Today saw a special online event to recognise the 59 students from across Scotland who achieved the highest level of the Scottish Innovative Students Award (SISA) programme in the 2019-20 academic year.
The successful recipients of the SISA Level 3 award have earned the title SISA Innovation Champion.
The online event covered how to make the most of the competencies they developed during the programme and how they can apply them successfully in the future; in ongoing studies, as valuable employees, or as innovative entrepreneurs.
The challenge for the SISA 2019-20 programme was inspired by the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs), which the Scottish Government has committed to since 2015. The SDGs encourage a sustainable future for all, recognising that tackling climate change and preserving natural spaces must go hand in hand with tackling poverty and deprivation.
Participating in the event were speakers from IBM, the Institute of Directors and Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, who all emphasised how the competencies the students developed through the programme are valued by employers. Students also heard from Stuart McNab, a graduate now working for Ernst & Young about his experience.
Speaking about their achievement, Fiona Godsman, Chief Executive of SIE, said:
“The students, and their universities, should be very proud of the hard work it has taken to reach the highest level of the SISA programme, and this is just the beginning for our new Innovation Champions. With their experience of tackling the UN SDGs, recognising their importance and the interconnectedness of global issues, they can take their new skills & ideas out to the wider world and act as a positive force for good. We look forward to seeing the impact they will have.”
The 2019 – 20 Student Innovation Champions in full:
| Adda Ingemann Petersen | University of Strathclyde |
| Adrian Hernandez | University of Aberdeen |
| Adzfar Aziz | University of Strathclyde |
| Aleksandra Sonia Romanczuk | University of Aberdeen |
| Alexander Herrington | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Alvaro Rafael Martinez Moreno | University of Aberdeen |
| Ashan Sasitha Abeyratne | University of Stirling |
| Austine Okolo Ogochukwu | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Bartosz Grabski | Robert Gordon University |
| Cameron Moggach | University of Strathclyde |
| Chimezie Marvin Akuagwuagwu | University of Aberdeen |
| Connor O’Neill | University of Strathclyde |
| Davide Rendina | Robert Gordon University |
| Eilidh McDade | University of Aberdeen |
| Emily Paton | Glasgow School of Art |
| Emma Lawford | University of Aberdeen |
| Erika Pinto | Robert Gordon University |
| Erin Smith | Robert Gordon University |
| Fanechka Fernandes | Glasgow School of Art |
| Haishan Wang | University of Stirling |
| Hannah Rhodes | University of Aberdeen |
| Hermione Morris | University of the Highlands and Islands |
| Irina-Cristina Bogdan | Robert Gordon University |
| Ivana Dragicevic | Robert Gordon University |
| Ivana Krizova | Robert Gordon University |
| Jordan Sullivan | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Keitumetse Mosweu | University of Stirling |
| Lauren Ferguson | Robert Gordon University |
| Lei En | University of Glasgow |
| Lewis Henderson | University of Strathclyde |
| Lindsay Gavine | Robert Gordon University |
| Lucia da Vinci | Robert Gordon University |
| Lucy McInally | Glasgow School of Art |
| Marlyn Yoselin Caballero Carvajal | University of Dundee |
| Megan Barr | University of Stirling |
| Monica Diaz Fraga | Robert Gordon University |
| Nghiep Lucy | University of Aberdeen |
| Oluwadamilare Opeyemi Aluko | University of Strathclyde |
| Omotara Lydia Fagbuyi | Robert Gordon University |
| Pedro Domínguez Balderas | University of Aberdeen |
| Robert Greig | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Ryan Lenagh | University of Strathclyde |
| Ryan Mulholland | University of Glasgow |
| Sai Paresh Goklani | Glasgow School of Art |
| Sandy Barsoum | Glasgow School of Art |
| Sarina Kosewsky-Griffiths | University of Aberdeen |
| Sergio Castillo Morales | Robert Gordon University |
| Shaima Khaled Ebrahim Mohamed Ali Malalla | University of Dundee |
| Siddharth Kenia | Robert Gordon University |
| Sophie zur Wickern | Robert Gordon University |
| Stephen Smith | Glasgow School of Art |
| Sylwia Michalak | Glasgow School of Art |
| Temitope Ojewola | University of Aberdeen |
| Thomas Drescher | University of Strathclyde |
| Tilman Kratzer | Glasgow School of Art |
| Tylor Webb | Robert Gordon University |
| Usman Liaqat | University of Stirling |
| William Brownlie | University of the West of Scotland |
| Yumna Arif | Heriot-Watt University |
SISA was developed by SIE in partnership with four of Scotland’s Innovation Centres; the Datalab, CENSIS, CS-IC, and the Digital Health & Care Institute. The programme will run again in Academic Year 2020/21.
For more information on SISA: www.sie.ac.uk/SISA
(Pictured: Students attending a SISA Level 2 workshop in Dundee earlier this year).