I'm a Class of 2028 student at Barnard College of Columbia University in NYC. I am pursuing a combined major in Gender Studies and Human Rights. My degree is centered on feminist anthropology, with particular attention to gendered forms of violence and resistance in the occupied West Bank. In my free time, I study Hebrew (Yiddish next, I hope), explore museums, and cook with my friends. "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On quiet days, I can hear her breathing." - Arundhati Roy

Hi! My name is Hayden Chernow and I am from Boston, Massachusetts. I am a rising junior at Barnard College majoring in Urban Studies with a focus on the Middle East and Education.  My Laidlaw Scholars Research topic will examine how Jordan's growing refugee population impacts access to trauma-informed education.

Hello! I'm Kate Morton, a rising Junior at Barnard College from Baltimore, Maryland, USA, pursuing a combined major in Environment & Sustainability and Human Rights with a minor in Dance. My Laidlaw Research combines land rights, history, ecology, and environmental justice to explore how eminent domain reshaped socio-ecological conditions in the Delaware Water Gap, a National Recreation Area just outside the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania, USA. 

Hi! I'm Kritvi, currently a rising sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University intending to major in Economics and Mathematics. Having experienced educational and economic systems in India, the UK, and the United States, I've become fascinated by the factors that drive economic development. My interests lie in development economics, particularly how technology can address inequality and support sustainable growth in developing countries. I enjoy exploring questions at the intersection of economics, data, and social impact.

Hello! My name is Abril Rodriguez Calle, and I am a student at Columbia University studying Medical Humanities with the goal of eventually becoming a doctor. My interests lie in the intersection between medicine, the healthcare system, and ethics, especially in understanding how healthcare decisions and policies affect both patients and communities. This summer, I will be working with Dr. Sandra Lee on an NIH-funded research project exploring the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of global genomics research partnerships. The project examines how institutions and communities negotiate issues such as data ownership, privacy, benefit-sharing, and decision-making in genomics research, with the goal of creating a practical “negotiation playbook” to support more meaningful and equitable collaboration. As part of the research team, I will help analyze policies and institutional practices while gaining experience in qualitative research, bioethics, and global health policy.

Hey everyone! My name is Rinaz Jamal, and I'm a rising sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior. I am passionate about helping individuals with mental health and neurodegenerative disorders feel seen, heard, and supported. This summer, I will be doing research at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute under the supervision of Dr. Franck Polleux. My project aims to understand the activity-dependent regulation of mitochondrial protein expression in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, which are among the first neurons to fail in Alzheimer's disease (AD). I am excited to add to the scholarly conversation around Alzheimer's research by identifying the molecular pathways that would be most valuable to target for drug development in the future. Because PV-INs are among the first neurons to fail in AD, understanding these metabolic pathways and restoring levels of mitochondrial proteins has the potential to improve clinical outcomes much earlier in AD progression than current methods. At Columbia, I am involved as a Scientific Review Editor for Grey Matters, our undergraduate neuroscience journal; Blog Editor for the Journal of Global Health; Conference Committee member and Peer Buddy for Columbia Synapse, which advocates for patients with acquired brain injury; and volunteer with Brain Exercise Initiative, where I visit patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia at a local assisted living home. I also play flute and piccolo in the Columbia University Orchestra. In my free time, I love to read and explore New York City. Please feel free to reach out; I would love to get to know you all!

Hi, I'm in the Columbia College Class of 2029, interested in exploring the intersections of neurobiology and storytelling, particularly the stories behind the science. My Laidlaw research project delves into the molecular and behavioral signatures of pain and stress in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in mice.