Hello! I am a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University. I study cognitive science, with plans to go to law school or pursue a graduate degree in evolutionary anthropology. My Laidlaw research is an interdisciplinary project dealing with the socioecological impacts of Indonesia's new capital city, Nusantara. We combine bioacoustics and anthropology to join local partners in monitoring the changes that result from the national capital city's relocation to the island of Borneo. Outside of academics, you can find me rowing with Cornell's club team or leading prospective students on tours. I also love to play music, make collages or journals, and curl up with a good novel. Please feel free to reach out!

At Cornell University, students across disciplines are passionate about changing the world. Open to first- and second-year students, the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Program provides generous support for student research, offers hands-on leadership development and reflection, and encourages students to reinvest their knowledge to help others succeed. Laidlaw Scholars are part of an international network of like-minded leaders.

Save Soil. Visit https://consciousplanet.org/ to learn more. Let's make it happen ! In is the only way Out. :) Try https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/inner-engineering . Changed my life.  If you work within sustainability/climate (or wish to do so), please reach out ! We have a lot to do. :)

I am a junior at Cornell University majoring in Global Development with a concentration in social and economic development. My interest lies in education, employment, and migration. Within this interest, I have delved into the correlation between education, the workforce, and migration & mobility (especially the concept “brain drain” and "brain gain"). I am passionate about improving global access to social and economic opportunities that young people have to leverage their human capital. With experience serving as Diversity Ambassador for the Cornell Undergraduate Office and Research Assistant for Professor Ivory’s “African Futures Project,” I strive to understand youth holistically from primary and secondary insight. I aspire to work in law for a youth development and/or an international organization.

Lain is an undergraduate majoring in computer science and Cornell's College Scholar Program, where they study inclusive natural language processing. They intend to graduate in 2026. Lain grew up in New York City. They love performing, and have been onstage at Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and Citi Field. They also love to learn from others and will happily engage in intellectual conversations (especially when someone else is excited). They hope to work in making AI more inclusive. Here is a little introductory video made for the Cornell Laidlaw Program.

I'm a junior at Cornell University majoring in Government, History, and China & Asia Pacific Studies, and minoring in Law & Society and Information Science. Coming from Hong Kong and Taiwan, I have a very strong research interest in US-China relations and the Taiwan security problem. I will be working on the topic of the impact of the US-China relations on semiconductor supply chain disruption, and its implication to Vietnam's emerging economy. This summer, I will be working as a research intern for the Cornell Emerging Markets Institute, gaining hands-on experience in using databases like Capital IQ, SDC Platinum, and Bloomberg. 

Hi, my name is Eliza Wadell. I am a senior studying Environment & Sustainability and Economics at Cornell University. As part of the Laidlaw Program, I spent my first summer conducting research on the impact of harmful algal blooms on consumer choices in Lake Victoria, Kenya under the mentorship of Dr. Kathryn Fiorella. My second summer, I traveled to Sydney, Australia to work for ESG Impact to improve sustainability in local businesses

Hello! I’m Trisha, a third-year student at Cornell University from Texas, USA. I’m majoring in Environment and Sustainability with a concentration in Food Systems, and minoring in International Relations and Climate Change. My interests in combining my enduring passions for writing and wildlife conservation have driven me to explore multiple perspectives on highly-controversial issues such as trophy hunting, retaliatory animal killings, and illegal wildlife crime. Thus, during my first summer as a Laidlaw Scholar and as a member of the Morally Contested Conservation team, I wrote a literature review on the interconnectedness of climate change and human-wildlife conflicts in East and southern Africa. In June and July 2024, I furthered this research by traveling to the University of Oxford and to the Burunge Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania.  As an aspiring environmental policymaker and journalist, I am passionate about making technical scientific information more accessible to the general public. At Cornell, I am an Institute of Politics and Global Affairs Scholar, through which I interact with policymakers monthly to discuss pervasive issues in international politics. I also speak Marathi, Spanish, and Swahili at varying levels of fluency and plan to continue to grow my language skills to communicate environmental issues across continents and cultures.  For fun, I love to turn even the most mundane materials into recycled art, spend hours on end working through jigsaw puzzles, and go for runs while listening to podcasts. And as a diehard foodie who loves to travel, I’m always looking for recommendations of places to visit or new recipes to try!  The Laidlaw Scholars Program has been an invaluable component of my undergraduate experience. The friendships I’ve made, as well as the research and language skills I’ve begun to develop, have encouraged me to continue to ask and seek answers to complicated questions about global affairs and environmental science. If anyone has questions or feedback about the Laidlaw Program, is interested in collaborating, or just wants to say hello, please feel free to email me at trb238@cornell.edu. I hope we can meet in person someday! Watch this video for a brief introduction to myself.

Hi! My name is Olivia Cheung and I’m a senior at Cornell University. I’m majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Community Food Systems in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I’m from Needham, MA. I’m passionate about science, sustainability, environmental justice, and health and would love to chat with others interested in these topics!

Kristin began the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholars program at Cornell University and was responsible for undergraduate engagement in the Einaudi Center for International Studies. She now provides remote support for Global Cornell. A Cornell alumna, Kristin majored in international agriculture and rural development then worked in agriculture and community development with an NGO in Kenya for six years. Her graduate work focused on community leadership development. Kristin enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family (and 3 dogs).