performance anxiety intervention in piano performance. I would love to chat with individuals who have similar research interests as me!
I am currently at the University of St Andrews studying towards a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Neuroscience. I am committed to increasing my knowledge of the brain and its function, with a particular interest in neurodegenerative disease research. As such, my Laidlaw research project will explore the potential of neurochondrin as a therapeutic target for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and other Motor Neurone Diseases.
I am a History Undergraduate at University College London and a Laidlaw Scholar. My research project was on a conservation NGO in the UK and my follow-up worked with the American Bird Conservancy to produce a chapter for an upcoming eBook on People and Birds.
I am interested in how to make our connections to nature stronger through Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work.
I am fascinated by the power of being grounded in a place. That is the stories that we tell ourselves and the power of those narratives on how we act.
I am working on the All-or-Nothing Problem in Effective Altruism. I integrate the topic with the classical ethics dilemma- the numbers problem and provide a new perspective on the issue. I conducted my research at the University of St. Andrews under the supervision of Dr Theron Pummer. In general, I am interested in political philosophy, ethics, meta-ethics, politics and public policy.
I am a fourth year student studying Geography and Sustainable Development at The University of St Andrews. I have a particular interest in reforestation, conservation and climate change mitigation. For the first summer of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme I produced a research essay and poster titled 'Climate Change Mitigation: Investigating the impact of land use on soil organic matter (SOM)'. My research focuses on measuring and reporting soil organic matter content across different land use types such as cropland and woodland. I explore the climate change mitigation potential of soil and the potential of adding soil organic matter through woodland restoration.
For the second summer of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme I produced a Leadership-in-Action Video about my project on sustainable agricultural practices in Williamsburg, Virginia. My LiA project involved interviewing farmers in and around Williamsburg, academic researchers at the local university, The College of William and Mary and the manager of the Williamsburg Farmers Market. I also produced a reflective essay about my experience over the Laidlaw Scholarship titled 'Learning, Growing and Developing as a Leader'.
I am an undergraduate Laidlaw scholar from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I have lived most of my life in Dublin (apart from three years in Berlin - but no, I can't speak German). My main research area is political philosophy; my research interests in particular are in how human rights can be used as an approach to morality, and how we should consider and address 'structural injustices' in society. I also have interests in democratic theory, and heterodox approaches to economics.
Outside academia, I am often involved in social/political activism. I'm a keen ultimate frisbee player, and I enjoy chess, table tennis, and hiking. I'm also (slowly) learning French and Polish.
Ruhani Walia
National Scholar and Student Researcher, Stanford Digital Economy Lab, IRPP, Toronto Experimental Economics Lab
A curious writer, learner, and economist in training. Always open to having a virtual or in-person coffee chat :)
Isabella Garcia Bernstein
Undergraduate Research Fellow , Barnard College of Columbia University
Hello everyone! My name is Isabella Garcia Bernstein (she/they), and I am going into my second year at Barnard College. I study Spanish and Latin American Cultures and Archaeology. My research project involves examining the allegorical play Loa for the Divine Narcissus by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz to situate her views of scholarship and education in the larger educational structure of colonial Mexico. With my research, I hope to gain an understanding of educational disenfranchisement in the country as a result of Spanish Catholic colonization. I look forward to connecting with you all.
I am an MMath Mathematics student at the University of St Andrews, focusing on Applied Maths and Statistics. I have long been passionate about Mathematics, History, and Languages, studying Russian alongside my Mathematics degree. I also care strongly about education, dedicating much of my time to tutoring different levels of Mathematics to various children and teens of different ages. Through Laidlaw, I have recognised that my key strengths of confidence, communication, and curiosity can be applied to leadership and that there is no archetypal leader.