Laura is a student at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland studying a Master of Arts in International Relations, alongside modules in Sustainable Development and Geography.

Growing up in Ireland, Laura has always taken the opportunities to adventure and is incredibly thankful for having an outdoor based upbringing. She has spent most of her life involved in water sports; she has spent over 17 weeks offshore sailing, including being a winning competitor in the International Tall Ships Races from Finland to Lithuania in 2017. Relying on the wind to propel and seeing the tide flow below boats reminds Laura of the interconnection of the environment, and, how damaging unsustainable practices can be on earth’s natural ecosystem’s equilibrium. Laura’s experiences at sea have taught her how dependent we are on nature. Her vast outdoor adventures have frequently exposed her to the damage we as a society are having on earth, which is a main driving force behind her passion to protect the environment.

Laura has a heart for social justice, driven by her Christian faith and sees the environment and justice as inextricably linked, recognised in intersectional environmentalism. Climate change disproportionately affects poorer countries and therefore people, hence Laura chose her combination of studies in order to make long term, sustainable change in people’s lives. Laura has a passion for advocacy, having successfully campaigned for investment in international aid as part of the ONE ambassador team she has experienced the benefits of speaking up for causes she is passionate about. When not sailing, Laura can be found hiking in the Mourne Mountains, wild swimming, playing hockey for St. Andrews, guitar or just generally exploring with some pals.  Laura is very excited for her newest adventure with EarthEcho, especially to engage with other young people passionate about the same issues to work for positive change.