Sustainability PRIME and Champion Awards
Sustainability Champions 2026
Individual Sustainability Champion Award
Winner: Adriana Portella, Assistant Professor in the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society
Adriana has shown exceptional leadership in advancing sustainability, climate action, and climate justice on a global scale. Through her work on the British Academy-funded project Amazon Indigenous Wisdom: Shaping Climate Solutions in Brazil, she has championed the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in climate solutions, supporting community empowerment and more resilient futures. Her impact extends from local communities to international platforms, demonstrating research excellence, collaboration, and real-world influence. The panel recognised Adriana’s outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability, equity, and global engagement.
Highly Commended 1: Maryam Sholevar, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Sciences, Edinburgh Business School
Maryam has transformed sustainability education by creating a “living lab” approach within the logistics curriculum. Through innovative, real-world learning experiences, she is equipping students with the skills and systems-thinking needed to address complex sustainability challenges.
Highly Commended 2: Daphne Lim, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Sciences, Malaysia
Daphne has demonstrated outstanding leadership through the Food Waste Awareness Campaign project, empowering students to tackle food waste through hands-on learning. Her work successfully embeds sustainability principles and responsible consumption into the student experience.
Team Sustainability Champion Award
Winner: Edinburgh Super-Resolution Imaging Consortium (ESRIC)
The Edinburgh Super-Resolution Imaging Consortium (ESRIC) has set a new benchmark for sustainable research at Heriot-Watt as the University’s first LEAF-certified laboratory. Through leadership, innovation and collaboration, the team has delivered measurable environmental improvements by optimising resource use, reducing emissions, and enabling low-carbon research practices. The panel particularly commended Jessica Valli’s leadership and the team’s commitment to continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and embedding sustainability into everyday research activities. Their achievements provide an inspiring model for sustainable laboratories across the University.
Highly Commended 1: Team SPOKE Rwanda
The SPOKE Rwanda team has developed an impactful partnership model that supports sustainable livelihoods for farming communities while reducing food waste. Their collaborative approach demonstrates the power of sustainability to deliver tangible social, environmental and economic benefits.
Highly Commended 2: The National Robotarium Team
The National Robotarium team have developed an innovative and highly replicable solution for recycling 3D-printing waste. Their work embeds circular economy principles into daily operations and is helping to influence sustainable practices beyond the University.