On December 7, 2024, 14 teams from across the globe gathered via Zoom for the 4th annual Reimagine Our Future sustainability competition award ceremony. The competition brought together 249 students from 11 institutions in the USA, UK, Ukraine, South Africa, China, Austria, Colombia, and Italy, who spent eight weeks crafting innovative solutions for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and showcasing contributions of diverse disciplines such as engineering, health sciences, agriculture, and architecture to sustainability through factsheets.
The overall winner was Georgia Shear from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Georgia’s project proposed a low-cost and simple way of sanitizing water using the heat generated from compost heaps. The proposed heat exchanger temperatures range from 140 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit and could be implemented for as little as $150, making it a viable solution for rural areas facing water contamination. Georgia received a $2000 prize for her innovative solution.
Two runner-up teams were also recognized for their creative contributions. Briana Harris and Kevin Bustamante Fontanel from Waubonsee Community College, USA designed a 100% biodegradable water bottle that could fully decompose within two years, presenting a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic bottles.
The team from the International Humanitarian University in Ukraine developed a dual-purpose solution to regenerate soil by removing landmines while simultaneously tilling the soil. Team members Ivan Stankov, Uliana Mihachova, Katheryna Vavryk, Uliana Frolova, and Marina Knyazeva emphasized addressing both environmental and safety concerns.
Both runner-up teams received a $1000 prize and, together with the competition’s overall winner, will be mentored by Professor Mike Yao from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to move their projects further.
Three teams earned a third-place prize for their impactful ideas. The team from the University of Quindío (Colombia) proposed a circular economy model using composite materials from waste plastic. A team from the University of Illinois Springfield highlighted the critical role of bats in controlling pests for crops, while a team from UIUC suggested a collapsible solar fabric canopy to combat extreme heat and provide energy to underserved areas. These awards were presented by Allie Garlin, a previous winner of the competition.
The Sustainable Health Solution Award, sponsored and presented by Professor Holly Rosencranz, went to a team from Ukraine for their proposal to deploy a multi-faceted rehabilitation center for traumatized soldiers. The Climate Change Award, presented by Professor Donna Tonini from UIUC’s Center for Global Studies, was awarded to a UIUC team for their decentralized renewable energy trading scheme.
The Most Multi-Disciplinary Idea award was presented to two teams from the University of Birmingham (UK). One team focused on gene editing to eliminate pesticides in sugar beet crops while another proposes a festival waste passport app to reduce event waste.
The Sustainable Education Solution Awards went to a team from the University of Birmingham for demystifying recycling and a UIUC team who addressed food insecurity by canning food waste.
Professor Warren Lavey (UIUC, Law), co-founder of the competition, commended the students’ impressive range of solutions and their potential to offer hope in tackling global crises. He paid tribute to his late colleague, Professor Robert McKim (UIUC, Religion), who co-founded the competition and whose legacy continues to inspire future generations. McKim’s words resonated throughout the event: “We have all contributed to causing the problems and we therefore all have an obligation to contribute to finding and pursuing solutions.”
Professor Leon Liebenberg (UIUC, Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering), co-founder and coordinator, stated that the Reimagine Our Future competition continues to provide a platform for students to turn their sustainability ideas into action, driving forward the change needed to secure a better, more sustainable future for all.
Ms. Voskoboynikova announced that planning for the 2025 competition is already underway and encouraged participants to stay updated on the competition website: https://www.herox.com/reimagine2024/.
