My name is Candelaria, or Clara for short. I am a rising junior at Brown University, where I am concentrating in Medical Anthropology as a pre-medical student. As a freshman, I started working at Hasbro Children's Hospital as an Advocate with Connect For Health, a program that addresses patients' basic needs, such as food and secure housing, in an effort to alleviate social determinants of poor health. Since last summer, I have been conducting community-engaged health research under Dr. Melissa Palma for Tayo, a project of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO). I am thrilled to continue my nutrition research experience with the added dimension of cultural conversation through our study: "Kain na Tayo: Culturally Tailored Multimedia Heart Healthy Nutrition Education for Filipino Americans." This summer, as part of my Leadership in Action Project, I will be collaborating with HAND-Philippines, a medical humanitarian organization based in Bohol, Philippines, to study the impact of their free cataract surgery program on patients' quality of life, as well as conducting narrative interviews with community members to better understand the long-term effects of their work. I am always looking for opportunities to connect with researchers, clinicians, and other students who are passionate about positive community impact.

Hey everyone! My name is Rinaz Jamal, and I'm a rising sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior. I am passionate about helping individuals with mental health and neurodegenerative disorders feel seen, heard, and supported. This summer, I will be doing research at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute under the supervision of Dr. Franck Polleux. My project aims to understand the activity-dependent regulation of mitochondrial protein expression in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, which are among the first neurons to fail in Alzheimer's disease (AD). I am excited to add to the scholarly conversation around Alzheimer's research by identifying the molecular pathways that would be most valuable to target for drug development in the future. Because PV-INs are among the first neurons to fail in AD, understanding these metabolic pathways and restoring levels of mitochondrial proteins has the potential to improve clinical outcomes much earlier in AD progression than current methods. At Columbia, I am involved as a Scientific Review Editor for Grey Matters, our undergraduate neuroscience journal; Blog Editor for the Journal of Global Health; Conference Committee member and Peer Buddy for Columbia Synapse, which advocates for patients with acquired brain injury; and volunteer with Brain Exercise Initiative, where I visit patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia at a local assisted living home. I also play flute and piccolo in the Columbia University Orchestra. In my free time, I love to read and explore New York City. Please feel free to reach out; I would love to get to know you all!

Hello! My name is Claire, and I am an incoming sophomore at Columbia University from Los Angeles, California studying Medical Humanities and Public Health on the pre-med track. Some of my academic interests include metacognition, writing, and health equity from an educational and technical perspective. This summer, I am conducting eye-tracking chemistry education research, analyzing how learners approach challenging questions and developing an AI tutor that can encourage more effective problem-solving strategies across a broad demographic.  In my free time, I love dancing, running, reading and trying new places to eat around New York. Feel free to reach out to talk research or to just say hello!

Hi there 👋 I'm Neha Gupta, a fourth year student at the University of Toronto.  I'm interested in the law, peace-making, diplomacy and human rights.  My Summer I project looked at how paediatric oncology patients in nations with universal healthcare plans access psychosocial support. In Summer II, I hope to work with an organization to give marginalized communities (particularly women) the institutional support they need to stand up to injustices they face.  My Summer II LiA had me working with United Women Singapore to promote their women in STEM and women's empowerment initiatives. I focused on story-telling, digital communication and community building. 

Amber is a third-year Bachelor of Psychology student at The University of Hong Kong. As a Laidlaw Scholar from the 2024 cohort, she completed her research project, titled “Reading Through Gaming in Primary School,” at the University of Leeds and volunteered with the Red Cross in Taiwan (Pingtung County) during her second summer.  She is passionate about human behavior, educational entrepreneurship, and AI–human interaction. 

My name is Zala Bhan, and I’m a Laidlaw Scholar at Barnard College studying Applied Mathematics with an interest in biostatistics. For me, the Laidlaw program is a tribute to my cultural roots as a Kashmiri Pandit (KP), the ethnic minority of Kashmir, and an effort to preserve and give voice to a history that’s often overlooked. In my first summer, I explored whether a truth and reconciliation framework could offer a path for the reintegration of KPs following their forced exodus of over 300,000 people in 1990. Through case studies of the South African TRC, Bosnia’s post-war efforts, and Chile’s reconciliation process, I examined what healing, accountability, and return may look like in the context of Kashmir. For my LiA, I’m building an oral history archive to preserve the memories and voices of those who lived through the exodus, alongside personal artifacts and memorabilia. This archive aims to preserve lived experiences, support future research, and spark conversations about justice, memory, and belonging. I hope to continue this work long after the summer ends, deepening the archive and expanding its reach.

I'm a rising sophomore in Columbia College intending to major in Human Rights, with interests in Economics, Anthropology, History and African Studies. My current interests are in the relationship between the decline in narratives of the developmental state, the rise of non-institutional developmentalist efforts through civil society organizations, and the global shrinkage of the civil society space. 

Hi! I am a rising third-year in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in neurobiology and minoring in science, technology, and international affairs. During my research summer, I will be using metagenomics to study the diversity and ecological role of viruses in Antarctic soil microbial communities with the Johnson Biosignatures Lab at Georgetown. To give some context, metagenomics is a powerful bioinformatics sub-discipline that leverages genetic sequencing and data processing technologies to study microbial communities in their natural environments. Not only does this research allow us to better understand the ecological structure of environmental microbial ecosystems and how they play critical roles in cycling nutrients at a planetary scale, but studying microbial life can help us understand how life evolved on Earth in the first place. As we continue to overshoot planetary boundaries on Earth while simultaneously exploring deeper into outer space, these questions of how does our planetary system really work and what could such a living system look like on other planets become more and more important.  If you're interested in reaching out to talk about biology, any of my "hobbies," your research, or anything else, feel free!!

Hi! I am a Junior majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Math. With the Laidlaw Foundation, I've explored my interests in Nuclear Disarmament and Astrophotography through the K=1 Project @ Columbia University. For my second summer Leadership in Action Project, I'll be working on advocacy and forwarding nuclear non-proliferation policy in Santa Barbara, California and Japan with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. 

My Laidlaw experience focuses on reframing the tourism industry to center the environment. In my first year, I developed a map of NYC's ecotourism, focused on environmental justice, circularity, and emissions reduction. In my second year in Santiago, Chile, I have collaborated with FEDETUR, the federation of tourism enterprises of Chile, to develop materials for tourism businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.

I'm a first year student at Columbia University studying Biochemistry. 

Hi! I am a rising junior at Columbia University studying Economics and Human Rights. My interests are on public policy, education, and immigration. In my free time I love crocheting, watching movies, and exploring the city with my friends!

I am an undergraduate student at Columbia University majoring Political Science and History. My interests lie in education reform, carceral reform and alternative justice methods. 

Hi, I am a member of Columbia University's Class of 2027. I am passionate about topics at the intersection between economics and political science, my scope is usually focused on the U.S. but I am excited to gain a more international perspective! I have lived most of my life in the South of the U.S. and I am very proud to come from a Hispanic cultural background. In my free time, I enjoy exploring New York City or relaxing in my room with a good book (my current favorite author is Ocean Vuong).  Please reach out if my work interests you! I would love to discuss it and any related topics. 

Hi everyone! I am a rising Senior at Columbia College majoring in Cognitive Science and Visual Arts. As part of the 2024 Laidlaw cohort, I am deeply interested in the intersections of psychology, social anthropology, and the arts. My first summer specifically focused on understanding the role of forgiveness within Korean American communities.  This second summer, I am working at the Gardens, Libraries, and Museums (GLAM) at the University of Oxford to support with their community engagement team. My work includes creating more accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities, and also using the archives to spotlight individuals who overcame adversity to promote mental well-being amongst youth.

Hello! I'm Hannah Smith, a senior at Columbia University studying Film and Media Studies and East Asian Languages and Cultures. My first summer research focused on the portrayal of Chinese-American immigrants in Golden Age Hollywood films. For my second summer project, I am working with Playback Magazine in Toronto to publish articles highlighting diverse creatives and initiatives in the Canadian screen industry. 

Hello! I'm Anna, an undergraduate student studying Climate System Science at Columbia University, ‘27. I was born and raised in Shanghai, China, currently living in New York. I love exploring everything about climate and sustainability - from ocean geochemistry, to conservation and restoration, and to urban sustainability. In summer 2024, I’ll be doing geoscience and climate change research at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia, investigating the impacts of ocean warming and acidification on regional carbon sequestration through a process known as biological pump. In my spare time, you can find me snowboarding on the New England mountains, cycling in Central Park, and listening to classical music concerts at Carnegie Hall.

Hello! I'm Tatum, a rising junior at Columbia University originally from Columbus, Ohio. I’m studying Biology on the pre-med track with aspirations of becoming a pediatric physician. My passion for pediatric cardiology stems from my own experience as a child with congenital heart disease. This summer, as my Laidlaw Leadership-in-Action project, I’ve traveled to Majuli Island in Assam, India, to conduct a community health initiative in partnership with Sunbird Trust, a local educational NGO. My project includes leading interactive health education workshops for adolescents across eight private schools, covering topics like nutrition, stress management, menstrual health, first aid, and sanitation. It has been an eye-opening opportunity to step into the role of educator, connect across cultures, and help empower students to take charge of their health. Last summer, I completed my first summer Laidlaw research project at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, where I built a database of over 700 pediatric cardiomyopathy patients and analyzed athletic restriction patterns for children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. That work is now being developed into a publication. Beyond the classroom and clinic, I’m a student-athlete on Columbia’s softball team, a member of Columbia Christian Athletes, and part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. I love exploring NYC, especially through food, performances, long walks, and bike rides! I also value time spent simply relaxing with family and loved ones. I’m incredibly grateful to the Laidlaw Foundation for supporting both my research and leadership journeys. I look forward to continuing to grow as a scholar, leader, and future physician.