Hullo! I'm postgrad student in St Andrews reading Sustainable Development with a focus on urban planning. My bachelor's degree at Durham centred around Chinese & French language, culture, and literature, which I'm still involved with on the side, along with photography and Continental & Eastern philosophy.

I am a science fan who gets her inspiration from stories. On my previous journeys volunteering and traveling around the world, I've met people who opened my mind to the greatest things and biggest issues of their communities. Sometimes those stories make me feel sad and worried, but many times, they inspire and urge me to imagine, innovate, and create changes using my own tools of science and technology.

Hello! I am a penultimate year French and Politics student at the University of Leeds with the drive and tenacity to effect positive change on a global scale. My research focuses on identifying West African resistance fighters in the Second World War. I have also developed a keen interest in the Francophone world, French philosophy and Post-colonial Feminist security studies.

I am a Politics, Philosophy and Economics graduate who is greatly interested in peace-building and its direct impact on immigration policy. I have always had a strong strong passion and motivation to make a positive social impact, for my Laidlaw Research Project I was researching alternative and cost-effective education system that could be embedded in the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) to guarantee refugees’ educational rights. This required me to conduct extensive research, economic modelling and to think outside the traditional norms of education to find a solution. This is a project I am still working to develop further- if you have any interest in this, reach out and let's have a virtual coffee. I am currently spending my gap year working for Business Plan for Peace to encourage disinvestment in the industry of war, and instead pushing for private funding in initiatives that make peace profitable for the investors. If you are a part of a private company that would like who would like to expand their philanthropic commitment while being an active part of making peace-building a profitable industry- please do reach out!

I am a Career Development Fellow in the Psychology Department at Durham University, where I research the psychological processes that enable people to adapt, remain motivated, and flourish in challenging environments. My research sits at the intersection of resilience science, Self-Determination Theory, and well-being. I am particularly interested in understanding how individual, social, and environmental resources interact to support resilient well-being across diverse contexts. My doctoral research examined these processes among polar expeditioners living and working in isolated, confined, and extreme environments, using mixed methods to explore how basic psychological needs underpin resilient functioning. I am now extending this work beyond polar environments to investigate resilient well-being in higher education, sport, and other high-challenge settings. My research adopts a socioecological perspective, recognising that resilience emerges through the dynamic interaction between people and their environments rather than residing solely within the individual. Alongside research, I teach quantitative and qualitative research methods, statistics, and psychology at undergraduate level, supervise student research, and enjoy translating psychological science into practical applications for education, sport, organisations, and communities. Before entering academia, I spent over two decades working in community development and youth work, founding and leading a social enterprise supporting children, young people, and disadvantaged communities. These experiences continue to shape my research philosophy: I believe the best psychological science should not only advance theory but also improve people's lives. My work combines rigorous empirical research with a strong commitment to real-world impact, and I am always interested in collaborating with researchers and practitioners working in resilience, motivation, well-being, Self-Determination Theory, higher education, sport psychology, extreme environments, and community-based research.

Alex was the Programme Director of the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme from September 2021 - May 2024.  Prior to joining the Laidlaw Foundation Alex spent over a decade at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he most recently managed the university’s Laidlaw Scholars Programme. In addition, Alex taught leadership courses and guest-lectured internationally on the subjects of strategy and leadership. A bilingual speaker, dual national and keen traveller, Alex has lived, visited and worked in several countries around the world. During this time, he has had a unique opportunity to encounter and explore different cultures and working environments, experiencing first-hand what good leadership can achieve. His passion for this topic is driven by these experiences and a desire to challenge people to unlock their full leadership potential. Alex holds an MBA from the Open University and a Master of Research in Management from the University of St Andrews. He has also obtained Associate Fellow status with the Higher Education Academy. In his spare time, Alex is an avid skier and volunteers with a local guide dog organisation.

👋 Hi there, my name is Georgina. I am a Laidlaw Alumni and a graduate from University College London. It's a pleasure to meet you!

I am a human rights defender focusing on children's rights. I am the vice chair and empowerment and involvement officer of the Amnesty UK Children's Human Rights Network. The network is a dynamic, and change-making group of activists who campaign with children to make their rights real. My research this summer has focused on understanding how certain linguistic structures are used by organisations, movements, and individual activists to take action on human rights issues.

Hello! I'm Emma, a 2017 Undergraduate Leadership & Research Programme alumna and one of the Founding Co-Presidents of the Laidlaw Alumni Society. My 2017 Undergraduate Research project focused on UK legislation which requires certain organisations to publish an annual statement about the efforts they are making to stop modern slavery in their supply chains. In particular, I looked at whether this legislation was really making a difference in the fight against modern slavery in supply chains. At the time, I concluded that the legislation was largely ineffective - however, you'll be pleased to know that, just a few years later, topics such as modern slavery in supply chains have risen much further up the corporate agenda (for various reasons largely unrelated to the UK legislation). These days, I work as a lawyer. For the first few years of my career, I advised corporate clients on ESG disputes and regulation (including matters relating to modern slavery statements!). I am about to start a new, exciting chapter of my legal career, working to develop two nuclear projects which will help the UK to achieve net zero by 2050 and ensure that its energy supply is secure.

Laidlaw Scholar Researching "How people use their time during journeys?". In summer 2018 I conducted ethnographies in London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam on trains and in Leeds on buses. Summer 2019 I have created a survey and done 2 focus groups. I visited the Royal Geographical Society Conference at Cardiff University in 2018 and will attend the same event in London this year, presenting my poster. In addition to my Laidlaw Scholarship, I have recently completed the Q-Step quantitative training placement at Leeds City Council. This project focused on "redefining the city's boundary". I am an incoming Equality and Inclusion project assistant at the University of Leeds. I have previously had nearly 3 years experience as a Maths Tutor, during my studies. I have been an open day ambassador for the School of Geography. I have also worked as a kitchen assistant.

Researcher in population genetics

Hello everyone! My name is Lorenzo and I am currently a Technology Consulting Associate at PwC and I have previously completed a Biomedical Engineering degree at UCL. In my Laidlaw experience I specialised in Autism Research, from a psychological and engineering perspective, investigating perceptual load capacity and early diagnosis technique using novel medical imaging techniques. I am very passionate about innovative economics, education and technology - let's chat! :)