Hello everyone! My name is Kira, and I am going into my second year of undergraduate studies double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy at the University of Toronto. My research interests focus on climate politics and environmental ethics/governance, which complements my Laidlaw project on climate consciousness in undergraduate students. I enjoy spending time outdoors (when it's nice out) and participating in various extracurricular activities. I am very excited to be part of this 2024 cohort and look forward to seeing what we all accomplish!

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. 

As a student of Health & Disease, Immunology as Psychology, I am eager to pursue a career in medicine or research! I am deeply passionate about menstrual health 

Hi, my name is Amelia and I'm part of the 2024 cohort! I'm passionate about innovation, technology, and design, and how they each intersect with politics. In my first summer, I examined protest art from the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong. My interest in this topic stems from cultural ties to Hong Kong, my high school visual arts education, and a desire to partake in a broader discussion on links between art and politics. Outside of Laidlaw, I'm also examining links between artificial intelligence and military development. Beyond academia, I love photography, art, and exploring the city with friends. Feel free to reach out!

Hello! I recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology Research from the University of Toronto. I’m passionate about youth mental health and how humour can be used to support resilience after adversity. My Summer 1 research project explored the relationship between childhood adversity, aggression, and self-regulation — deepening my understanding of the psychological impacts of early trauma. In Summer 2, I led a Leadership-in-Action project at SOS Children’s Villages in Cape Town, where I designed and facilitated a comedy-based mental health program for teens. That experience led me to found HaHaHelps — an organization that uses improv comedy to support youth mental health through accessible, community-led workshops. I'm currently piloting the full program in South Africa, with plans to expand to more communities globally. Please feel free to connect :) Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/younessrobert-tahiri Email: youness@hahahelps.org

Hi everyone, I am thrilled to be joining the 2024 Laidlaw Cohort. I am an incoming third-year undergraduate student studying Political Science and Psychology at the University of Toronto, and my hometown is Edmonton, Alberta. Some of my hobbies include music, volleyball, hiking, and making new friends. Shoot me a message and I would love to get in touch!

Toronto based designer, researcher and community volunteer involved in interdisciplinary projects and student-led mentorship and leadership initiatives. My architecture work focuses on digital timber fabrication and AI computational architecture. I incorporate GIS, Grasshopper, Midjourney, Blender and other tools to look at architecture through a multifaceted lens and dissect problems pertaining to sustainability and urban planning, My other interests include advocacy, library-hopping and deep sea diving. I am always happy to connect over a coffee! 

Hi everyone! I am a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto. My primary academic interests include the science of well-being, philosophy of mind, and subjective impacts of contemplative traditions. My research project surrounds how Buddhist-inspired meditation practices impact the phenomenology of experienced meditations, specifically their sense of self, objecthood, and command over their emotion.  I am originally from India, but I graciously got to spend my childhood across six other countries: Zimbabwe, Nepal, Kenya, Switzerland, Bangladesh, and Qatar. Witnessing so many diverse contexts has opened me up to unique traditions, patterns of behaviour, and problems that characterize our world.  I look forward to meeting and learning from the extremely talented and passionate members of the Laidlaw community :)

Hello there! I'm a problem-solver and leader in my second year of undergraduate architectural studies at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto, minoring in Forest Conservation. This summer, my research topic regards phenomena where corporations possess more power than nation state apparatuses. In this scenario, companies may build privately owned and controlled towns where employees may be at the hands of corporate mercy. This pattern has not only happened historically, but is still occurring in the present by entities such as Amazon. As an architectural researcher, I hope to identify urban or economic patterns of company towns and find antitrust solutions to break up corporate dependence. I'm also passionate about democracy, built and natural environments. But when I'm not thinking about architecture, in my free time I pursue various interests, from photography to journalism, hiking, writing and listening to music.