Hi! My name is Thai Hai An Phung, but I go by Ami. I am a second-year Chemical Engineering student at the University of Toronto. I was born in Vietnam and have had the privilege of living in Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Ukraine, and the UK, where I recently graduated from boarding school.
I am passionate about energy, hydrogen, sustainability, materials science, and innovation, and I am especially interested in how engineering can contribute to scalable solutions for decarbonizing large industries. My research will be focused on evaluating mechanical performance and surface quality of novel carbon-mineralized cement!
Outside of academics, I love travelling, hiking, spending time in nature, exploring different cuisines, following motorsports, and trying new experiences. I am excited to be part of the Laidlaw Scholars Community so please feel free to reach out!
Hello! My name is Ace Tabisaura, an incoming 3rd-Year Public Law student at University of Toronto Scarborough with a strong interest in labour and employment law, particularly how legal institutions shape protections for marginalized workers.
I am Andrew Hamilton, I have a keen interest in both methods of quantitative statistical analysis through R and also through the discipline of comparative politics, in looking at electoral turnout and civic participation in the UK.
My work has included being a co author on a experiential case study on pedagogic practice into how methods of statistical analysis through R, can be made accessible for students with visual impairments.
Millican, A., Toth, F., & Hamilton, A. (2025, December 4). Seeing differently: Making R accessible for visually impaired students through collaborative learning design. National Centre for Research Methods. https://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/id/eprint/5006/
Further I am an award winning disability rights activist and have a particular interest in disability rights and digital accessibility, work has included lobbied politicians, co-authored a UN report, delivered oral evidence to the UN CRPD committee’s inquiry into the UK government and most recently being invited to give a witness statement to the Covid 19 national enquiry alongside advising an Northern Irish MLA on a disability private members bill.
Through my 4+ years experience of campaigning, I have developed a passion for media, as a tool to spread awareness. I am also passionate about ensuring young people have a voice in matters that affect them.
Lastly I am an active participant in Durham University’s venture scene, having founded an award winning public affairs startup, Just Include, which aims to ensure that everyone has a voice within politics.
Hello there! I'm Ashiya, a member of the 2025 Laidlaw Leadership & Research Programme Cohort. I am a student at the University of Toronto's Munk School, pursuing a double major in Peace, Conflict & Justice and Ethics, Society & Law.
I'm passionate about education and the governance of digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. I am currently exploring how this affects children facing socioeconomic disadvantage through my Leadership-in-Action project in Northern England. This builds on my previous work in student advocacy, my research of Indigenous-led education initiatives in Canada for my first Laidlaw summer, and my new role as a Center for International Governance Innovation Digital Policy Hub Fellow.
I look forward to reading and contributing to the incredible body of work on this platform (you all are awesome)! Outside of research, I love to read, dance ballet, explore, learn new things and make new friends - please feel free to reach out anytime :)
Hey! I’m Samuel Kamalendran, a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto (Mississauga), where I major in Political Science and minor in English and Classics.
My research project is titled “In the Valley of the Shadow of Death: Evaluating the Protection Afforded to Vulnerable Canadians by Bill C-7” and will explore whether Canada’s assisted-dying legal framework sufficiently protects the disabled, mentally ill, and those in poverty.
I was first introduced to this topic through a term research paper in a Canadian Political Science course, and quickly became very engaged in the subject. What truly stood out to me about this subject was the intellectual conflict underpinning the debate about the Bill’s provisions. I was fascinated by the justifications both sides offered—all of which contained some measure of truth—and the simultaneous inability of scholars to come to a clear consensus. I was also very drawn to the real-life stories of individuals who interacted with MAiD—every one of which spoke directly to the implications of any law that intersected law, medicine, and the ethics of self-autonomy.
Furthermore, as an aspiring legal professional, I am especially interested in diving into the legal and parliamentary cases that drove the development of assisted-dying forward, and performing a comparative analysis of international jurisdictions to decipher key lessons which can answer questions about the effectiveness of MAiD frameworks.
In my free time, I enjoy working out, creating music on the piano and drums, and exploring local rivers, lakes, and trails with my brothers. I’m also active in journalism at my university, interested in AI and business, and passionate about serving my peers through my work with my school’s International Centre and my upcoming roles on various committees and boards.
I’m sincerely looking forward to learning more about you all and your research projects! I would love to connect with y’all via LinkedIn, email (at samuel.kamalendran@mail.utoronto.ca), and/or through the Scholars network. I hope everyone has a fun, relaxing, and productive summer! :)
Hi! I'm Leora and I'm a member of the 2026 cohort at UofT. I'm going into my third year, double majoring in Peace, Conflict and Justice and Women and Gender Studies. My research interests are piqued in many different areas, but most strongly in global affairs, structural violence, peace-building, reproductive justice, and transnational feminism. In my free-time I like to read, create new playlists, and browse vintage fashion markets.
Hiya! My name is Faith Marion Kalia, but you can call me Mae!
I am a third-year student at the University of Toronto double-majoring in Philosophy and Diaspora & Transnational Studies with a minor in Creative Writing!
For my research, I will be studying how the biracial South Asian identity is impacted by language, gender, and identity politics. It is my highest hopes that this research is able to suggest an alternative identification for biracial people that does not threaten the wholeness of their being!
When I'm not researching, you may find me cafe hopping, reading critical theory, or dilly dallying in the park with friends! I am open to further discussing my research and/or extracurricular hobbies, if interested — feel free to contact me via social media or email!
Hello! I'm a third-year architecture student at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, pursuing additional majors in Religious Studies through the Department for Religion and Jewish Studies through the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies.
My research is focused on the critical role of design in history and its relationship to contemporary applications of design for state control. I am incredibly passionate about the future of design and how new frontiers can be assessed by analyzing the past.
Hello! My name is Rebecca Liu, and I am a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto. I am pursuing a double major in Public Health and Peace, Conflict, and Justice, with a minor in Women and Gender Studies.
For my Laidlaw research, I am examining global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) policy through a gender-inclusive and gender transformative perspective. The goal of my research is to understand how global policy guidance can be improved to better address the AMR global health crisis for marginalized groups of gender and sexuality.
Hi, my name is Alex Kurian. I am a Mathematics and Economics major at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Hi everyone,
My name is Aron Pechy and I am a second-year student at the University of Toronto, originally from Budapest, Hungary. I am planning to pursue a double major in Public Policy and Peace, Conflict and Justice with a minor in Sexual Diversity Studies.
My research project is titled Regulating LGBTQ Visibility through Child Protection and Media Law: A Comparative Doctrinal Analysis of Russia, Hungary and Bulgaria under EU Legal Frameworks.
My academic interests are mainly centred around policy, law and governance with a particular focus on LGBTQIA+ legal advocacy. In my free time, I enjoy running, hiking, travelling and visiting modern art galleries.
I am always happy to connect; feel free to reach me on any of my socials!
Hi, I am Linh Khanh Pham, a Vietnamese student and an incoming third year studying Financial Economics and Mathematics at the University of Toronto as I believe that the best way to answer questions is through numbers. That is what brought me to research, and what keeps me going. When I am not buried in problem sets, you will probably find me baking something (probably matcha flavored and convincing everyone around me that it belongs in everything :D)
Hello! I am Olivia, an International Relations and Ethics, Society, and Law student at the University of Toronto.
I am interested in how states relate to one another, how international diplomacy functions, and decision-making in states. This is why this summer I'll be looking at Legal Barriers to Self-Determination in Disputed Territories. This study looks at how states interact with independence movements, for example, to see if an overseas territory is worth retaining in the midst of claims for independence.
For fun, I like playing video games (come talk to me about Nintendo games!!) or reading, biking or walking through my neighbourhood, and browsing research. I love learning, I'm trying to read more non-fiction books, so please recommend any interesting research or novels!
I am so excited to be a member of the Laidlaw community. I hope to learn more about all of you, and read as much of your work as possible! Please don't hesitate to reach out to me, either through the Laidlaw Scholars Network, or on LinkedIn. Let's talk!
Hi everyone, my name is Jayden! I'm entering my third-year at the University of Toronto, studying Environmental Health and Disease. My research and academic interests lie within digital health and emerging technologies, and this summer, I'll be researching AI implementation in healthcare.
I also love to read, talk about music, and go for drives! I'm looking forward to meeting everyone!
Hello! My name is Payton Bonang and I am a student in Trinity College at the University of Toronto, St. George. I am pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree (HBA) with a major in Environmental Studies, a Certificate in Sustainable Pathways, and a double minor in Urban Studies and Forest Conservation.
Hi! My name is Hana, and I'm entering my third year at the University of Toronto majoring in Political Science and minoring in both Applied Data Science and Creative Writing. My academic interests lie in the intersections between technology and society; I'm particularly interested in how artificial intelligence interacts with and affects human communities.
In my free time, I love to learn new languages (I speak 5 fluently!), train capoeira, cook, and write.
Please feel free to reach out. I look forward to meeting more people in the Laidlaw community!
Hi! I'm Pranav, a third-year undergraduate at the University of Toronto, originally from the New York City metropolitan area—double majoring in Economics, with a focus in Data Analytics, and Public Policy, while also pursuing a certificate in Business Fundamentals and minor in South Asian Studies.
My research interests are highly interdisciplinary, across socio-economic and tech policy, and the law—with a broad passion for global politics as well as focused interest in South Asian regional affairs and community-based impact.
I'm always happy to chat with others and love to learn from my peers—please don't hesitate to reach out to me!