Science and Sustainability Award 2024

Global winner

• University of Sheffield

  Emily is an astrophysicist based at the Mission Operations Center for the most powerful telescope ever launched, NASA/ESA/CSA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). She successfully led part of the team that took the first image of an exoplanet – a planet that orbits a star outside the solar system using JWST and has discovered a multitude of others while hunting for signs of life. Emily is passionate about diversity and inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and supports events targeted at encouraging women and LGBT+ community members into science.

  Americas: Dr. Emily Rickman (USA)

Global finalists

• University of Dundee

  Charis is a Satellite Controller at Hellas Sat, and achieved the title of the World’s Youngest Spacecrafts Operator. His startups, like the Climate Launchpad global finalist Wind-E, showcase his commitment to sustainable innovation. As a Board Member at Together Cyprus, and a jury member at Junior Achievement, he actively addresses community and environmental issues. Recognised with the 20 under 35 by The Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), Charis is a leader driving both technological and societal change.

  Europe: Charis Angeli (Cyprus)
• University of Essex, Sheffield Hallam University

  Dr Camp is passionate about finding solutions to protect the world’s coral reefs and in 2018 co-founded the Coral Nurture Programme, seeing over 100,000 corals returned to the Great Barrier Reef. Dr Camp was named a National Geographic Explorer in 2017 and a Time Magazine Next Generation Leader in 2020. She also champions the introduction and retention of women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and was named an inaugural Australian Academy of Sciences STEM Women’s Gamechanger.

  East Asia: Dr Emma Camp (Australia)
• Newcastle University

  Hamad specialises in genomic medicine - using insights from a human's complete set of DNA - revolutionising kidney disease treatment by enabling personalised therapies, offering more effective and tailored approaches to patient care. His research is dedicated to improving the diagnosis and prognosis of chronic kidney diseases, with a particular focus on Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Diabetic Nephropathy. Hamad has collaborated with renowned experts in the field, staying at the cutting-edge of scientific developments and contributing significantly to this vital area of medicine.

  Middle East and North Africa: Hamad Yaseen Ali (Kuwait)
• University of Sussex (including IDS); Chevening scholar

  Jennifer is the founder of SustyVibes, a youth-led organisation making sustainability actionable, relatable, and cool for young people. Jennifer’s recent work focuses on exploring the impacts of the climate crisis on the mental health of Africans, especially among young people. In 2022, she set up the Eco-Anxiety Africa project as a flagship project focused on safeguarding climate emotions in Africans through research, advocacy, and climate-aware psychotherapy. Jennifer was listed among the BBC 100 most inspiring women in 2023.

  Sub-Saharan Africa: Jennifer Olachi Uchendu (Nigeria)
• University of Oxford; Commonwealth scholar

  Mustak is an educator, researcher, author, and science communicator. His main goal is to apply the state-of-the art molecular diagnosis and research for the betterment of the cancer patients in Bangladesh. He is pioneering molecular oncology research in Bangladeshi cancer patients to transfer the knowledge to the clinics for low-cost precision treatment of cancers. He has founded the Cancer Care and Research Trust Bangladesh, that promotes research and awareness, and provides financial aids to cancer patients.

  South Asia: Mustak Ayub (Bangladesh)
• University of Bristol

  Zarina played a pivotal role in the development of three large-scale renewable projects across Kazakhstan which now serve clean energy to thousands of households and significantly reduce carbon emissions. Beyond that, they have also bolstered local employment opportunities, reinforcing the connecting between sustainable energy and community development. And through another initiative, installing solar panels at a school, they substantially reduced the energy bills and illuminated the minds of the students, creating a ripple effect for future generations.

  Wider Europe: Zarina Temirbulatova (Kazakhstan)