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 :)
I am a Biological Anthropology undergraduate at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. I am interested in human behaviour, especially cooperation and how it has evolved.
Summer 2025 I worked on a project titled 'The Cooperation Puzzle: What drives people to cooperate?' with my project partner Shrey Patel. We completed a meta-analysis on behaviours observed during Public Goods Games, providing an answer to this broad question by intersecting anthropology and economics.
Summer 2026, I completed my LIA at Refugee Legal in Melbourne, Australia, where I volunteered as a paralegal assisting refugees trying to relocate.
Feel free to get in touch! My email: pivenivanna100@yahoo.com my Instagram: @ivanna_piven
Hey! I’m Amna, a third-year molecular biology student at the University of Toronto.
I’ve worked in labs studying genetics and nanoimmunoengineering, but I also care a lot about science communication, from writing about microbes to speaking at places like the UN. For my summer research project, I am exploring anticipatory science diplomacy in Geneva. When I’m not deep in research mode, I’m probably planning my next escapade.
Always down to connect, especially if you care about science, systems, or asking big questions.
My name is Rosalind and I'm a first year student in psychology at the University of Cambridge. I am particularly interested in the interection between physical and mental health and how psychological and neurological processes can impact somatic functions. Another major interest of mine is the maintenance of mental health recovery, and how post-acute care in communities and systems can support the longevity of recovery and prevent relapse.
Hi! I'm Bruna, a first-year English Literature undergraduate at Durham University, currently working on my research project. My passion for stories is reflected in my research which focuses on examining storytelling's role in policymaking in creative fields in County Durham.
I am from Brazil but have lived in the Netherlands and Kuwait and therefore have come to love learning all about languages and cultures. Moving around also means I am always open to learning more and adapting to new situations.
In my free time, I am usually cosplaying an old grandma: I crochet, embroider, bake and read. At times, I may also be playing the sims.
Please feel free to reach out!
qmcj48@durham.ac.uk
Hello! My name is Lily, and I’m pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in music.
My first summer research was interdisciplinary in that it included psychology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral studies, and music. I designed an experiment about how emotional music impacts future perception and imagination. Then, I collected behavioral data to address my research question.
For my LiA, I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa with Anjelica Young, Elizabeth Wallace, and Soyu Hong to create programming for kids and child/youth care workers at SOS Children's Villages, with the support of our coordinator: Youness Robert-Tahiri. I taught poetry and developmental psychology; I co-taught visual art, music, and college/career prep workshops.
In the future, my goal is to get a PhD in clinical psychology to support the mental health of kids who survived early adversity and continue research.
I love making art, playing my violin, and reading and writing poetry. Some of my favorite books are Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke and any poetry by Langston Hughes.
My name is Lianne and I am a rising fourth-year student at the University of Toronto! I am super passionate about public health and related advocacy initiatives, and hope to be a physician-policymaker. Outside of academics, I love playing music, reading, dancing, and traveling!
Amylyn De Paz-De Paz is a student from western North Carolina and the daughter of immigrant pastors who instilled in her a deep commitment to service. From a young age, she has supported her community and led initiatives to expand access to education via tutoring programs, interpreting, and programming. At Duke University, she continues this work through her involvement with DukeEngage, Bass Connections, Duke Campus Farm, LangDorm, HelpDesk, Duke RAM, InventHers, Duke Mi Gente, and other programs. She is also a Coleman Family Ventures Fellow, an experience she is especially grateful for as it has allowed her to further develop her passion for a career in pediatrics and language access in healthcare settings.
For Amylyn, Duke and the Laidlaw Scholars program are catalysts for meaningful impact in the communities she cares about. She is proud to represent individuals who share her identity and experiences. To learn more about Amylyn’s journey, explore Duke’s premier student blog, “Trinity in Four Acts,” which follows her path throughout Duke and beyond.
Hi! I am working at the University of Hong Kong this summer and would be happy to connect with others in the area.
BEng Biochemical Engineering Student at UCL
I'm a second-year at Harvard College concentrating in Neuroscience with a secondary in Psychology, on a pre-med track. My research at Massachusetts General Hospital focuses on cerebrovascular diseases and the early detection of Alzheimer's Disease.
As a member of Harvard's inaugural Laidlaw Scholar cohort, I'm combining faculty-mentored independent research with leadership development through Oxford's Ethical Leadership Programme and an international Leadership-in-Action project — all in service of becoming a physician-leader who approaches healthcare with both scientific rigor and ethical grounding.
A core conviction of mine is that lifestyle and nutrition are underutilized tools in chronic disease prevention. I hold a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification from eCornell, serve as Treasurer of Harvard Undergraduate Plant-Based, and am a Fellow of Harvard's Food Literacy Project.
Outside academics, I'm a Board Member and Company Dancer with the Harvard Ballet Company, continuing a 13-year classical ballet background. I also founded Taylor Bears Inc., a DFW-based 501(c)(3) that donates teddy bears to children at Cook Children's Medical Center and supports pediatric cardiovascular units.
Looking forward to connecting with fellow Scholars who are thinking boldly about science, leadership, and meaningful impact.
Ellis Schroeder is a student at Harvard from Atlanta, Georgia, passionate about health equity. He is studying anthropology alongside art history, exploring how science and visual culture shape understandings of health, illness, and care.
Before Harvard, he led the nonprofit DermaTeens and various initiatives for skin cancer prevention and health equity across Atlanta, working with city government and public health officials to install IMPACT Melanoma sunscreen dispensers, promote access to preventative healthcare and sun safety, and educate youth on skin health. He advises the first National Skin Cancer Prevention Youth Council, an initiative he founded, and mentors youth across the country on public health community impact projects.
At Harvard, Ellis researches LGBTQ+ population health, eating disorder epidemiology, and medical sociology. Inspired to understand the growing mistrust in healthcare and science in a post-COVID-19 world, as a Laidlaw Scholar, he researches how LGBTQ+ young adults come to trust or distrust healthcare systems, using mixed methods to trace how real experiences shape engagement with care and impact health outcomes. Ellis hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health leadership.