I study Physics and Chemistry, and undertook research in synthetic and analytical inorganic chemistry. The aim of my project was to optimise the carbon dioxide adsorption behaviour (by optimising pore structure changes, gating effects and pore sizes) of merlinoite (zeolite) molecular sieves, for use in carbon capture in industry. This included development of reliable synthetic routes for merlinoites and developing an analytical model for their kinetic adsorption behaviour. The work will hopefully lead to further work, producing practical results which can be implemented to make gas purification in industrial processes, natural gas upgrading and waste processing more environmentally friendly. My Leadership in Action programme involved working with Grupo PROMESA on the circular economy by working on their "Recilcando x un Techo" recycling scheme in Mexico City, partnered with Make Sense Americas. My future research interests lie at the interface between physics and chemistry, particularly in solid state chemistry and in developing and using novel analytical techniques. I am interested in materials engineering, particularly within the energy sector, for example in carbon capture, nuclear fusion energy, and renewables. I also have a recent interest in patent law. Outside of studying and research, I have keen interests in writing fiction, amateur rocketry/aeronautics, cookery and philosophy. I play tennis, football and chess.

Hi everybody. I am Mateo. I am an Experimental Physics graduate from the University of St Andrews. I am a curious, talkative and reflective individual with a love for telling and hearing stories. I am from Peru, but have moved around quite a bit having lived in Equatorial Guinea, England and now Scotland. I consider having such a multicultural background a very nourishing and essential part of my being. Consequentially, I love travelling and learning languages, and I am always happy to connect with people from all walks of life and parts of the world. When I am not busy demystifying the rules of the universe, I enjoy dancing, cooking, walking and analysing movies. I also love programming and its applications for simulating real-world physics and processing large amounts of day-to-day data. In June, I will be graduating with an Integrated Masters in Physics, however, I aspire to develop professionally outside of academia possibly in the field of data analytics. I am happy to connect with any Scholars! 

US expat that came for school and stayed for the Mini Eggs. Researching inertial confinement fusion and studying fusion energy development. He/him and she/her, he/him preferred.

Hi! I am an undergraduate at Durham University, studying Physics and Astronomy. I'm looking forward to meeting many new people through this great network, so feel free to reach out about anything! I'm very interested in most sports, especially Formula 1; I'm interested in the space sector, music and food :) 

Hi! I am a final year Physics & Astrophysics student in Trinity College Dublin. My research was on radio-astronomy of the Sun with particular interest in predicting potentially disruptive solar weather and my LIA was Science Outreach with the World Science Festival in New York. Apart from physics I'm interested in running, rugby, card games and snowsports. I enjoy being outside, exercising, film/TV and reading. I am particularly interested in connecting with students from around the globe and broadening my horizons! Please feel free to contact me if you're interested in astrophysics, science outreach or have any questions about my time during Laidlaw and my other experiences!

Hi everyone~I'm Rita, studying Mathematics with Economics at UCL.

Hey everyone, I am a third-year psychology student at the University of York and a 2022 Laidlaw Scholar, aspiring to become a Clinical Psychologist in the near future!. My research entails "giving a voice" to Black and Asian ethnic minority students to understand the role their religion/spirituality has on their day-to-day university lives, and so understand how therapeutic environments can be tailired to promote their wellbeing.

Hi everyone! I'm Anna Lysenko. I'm a fourth-year undergraduate student in the International Relations Specialist program at the University of Toronto. I'm passionate about cyberpolitics and cybersecurity: my Laidlaw research project is about the effect of cyber-attacks on democracy.  My hobbies include reading, writing, travelling, drawing, horse riding, meeting up with friends, and watching movies. I'm excited to connect with new people who share my passions and interests :) 

UCL Medical Sciences Graduate, European Astronaut Centre intern

I'm a Joint Honours German and Psychology student at the University of St Andrews. My research will include a comparative analysis of how WW2 is taught and assessed in schools in the UK and Germany.

I am currently studying Sustainable Development and International Relations at the University of St. Andrews where I also sit on the Environmental Sustainability Board that advises the University on its Net Zero by 2035 strategy. I have experience with green entrepreneurship having co-founded the zero-waste company Concept Zero and been part of the sustainability consultancy OnePointFive as an intern and Sustainability Associate. I am passionate about regenerative farming and design, urban planning and nature-based solutions. I worked as a Growth and Community Engagement intern at Second Time Founders where I gained experience with outreach and community building through storytelling. I am always keen to explore the ways in which systems thinking, community participation, conscious leadership and emotional intelligence can accelerate the transition towards healthy, just, biodiverse and carbon-negative societies.

1st year medical student at the University of St Andrews with a particular interest in cancer! Outside of university I am interested in cooking, chess, and the outdoors. Feel free to get in touch about any or all of these things :)

I am a Scholar from the 2022 cohort at the University of St Andrews, pursuing an MA (Joint Hons) in English and Art History. My areas of interest include nineteenth and early twentieth-century art and literature, with a particular focus on the Victorian and Modernist periods. My Laidlaw research project was on 'Alfred Tennyson's Idylls of the King and Other Poems Illustrated by Julia Margaret Cameron: challenges to gender roles and tradition in the formation of Victorian artistic and literary legacies.' This interdisciplinary project presented the overlooked contributions of a female photographer in one of the most dynamic transitory periods in art and literature. Using Cameron's edition of Tennyson's Idylls as a case study that focuses on the female gaze as a 'translator' of the male poetic voice, this project aimed to understand how this work challenged traditional views of art, literature, and gender roles. I was honoured to have been awarded 'Best Poster in the Arts Faculty' for the research poster that I created based on my project. My Leadership in Action project has taken some of the core ideas from my self-defined research project and seeks to apply them in educational settings. I am partnering with local schools and non-profit arts organisations in Scotland to create workshops that promote widening access in the arts and the many benefits of creative engagement to young people facing disadvantages in education. These dynamic, hands-on workshops are oriented around the idea of finding personal connections to the art and literature of the past and promoting its accessibility and contemporary relevance.

Hi everyone, I'm Alex. I come from Northern Ireland, and am currently reading French and Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. I'm interested in politics, philosophy, journalism, and new ideas - I find the old ones quite stale!  Previously, I've worked in hospitality, as appears to be the trodden path for British students. Additionally, I have worked in logistics - a real eye-opener, given Brexit and its ramifications in Northern Ireland - and have done some adhoc Diversity and Inclusion for a legal firm in my hometown. My research project for the summer of 2022 will be entitled "The Viability of Novel Identities in Response to Separatist Tensions: A Comparison of French Algeria and Northern Ireland."

An ambitious student at the University of Toronto passionate about marketing, finance, and the intersection between business and social impact. With a burning desire to leverage entrepreneurship as a means to improve underprivileged communities, I spearheaded the Rescued Glass social enterprise to tackle waste management and support Thailand's Khlong Toey Slum community through upcycling used glass bottles into innovative household items. I find genuine fulfillment in experiencing and learning all that I can imagine. This mentality has empowered me to receive over 30 accredited licenses and certifications and pursue 7 professional working experiences thus far. In the process, I have gained proficiency in the technicalities of digital marketing, B2B/B2C sales, data analytics and e-commerce whilst honing my communication, interpersonal, and cooperative skills. Merging my passions with my ambition to make a meaningful difference in the world is intrinsically fulfilling. I have led several volunteer and service initiatives including organizing concerts to raise funds for endangered animals, participating in a microfinance/development bank, managing community social media pages, deploying artificial reefs in Thailand's islands, and more. I am humbled and grateful beyond words for the opportunities I have had thus far and am even more optimistic and motivated to continue experiencing, learning, and developing!

I was fortunate enough to conduct academic research under the supervision of Stephen Gethins,  Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St Andrews and now a sitting MP. Stephen introduced me to a truly fascinating yet often overlooked area of International Relations: sub-state and regional actors and their place in global politics, with a focus on Scotland in particular. Through this, I have developed an interest in Scotland's place in the world as a nation without an independent foreign office, but as a nation with extensive international influence and a powerful global diaspora. This topic formed the basis of my Laidlaw project, my undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation, and my PhD. I take a keen interested in other academic fields such as politics, history, and philosophy. Although an International Relations and Sociology student first and foremost, I had the opportunity of studying Ancient History and Classics alongside my degree for two years. If I were to ever win the lottery, you would find me endlessly cycling University, spending my remaining days studying Ancient History and Philosophy, Politics, Anthropology, Theology, Theoretical Physics and Maths, or whatever subject I develop an interest in down the line. Since leaving the University of St Andrews and the Laidlaw Programme, I completed an MRes degree at the University of Glasgow in Sociology and Research Methods. I received a scholarship for a PhD in Sociology at the University of Glasgow which I am completing part-time in addition to my role as Research Officer at Carers Trust Scotland - a charity supporting unpaid carers which I had previously volunteered for. My PhD is a continuation of my Scottish diaspora studies, seeking to reconcile the notion of 'civic Scottishness' with the Scottish identity of the lived diaspora.