Hi, everyone! I'm a second-year student at MIT majoring in bioengineering and women/gender studies. I am a pre-med student, passionate about women's healthcare and accessibility. I am currently doing a research project on related to early endometriosis lesion formation at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, UK.  Outside of the lab, I love fashion (even though I mainly wear sweatpants) and literature. I've been really into beading and embroidery this summer, and am currently reading Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. I have loved getting to know the Laidlaw cohort at MIT and Cambridge University, so please reach out with any questions or to say hi! 

I am a current Biochemistry Undergraduate at the University of Oxford. I am happily a part of the 2026 Laidlaw Scholar Cohort.  I am very grateful to be a part of this programme where I am able to develop my character and behaviours to become a more ethical leader. I want to also be able to provide a positive impact on the people around me, my community and the world at large in all means possible. I have a particular interest in gender equality and improving women's reproductive health. I am also interested in climate action and protecting our oceans and lands.  As a previous tutor, mentor and being a state-school student, I can attest to seeing the differences in educational attainment between certain regions and demographics. Through the Laidlaw Research programme, I will be able to conduct research on how co-curricular activities can be used to supplement students who are unlikely to consider higher education or have low educational attainment, and improve their wellbeing and ambitions.

Hi! My name is James and I am a Medicine Student at the University of Cambridge. My research project is titled 'Can Helminths be Considered 'Old Friends' to the Human Immune System and Metabolism?'.  If you're interested in learning more about my research, or simply starting a conversation, I'd love to connect.

Hello! My name is Victoria Dai, and I'm a second year at Cornell University, located in New York, majoring in Biology and Society on the pre-med track. I am passionate about working with local communities and people of all ages, from children in Head Start programs to elderly adults in hospice care. For my Leadership-in-Action project during the summer of 2026, I partnered with make_sense Americas to collaborate with Picacho Con Futuro, a local NGO in Comuna 6 of Medellín, Colombia. The goal of the LiA is to developed a proposal for a new cultural café designed to serve as a welcoming community space and support local social and economic development. Outside of Laidlaw and academics, I enjoy singing in an a cappella group, playing tennis and the piano, and spending time knitting. I love visiting new countries and trying different global foods! I would love to meet more people so please don't hesitate to reach out! 

Hi everyone! I’m a first-year Chemical Engineering student at the University of Leeds with a strong interest in biomedical engineering, particularly at the intersection of sustainability and healthcare. I’m also passionate about environmental and energy-related challenges, and I’m eager to explore how engineering and innovation can contribute to more sustainable systems. I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow scholars through the Laidlaw Scholars Network, exchanging ideas, and learning from people with diverse backgrounds and ambitions. 😊

Hello! I am Defne, a physics student at UCL interested in pursuing graduate studies in biophysics. 

Hi everyone! I run the CraftHER Leadership-in-action program by @Swara - Voice of Women. Here's our IG: www.instagram.com/craftherbyswara/ I’m Asha Scaria Vettoor, an entrepreneur and Laidlaw Scholar from the University of Oxford. I run Swara, a social enterprise based in India that creates income opportunities for women through ethical fashion and storytelling. We also host CraftHER, a 6-week Leadership-in-Action program that brings Laidlaw scholars from around the world to Kerala to learn from women-led enterprises, grassroots organisations, and artisan communities. I’m passionate about building bridges between global learners and local changemakers in my community and always up for a conversation on social entrepreneurship, ethical supply chains, or running programs in remote parts of India.

Hi, I'm Natalie, an incoming second-year student at the University of Cambridge reading History. I am an international student from Sydney, Australia! In my degree, I specialise in early modern European intellectual history, though my Laidlaw project centres on an exploration of imperial women's power and agency in the Augustan age, employing  a case study of Julia the Elder.

Hi! My name is Amalina, I'm a Psychological and Behavioural Sciences student at the University of Cambridge. I am particularly interested in social and developmental psychology. My research project aims to examine gender and racial stereotypes in children and how the salience of these identities and prototypicality impacts self-perceptions of intelligence. My LIA is taking place in Vancouver, Canada where I will be working with the Animal Behaviour & Cognition Group to understand how urbanisation impacts mesocarnivores (in particular coyotes) and how understanding these animals can contribute to reducing animal-human conflict.  I'd love to talk about this topic or anything else to do with psychology, gender equality, crafting or travel! 

Hi, I'm Mila. I'm an undergraduate geography student at the university of Cambridge. I'm mostly interested in physical geography particularly in hazard risk and the ways that multi-hazards intersect with vulnerability and the ways that this will be impacted by climate change in the future. My summer research project, is focused on the ways Ukrainians, both in Ukraine and in the UK experience and process the ongoing ecocide in Ukraine. 

Hi! I'm Shrey, a second year economics student at Cambridge University. I'm interested in game theory and understanding human behaviour, which is why I am a co-author of research titled: "The Cooperation puzzle: What really drives people to cooperate?"

I am an Archaeology undergraduate at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. I am interested in biological anthropology and human behaviour, especially cooperation and how it has evolved.  This summer I worked on a project titled 'The Cooperation Puzzle: What drives people to cooperate?' with my project partner Shrey. 

Hello! I'm an undergraduate philosophy student at the university of Cambridge, with a particular interest in the philosophy of science and logic. For my research project, I investigated the history of the notion of privacy. I really enjoyed this venture outside my usual academic comfort zone! I'm also a huge music fan with an eclectic taste (always happy for a chat about anything from Mahler to Cannonball Adderley!), occasionally running from one rehearsal to the next.  Please get in touch if you'd like to say hi!

Hello! I recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology Research from the University of Toronto. I’m passionate about youth mental health and how humour can be used to support resilience after adversity. My Summer 1 research project explored the relationship between childhood adversity, aggression, and self-regulation — deepening my understanding of the psychological impacts of early trauma. In Summer 2, I led a Leadership-in-Action project at SOS Children’s Villages in Cape Town, where I designed and facilitated a comedy-based mental health program for teens. That experience led me to found HaHaHelps — an organization that uses improv comedy to support youth mental health through accessible, community-led workshops. I am currently conducting a feasibility study of the program in South Africa as part of my master’s dissertation in Psychology at the University of Cape Town, with plans to expand to more communities globally. Please feel free to connect :) Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/younessrobert-tahiri Email: youness@hahahelps.org

Ciao! I'm Leonardo, a Laidlaw Scholar passionate about entrepreneurship, leadership, and creating meaningful change in this world. I come from Italy, and at 17, I took an uncomfortable step by moving alone to the UK to pursue my studies, determined to gain access to an English university, networks, and growth opportunities. My research title is: "Using Points of Interest Data to Understand Retail Change in Great Britain, 2015 – 2025", which deeply connects with my entrepreneurial objectives. Through Laidlaw, I'm excited to expand my leadership capabilities, refine essential entrepreneurial skills and find new people within this amazing network! I'm passionate about engaging with Laidlaw's diverse global community, exchanging perspectives, and fostering long-lasting connections. I look forward to contributing my experiences, collaborating with fellow scholars, and continuously growing as both a leader and an individual. Please feel free to connect; I’m genuinely excited to share ideas, collaborate, and explore innovative solutions together! Leonardo Linkedin  leonardogareri05@gmail.com

Hello! My name is Annie, and I am a second year undergraduate student at the University of Cambridge, studying Geography.    My research project is titled ‘Scroll, Share, Speak: Examining Generational Engagement with Feminist Content on Social Media’. My project investigated the engagement patterns of self-identified women in the UK with feminist-related content on social media. The investigation examined how often different generations engage with digital feminist content, and the type of content and platforms they find most appealing. I explored how social media has influenced the way feminism is expressed and perceived, particularly in terms of its effectiveness in driving real-world change and shaping more inclusive forms of engagement.   In my spare time, I love to spend time with my friends and family, go on walks, and play netball.    If you’re interested in learning more about my research, or simply starting a conversation, I’d love to connect.