From left: University of Windsor Students’ Alliance president Husam Morra, Samira Narimannejad, Elnaz Rezaee, Alexa-Jazz Pancito, Fadel Fouani, and UWindsor Sustainability Officer Nadia Harduar gather to celebrate the winners of the University’s inaugural Student Sustainability Competition, which awarded nearly $5,000 to support student-led ideas for a greener, more sustainable campus. (DALIA DEFILIPPI/University of Windsor)
By Sarah Hébert
As a part of Campus Sustainability Month this past March, UWindsor’s first-ever Student Sustainability Competition attracted a variety of innovative project proposals—each aimed at building a greener, more sustainable campus.
Taking first place and a $2,500 grand prize was UWinGoGreen, an initiative focused on tech-enabled sustainability submitted by Elnaz Rezaee, PhD candidate in Industrial Engineering, and Samira Narimannejad, PhD Candidate in Environmental Engineering.
Their proposal suggested leveraging technology to encourage sustainable living through features like AI-powered waste sorting, a student sharing system, and eco-powered energy stations.
Hosted in collaboration between the Sustainability Office and the UWSA, the competition invited students from across campus to pitch innovative sustainability projects designed to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and align with the Campus Sustainability Framework (2024-2029).
“All of the submissions demonstrated outstanding commitment to sustainability and have each contributed bold, actionable ideas for making our campus and communities more resilient, equitable, and environmentally responsible,” shared Nadia Harduar, UWindsor’s Sustainability Officer.
Submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges based on innovation, feasibility, impact, and alignment with campus sustainability goals.
In addition to the top prize, three other student-led proposals were recognized for their creativity and potential impact.
Second place and a $1,500 award went to The Sustainability Teaching Toolbox by Environmental Science PhD Candidate, Mariam Ageli, an open-access, interdisciplinary resource designed to help faculty embed sustainability principles across all fields of study.
In third place, Alexa-Jazz Pancito, a Bachelor of Applied Science – Mechanical Engineering student, earned $500 for their Pedal-Powered Smoothie Station, a hands-on project that combines human-powered energy with healthy eating and food waste awareness.
Rounding out the top four, Fadel Fouani, a Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering, received $350 for Sowing Sustainability: The Campus Greenhouse Initiative, a visionary plan to create a student-run greenhouse that supports food security, environmental education, and community engagement.
“A heartfelt thank-you goes out to all participating students, the judges, and our partners who continue to champion sustainability on campus,” shared Harduar.
“As we move forward, feasibility assessments will help determine which aspects of these innovative proposals can be implemented at UWindsor, so stay tuned for updates!”
For more information about Sustainability at UWindsor please visit uwindsor.ca/sustainability.