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.  

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."

First-year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine passionate about global health equity and racial justice

I am a fourth year student in Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilizations in Trinity College Dublin. My research focuses on the impact of Covid-19 on the arrival to Europe of Syrian and Palestinian refugees from Lebanon. In the second summer of the scholarship I worked with the Egypt Foundation for Refugee Rights. I am interested in migration, diversity and inclusivity. 

Hello everyone! I am a second-year Engineering Science student pursuing a specialization in Machine Intelligence, with a minor in Bioengineering and Robotics. My main research interest is in data science and computational biology. More specifically, using machine learning to analyze large datasets, and developing algorithms or models to find relationships that can help us better understand biological systems.  I am currently involved with EngSoc and NeuroTech. Outside of school, I enjoy baking, playing the violin, and listening to true-crime podcasts.

Hello! I am a senior from Walnut Creek, California (just outside San Francisco) studying History at Tufts University. I am, predictably, very interested in history, especially Roman history. At Tufts, I am active in Hillel and write for the school newspaper. If you have any questions about my research, or anything for that matter, feel free to contact me!

I am a "Cognitive and Brain Science" and "Science, Technology and Society" major at Tufts University, passionate about psychology, research, helping others, community service, and the outdoors. I am a research assistant in the Tufts Applied Cognition Lab, and have recently led a study titled "Cognitive States" which focused on proactive and reactive control states in the brain.  I want to go into a career that is beneficial and impactful for others, and I hope that through my work, I can make a difference, as well as meet incredible people and learn from them. 

I am a Physics student at the University of St Andrews excited about theoretical physics and its applications to industry. I quite like programming as well, and seeing where code can be used to model physics. I also have an interest in improving the speed with which the latest scientific developments can be implemented into humanitarian aid. 

Hello everyone! I'm Sarah (she/her) and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student in Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. I am particularly interested in the applications of philosophy to social and political issues, and how we can use philosophical arguments to inform policy decisions. As such, my research project concerned the appropriateness of belief and doubt in cases of sexual assault and the implications for university and legal policy. For my Leadership-in-Action, I conducted an evaluation of a sexual violence prevention education programme run by an NGO in Auckland, New Zealand

Hi, I'm Rebecca! I'm originally from Basingstoke, but I am now living in Leeds, as I am currently in my fourth year of the Law LLB course at the University of Leeds, following a study abroad year at Queens University, Canada. My first summer project revolved around young people's active travel habits, which combines my interest in working with children/youth law and my interest in all things sport. My LIA was based in Maine, USA, and involved working with a charitable summer camp to help facilitate their camp programs, which enables children and adults from low income backgrounds or with disabilities to access a summer camp the same as their peers do!

A fourth-year student of Political Science and Economics at Trinity College Dublin, interested in European affairs, public policy and democratic promotion.  During my first summer with the Laidlaw programme, I completed a research project titled 'The Role of Saliency in Expatriate Voter Mobilisation'. My research  investigated the voting behaviours of expatriate voters in Poland, France and the Czech Republic. During my second summer, I completed a leadership placement with the Jerzy Regulski Foundation in Support of Local Democracy in Warsaw, where I worked in organising the first National Congress of Local Cooperation for civic society organisations and local government representatives. 

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

Hello! I am part of the 2022 cohort of Laidlaw scholars. I am a first year undergraduate currently on the Mechanical Engineering (MEng) course at the University of Leeds. My project title is Development and Characterization of Biomimetric micropatterned surfaces.

Sustainable Development student at the University of St Andrews (Class of 2024) and UWC Alumna. My research focuses on exploring pathways to sustainability in the fashion industry, assessing the potential of circular economy models and thinking to address the unsustainability of current production and consumption patterns.