My name is Dana Oshiro, and I am a freshman at Cornell University.  I am majoring in Neurobiology & Behavior. I also plan on pursuing an MD degree after college. Last summer, I researched the Economic Costs of Domestic Violence. I am grateful to have continued along that topic this summer in Vietnam where I developed interventions to combat adverse childhood events.

Hello! My name is Andrew Talone. I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am a first-year student in the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University, planning to double major in Government and Economics and minor in Arabic. My academic and research interests include (but are in no way limited to) human rights, international and U.S. politics, political theory, macroeconomic policy, and foreign languages. As a Laidlaw Scholar, I plan to research the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in Barbados. Feel free to reach out if we share interests or you would like to connect!

My project looks at the educational outcomes of children on the Autistic Disorder Spectrum and their correlates. My subjects are Mathematics and Economics within NatSci at Durham University, but I'm eager to engage with anything economics, mathematics and mental health more broadly.

Hi! My name is Adnan. I am a natsci (computer science and physics) student at Durham.  My research interests lie in XR (extended reality, that is, virtual and augmented reality). Specifically: its possible ramifications and effects on society. 

I am a second-year student in the Bachelor of Architecture program at Cornell University. I am passionate about design and exploring how the built environment can positively impact people and cities. Through the Laidlaw program, I hope to research how the street characteristics affect people’s travel mode choice and collaborate with communities to create more walkable streets. In my free time, I enjoy running and hiking. I also love exploring new places and learning new languages!

I am from South Orange, New Jersey and I am currently studying Computer Science and Linguistics at Cornell University. I’ve always been fascinated by the interdisciplinary nature of technology and my goal is to find ways to connect technology with other fields to affect positive change. I’m incredibly excited to implement this technological approach in my research project, where I’ll be using data to analyze local effects of maquiladoras and international policies. Outside of academics, I’m an Arts and Sciences Ambassador and Peer Advisor, a member of the Cornell Blockchain club, and an avid rock climber.

Jerusha Frost began her sommelier career under the tutelage of renowned Sommelier Aldo Sohm at Wallsé in NYC’s West Village.  From there, she went on to work the floor at Le Bernardin, Bar Boulud and Boulud Sud as assistant sommelier and The Lion and Chefs Club NY as wine director.  In 2015, she went back to school for her MBA, whilst keeping her somm skills sharp substitute summing at the Waverly Inn and Rouge Tomate.   After earning her MBA from Columbia Business School in 2017, she moved to Napa Valley to join Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division, providing operational advice and structured financial solutions to this country’s greatest wineries and vintners.  In 2020, she left the bank to work for a venture backed startup building a custom B2B marketplace for wholesale alcohol distribution in the US.  Currently, she still provides pro bono financial counsel to winemaker friends, while overseeing the build out of a wine recommendation app.  Occasionally, you can catch her moonlighting at Press Napa Valley - the spot to discover perfectly cellared selections of Napa Valley’s finest wines. She is a Master Sommelier candidate, holds an Advanced Sommelier Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Diploma of Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, a B.A. from Macalester College, an MBA from Columbia Business School and was a Fulbright Teaching Fellow in Austria.  (Und, ja, sie kann auch Deutsch).

I am a third year medical student, aiming to make a difference to people's lives and health, starting with my Laidlaw project. In this project, I will be looking at whether distractor-filtering training can improve working memory in healthy ageing individuals.

Research and Academic Administration

Hello! I am a technology professional and researcher with a passion for cybersecurity, Machine Learning, software development, and digital inclusion. I hold a Master’s in Information Technology from Carnegie Mellon University and a First-Class Honors Bachelor’s in Information Systems from the University of Rwanda. My journey into programming began in high school in 2015, and I’ve continued to pursue this passion through my academic and professional endeavors. As a Laidlaw Scholar since 2019, I worked on the TUZA Electronic Payment System (TUZA EPS) project as part of the program, focusing on digital payment solutions. I am currently a Research Associate at CMU-Africa, where I work on rural broadband connectivity and community networks, striving to bridge the digital divide and enhance access to technology in underserved areas. Beyond my professional work, I find joy in supporting and mentoring others. I enjoy playing squash, going to the gym, and attending Church Sunday service. My goal is to continue leveraging my skills to make a positive impact in the tech industry and contribute to the growth and development of others.  

I work in the field of feminist theology, and my main interest is the history of modesty in Christian thought. 

Hello! I am a multidisciplinary designer and have been with the Laidlaw Foundation for over five years, working to strengthen our global Scholar community and amplify the impact of our programmes. My work lives somewhere between design, education, and anthropology, usually with sticky notes involved. I studied Human Sciences as an undergrad and recently finished a Master’s in Anthropology, both at UCL.  Born and raised in Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 Outside of work? Probably in the ceramics studio or a yoga class. Big fan of nature and very small bugs.

Iñaki Iriarte is a Laidlaw Scholar working with UCL's Institute of the Americas on researching political representation in Brazil.