Hi, I am a student at the University of Durham studying Theology and Religion. I was born in London, but am also from Poland. I am passionate about my course, but for me, the most captivating aspects of my degree have included the areas such as biblical studies, and the anthropology/sociology of religion.  Beyond my course, I am also a passionate language learner currently learning French and biblical Greek.  My career aspirations are open to continuing further education, becoming a teacher or lawyer, or joining the civil service. I am enthusiastic about the opportunities the Laidlaw Foundation provides and am excited to embark on this journey. 

Hi! My name is Spencer Davimos, and I am a rising junior at Barnard College. Through the Laidlaw Scholars Program, I am conducting research on the transfer pipeline from community college to 4-year college within the City University of New York (CUNY). I am hoping to particularly center the experiences and perspectives of students of color to open up a wider conversation about increasing equity in postsecondary education access. 

Jahir is a junior majoring in Quantitative Economics with a Graduate Certificate in Business from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. His entrepreneurial interests are edtech, civictech/media, communication intelligence, and consumer AI. Besides entrepreneurship, he is interested in Management Consulting, Business/Investment Research, Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Impact Investing. Jahir co-founded AdjunctX, which received the Brandeis Ain Summer Start-up Award and the Tufts Entrepreneurship & Innovation Fund grant. It's an expert network for consumer lifelong learning and AI-driven networking.

Hi! I am a junior at Cornell University pursuing an independent major of Interdisciplinary Studies (Education, Information Science, Psychology). Through Laidlaw, I am conducting research on the social-ecological impacts of Indonesia's capital relocation and am excited to explore the intersection between bioacoustics, Indigenous knowledge, and public education. Feel free to connect with me on here or on LinkedIn!

Hi everyone! My name is Zoe (she/her). I am from Co.Louth, Ireland. I'm in my fourth year studying Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. My Laidlaw research project is about exploiting the relationship between LPS and capsule for therapeutic benefit against E.coli UTI in sepsis. Sepsis has a mortality rate of 1 in 5 and the majority of sepsis infections originate in the urinary tract (from UTIs). I hope with this research to expand the available therapies for sepsis infections derived from UTIs. In my free time, I like to run, play gaelic football, and I also volunteer with Streetdoctors and Dublin Homeless Awareness. This year I am also the Chairperson of Trinity Med Day, a charity that aims to raise money for projects across our teaching hospitals. One thing about me that surprises people is that I'm slightly married to my Google calendar.  I'd love to connect with someone who is doing research in similar areas and is open to a collaboration! But also I'd love to connect with anyone and am so excited to meet new people! :)

I’m an International History major at Georgetown University in Qatar, also pursuing a certificate in Media and Politics. My academic focus lies in understanding the post-Arab Spring Middle East through qualitative research—examining revolutions, civil wars, and Islamist movements to uncover the human stories behind these events. I’m especially drawn to the intersection of academia, art, and journalism. I recently worked on a creative media project documenting the making of a Sudanese feature film during the ongoing conflict in Egypt, and I’ve explored the political culture of Syrian diaspora youth and the voices of Gazan evacuees in Qatar. This summer, I’m interning with Migrants Organise in London, supporting grassroots advocacy, community organizing, and storytelling projects with migrants and refugees. Across all my work, I aim to tell stories with empathy and depth—highlighting resilience, dignity, and the power of collective action.

Hi! I'm a physics student at EPFL and more particularly interested in biophysics and statistical mechanics. I also love climbing and running.

I am a Senior at Cornell University studying Animal Science. I plan to pursue vet school after graduation or go to grad school. For fun, I like to train and show dogs, ride horses, read, travel, and spend time outside. I have grown in my research and leadership skills as a Laidlaw Scholar. I had an amazing experience traveling abroad to pursue a meaningful experience helping others. 

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.

I am an undergraduate Physics student at Durham University and I am very passionate about developing and progressing sustainable energy solutions. I believe we can tackle the global energy crisis through focused research, adequate funding and widespread education on the need for a systemic change. I also firmly believe that it is only by creating the sparks of passion and understanding through the education of our wider community that we set alight the fires of progress for our sustainable and progressive future.

I am a rising senior at Barnard studying history, concentrating on the history of empires and colonialism with specific interest in food history. I research how people, culture, and the environment interact through food.