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2024 Global Winners

Sara Al Mahmoud & Maryam Al Qassim

American University of Sharjah
Architecture & Design

Amelia Ong Tsi Ying

Nanyang Technological University
Art History & Theory

Beverley Cheah

University of Warwick
Business & Economics

Christy Yu-Qing Xie

Western University
Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences

James Kenneth

Western University
Classical Studies & Archaeology

Bruno Rafael Florentino

University of São Paulo
Computer Science

Joshua Hurdiss

University of Sheffield
Earth & Environmental Sciences

Alethea Yeo Yen Ning

Nanyang Technological University
Education

Balvinder Kaur Dhillon

Queen Mary University of London
Engineering

Koh Horn Ray

Nanyang Technological University
History

Anne White O’Brien

University of Galway
Law

Sean Phang Kia Ann

Nanyang Technological University
Life Sciences

Judit Casas i Riu

Trinity College Dublin
Linguistics

Nurul Syahirah Nadirah Binte Noorrisham

Nanyang Technological University
Literature

Hongshu Wang

Western University
Mass Communications

Mikko Seppälä

University of Helsinki
Mathematics & Physics

Muriel Heitsch

Karolinska Institutet
Medical Sciences

Rosina Lui

University College Utrecht
Music, Theatre & Film Studies

Richard Croft

Ulster University
Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Healthcare

Rachael Louise Li

University of Sydney
Philosophy

Kai Ingot Damai Siallagan

Queen’s University at Kingston
Politics & International Relations

Diana Maria Urian

Western University
Psychology

Avery Huang

Yale-NUS College
Social Science: Anthropology & Cultural Studies

Ng Si Jie, Elizabeth

London School of Economics and Political Science
Social Science: Sociology & Social Policy

Evie Rose Thornton

University of Dundee
Visual Arts

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Sara Al Mahmoud & Maryam Al Qassim

Architecture and Design
American University of Sharjah

Winning Paper: Beirut Under Construction

Sara AlMahmoud – an architecture graduate from the American University of Sharjah, focuses on sustainable, context-driven design with a commitment to positive social and urban impact. Passionate about material fabrication and furniture design, she is currently working on renovating and restoring heritage projects in Sharjah.

Maryam AlQassim – a recent architecture graduate from the American University of Sharjah, is passionate about sustainability and innovative design. She aims to create adaptable, timeless architecture that tackles global challenges, advances sustainable practices, and contributes to a carbon-neutral future, leaving a lasting impact on the industry.

Amelia Ong Tsi Ying

Art History and Theory
Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper: Mapping Resistance? Situating the Role of Counter-cartographic Art in Effecting Social Change

Amelia is a final year undergraduate double majoring in Environmental Earth System Science and Public Policy and Global Affairs. Her research interests include corporate sustainability developments and regulations, and she is currently co-authoring a teaching case on sustainability practices in the palm oil industry.

Post-graduation, Amelia hopes to further her career in the fields of ESG and public policy. In her free time, Amelia enjoys visiting aquariums and of course, finding interesting maps.

Beverley Cheah

Business & Economics
University of Warwick

Winning Paper: Clustering of Green Jobs and Wage Growth in the US: A Spatial Analysis Approach.

Beverley Cheah holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with Study Abroad from the University of Warwick, where she also spent an exchange year at the University of Munich in Germany.

Her undergraduate dissertation focused on topics in spatial and labour economics, utilising advanced econometric technique to examine the clustering effects of green jobs in the US.

Professionally, Beverley has experience in corporate strategy and M&A and is currently pursuing a career as an analyst at J.P. Morgan.

Christy Yu-Qing Xie

Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Western University

Winning Paper: Identification and Quantification of Multi-Component Street Drugs Using Deep Neural Networks

Christy Xie graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Science, specialising in Computer Science and minoring in Chemistry. Her thesis focused on applying deep learning techniques to spectral analysis for the identification and quantification of various substances in street drugs, blending her interests for computational methods and chemistry.

She is currently pursuing a law degree at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she aims to merge her technical expertise with legal studies, particularly in areas such as intellectual property, technology and patent law.

James Kenneth

Classical Studies & Archaeology
Western University

Winning Paper: ANCIENT SOURCES, MODERN PARADIGMS: Examining the primary sources concerning Gaius Marius’ supposed reform of Roman recruitment practices.

James is in his first year of a Masters program in Classical Studies at Western University. His main area of interest is the period ca. 250 – 750CE, which saw the decline and eventual collapse of the Roman Empire and the birth of the early medieval kingdoms in western Europe. His submission to this year’s GUA awards, however, deals with the Late Roman Republic in the last century BCE, a period of history which James had previously not studied in-depth.

James is honoured to be a two-time Global winner, and he is very excited to be attending the Summit again this November.

Bruno Rafael Florentino

Computer Science
University of São Paulo

Winning Paper: BioPrediction-PPI: predicting interactions between biological sequences

I graduated with a degree in Physical and Biomolecular Sciences from IFSC-USP in 2023, and I am currently pursuing a direct Ph.D. at ICMC-USP. Both during my undergraduate studies and now, I have been working in bioinformatics, mainly focusing on the prediction of interactions between biological sequences using machine learning techniques.

My primary goal as a researcher is to build robust and automated frameworks that enable biologists and non-experts in machine learning to train and use predictive models, accelerating their research without needing to delve deeply into the technical aspects of model construction.

Joshua Hurdiss

Earth & Environmental Sciences
University of Sheffield

Winning Paper: Comparison of variation of topsoil quality indicators in a long-term regenerative management strategy in the North Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK

Josh holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science with Employment Experience from the University of Sheffield. During his studies, he focused his research on his interest in farming, sparked by his upbringing within the North Cotswolds. He explored opportunities for transitioning towards sustainable agricultural practices aimed at regenerating topsoils, under the supervision of Dr M Menon. He is currently pursuing his passion for environmental sustainability in his Graduate role at Greengage Environmental, where he focuses on natural capital and ecology.

His work is centred around advancing net-zero initiatives and biodiversity net gain, with opportunities to further his involvement in regenerative farming projects.

Alethea Yeo Yen Ning

Education
Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper: Comparing Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Mathematical Ability and Fluency in Children: Insights from an fNIRS Study.

Alethea, a final-year undergraduate pursuing a BSc (Honours) in Biological Sciences, grew up in the vibrant landscapes of Singapore where childhood adventures close to nature ignited her passion for understanding life. This early connection nurtured her keen interest in neurobiology and human development, as she admired the complexities of both the mind and body.

Now, she aspires to bridge the gaps between computational biology and translational research, envisioning a future where data-driven insights translate into tangible advancements in health and wellbeing. Motivated by curiosity and a desire to enhance human welfare, Alethea’s journey reflects her belief in science to transform lives.

Balvinder Kaur Dhillon

Engineering
Queen Mary University of London

Winning Paper: Development of a Bioresorbable Drug-Eluting Stent with Organ-On-A-Chip Validation

Balvinder Kaur Dhillon, an MEng Biomedical Engineering student at Queen Mary University of London, is a dedicated researcher in cutting-edge biomedical technologies. As a Research Assistant at QMUL’s Centre of Advanced Robotics, she develops deep learning models for hand gesture recognition and EMG signal processing.

Concurrently, she is a researcher at the Digital Environment Research Institute, applying machine learning for personalised treatment of atrial fibrillation. Balvinder also manages the Cybathlon QM team, designing
low-cost vision assistance systems. Driven by a passion for accessibility, Balvinder aims to bridge the healthcare gap for low and middle-income populations, focusing on rehabilitation and assistive technology resources.

Koh Horn Ray

History
Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper: Imagining Waste in/and the City: How did urban imaginaries of a ”clean and green city” shape post-independent Singapore’s waste management system and subsequent imaginaries of waste and the city?

Koh Horn Ray is a final-year history major and music minor at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU). Horn Ray’s passion for history was forged in the forges of interdisciplinarity, discovered while specialising in music at the School of the Arts, drawing compelling links between historical concepts and musical knowledge. Fascinating personal accounts encountered during research and volunteering experiences sparked his hunger for stories excluded from our collective memory but intrinsic to our identities, tying into a newfound love for urban and spatial history to understand how space is socially constructed and imbued with meaning and memory.

A future educator, Horn Ray is passionate about engaging with children and youths, nurturing exploration and curiosity through history.

Anne White O’Brien

Law
University of Galway

Winning Paper: Exploring the Adequacy of Irish Law in Protecting Female Victims: Examining the Subjective Standard and the Defence of ’Honest Mistake’ in Rape Cases

Anne is a graduate of the University of Galway, with a degree in Law, Criminology & Criminal Justice (BCL). During her first year of her undergraduate studies, she was a recipient of the University of Galway ‘Scholarship of Excellence’. Anne’s research centres around equality before the law. Her winning paper sought to examine the inadequacies of the standard by which the mens rea of perpetrators of sexual offences is judged in the Irish courts.

Anne is currently studying a Master of Laws (LLM) at Queen’s University Belfast. She is continuing her interest in legal scholarship through her current role as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Galway Law Review for Volume IV.

Sean Phang Kia Ann

Life Sciences
Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper: Diet-microbiome-immune interactions regulate sleep in larval Zebrafish.

Sean graduated from Nanyang Technological University with a BSc in Biological Sciences and Psychology. His research interests lie in the intersections between biology and psychology, especially how the gut-microbiome-brain axis affects behaviour, mental health and neurodegeneration. His winning thesis focused on using the larval zebrafish as a model to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie the interplay between diet, gut microbiome, inflammatory responses and sleep.

He is currently a medical student at Duke-NUS Medical School, and hopes to translate basic science to achieve tangible clinical outcomes for patients.

Judit Casas i Riu

Linguistics
Trinity College Dublin

Winning Paper: Linguistic complexity in 20th-century American stage and screen musicals; A comparison of 1930-1949 Broadway, Hollywood and Adaptation song lyrics’ lexical density

After an Erasmus+ exchange at TCD, Judit is now a final-year Linguistics undergraduate at the University of Barcelona. Simultaneously with her academic journey, she has undergone music training at Barcelona’s Municipal Conservatoire (Honours Award 2023) and the RIAM, which has often led her to perform interdisciplinary research in the intersections between language, music and areas like History, Education and Psychology.

Accordingly, her current investigative interests lie in the linguistic, musical and cognitive profiles of both clinical and neurotypical populations, to which she will dedicate her undergraduate thesis. Following graduation, she ultimately aspires to pursue a research career in Cognitive Science.

Nurul Syahirah Nadirah Binte Noorrisham

Literature
Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper: To Kill Time – Conflicting Temporalities and Temporal Hegemony in Things Fall Apart.

Nadirah recently graduated from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts in English with Honours (Highest Distinction). She is passionate about world literature and postcolonial studies, focusing on marginalised narratives and decolonial thought, and is especially enthusiastic about exploring the dimensions of time and space in literary texts. Her winning entry is an abridged version of her undergraduate thesis, which explores these intersecting areas through an examination of the hidden complexities of Western temporal imperialism on colonised societies in Asian and African literature.

Nadirah is a recipient of the prestigious 2024 Anugerah Cemerlang MENDAKI Award and was previously a GUA Highly Commended winner in the Literature category in 2023. She hopes to further her research on chronopolitics in postcolonial literature and plans to pursue postgraduate studies in 2025.

Hongshu Wang

Mass Communications
Western University

Winning Paper: Understanding Netizens’ Everyday Collective Actions toward Vegetarianism: A Content Analysis.

Hongshu Wang recently graduated with an Honours Specialization in Sociology at Western University. His major research interests are the cultural and political aspects of Chinese-language social media, racialized immigrants’ political participation, and intersectional inequalities experienced by graduate students and faculty members in universities.

He is currently an MA student in Sociology at Western University. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Sociology and is becoming a researcher who uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct applied research.

Mikko Seppälä

Maths & Physics
University of Helsinki

Winning Paper: Equation of State of Cold and Dense Quark Matter

Mikko Seppälä is an M.Sc. student at the University of Helsinki, where he previously completed his B.Sc. degree in theoretical physics. He is interested in theoretical particle physics, in particular specialising in the quantum field theory of the strong nuclear force.

His bachelor’s thesis focused on the strong interaction under extreme pressure, using both analytical pen and paper calculations and computer simulations.

He is now working on his master’s thesis, where he is developing analytical calculation methods in quantum field theories, again focusing on the strong interaction.

Muriel Heitsch

Medical Sciences
Karolinska Institutet

Winning Paper: Developing a Gene Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa in Usher Syndrome 1F

Muriel Heitsch graduated from the Bachelor’s program in Biomedicine at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, in June 2024. For her thesis project, she had organised an exchange semester to Harvard Medical School, Boston. Currently, Muriel is studying the Master’s program in Biomedicine at Karolinska Institutet and in parallel the online Professional MBA at the University of Colorado, Denver.

Muriel loves contributing to biomedical research, especially when it is translational, and is looking forward to starting her PhD studies after graduation.

Long term, she is very excited for a future career in biomedical science, ultimately aiming to making a difference in advancing healthcare.

Rosina Lui

Music, Film & Theatre
University College Utrecht

Winning Paper: Dancing Divinity – Exploring Gender and Devotion in the Thousand-Hands Guanyin Performance

Rosina Lui’s work challenges the boundaries of artistic and research disciplines, exploring themes such as collective consciousness and interrelated multiplicity. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from University College Utrecht. She participated in projects with Culture Action Europe, Students of Cultural Anthropology Journal, DutchCulture, etc and at venues like Podium Mozaïek and Kulturmødet.

This summer, she was awarded a full scholarship to further her practice at the European Cultural Academy’s Contemporary Art Course in Venice. She then researched artivism at residencies in Vinderup and Berlin respectively. Currently, she is creating an artistic showcase with ZID Theater.

Richard Croft

Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Healthcare
Ulster University

Winning Paper: A review to evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercises compared to alternative treatments in reducing urinary incontinence in prostatectomy patients.

Richard graduated from Ulster University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Studies including specialist study in Continence Care. His research project focused on the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercises compared to alternative treatments in reducing urinary incontinence in prostatectomy patients.

Qualifying originally as a nurse in 2014, Richard has worked in both hospital and community settings and his current role is a specialist nurse for the Community Bladder and Bowel team who were shortlisted for the National Nursing Times Awards in 2023 and have recently won the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust Service Improvement Award in 2024. Richard hopes to apply knowledge from his research project to improve patient care and future treatment for urinary incontinence.

Rachael Louise Li

Philosophy
University of Sydney

Winning Paper: Rationalism about Love – The Quality View and the Trading-Up Objection

Rachael is from Sydney, Australia. She studied philosophy and law at the University of Sydney.

Kai Ingot Damai Siallagan

Politics & International Relations
Queen’s University at Kingston

Winning Paper: Our Savages – A Comparative Study of Canadian Media Coverage of the Occupations of Palestine and Western New Guinea

Damai is currently engaged as a Pathy Foundation Fellow, working with his community in Indonesia to foster local leadership in tourism by strengthening community-building initiatives. He graduated at the top of his program with a BAH in Global Development and History from Queen’s University. His academic oeuvre includes two undergraduate theses, several articles, and numerous conference presentations.

Damai’s primary area of research centers around Indigenous land rights in Indonesia, reflecting his deep concern for his community’s wellbeing. Following his Fellowship, he plans to pursue a BCL/JD at McGill University with hopes to specialise in inter-jurisdictional property law impacting Indigenous communities.

Diana Maria Urian

Psychology
Western University

Winning Paper: Effectiveness of a Web-Based Neurocognitive Battery for Assessing Executive Function in Alzheimer’s Disease

Diana M. Urian is an M.Sc. student in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, working under the supervision of Prof. Jennifer A. Chandler. Her current research explores the intersection of neuroscience and real-world applications, emphasizing the ethical and legal implications of privacy issues in emerging neurotechnology.

Diana holds a B.Sc. in Neuroscience with an Honours Specialization from Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, where she focused on cognitive assessment tools for dementia care.

She aspires to pursue a career in healthcare law, contributing to policy development and bioethics education.

Avery Huang

Social Science: Anthropology & Cultural Studies
Yale-NUS College

Winning Paper: You, Scholar: A choose-your-own-adventure story about some pre-university scholars in Singapore.

Avery (she/her) is a final-year student at Yale-NUS College studying cultural anthropology with a particular interest in queer, feminist theory. Her research archives how people find ways of living and loving otherwise against regimes of power that assign value to life based on capitalist production and cis/heteronormative reproduction. In her winning work, she documents in second person the biography of Steven, a young student-migrant to Singapore; she hopes the reader can serve as an affective witness to Steven’s quest for agency and meaning against the bureaucratic violence of a border regime that treats him only as an economic resource.

Avery hopes to pursue further studies in the humanities and creative writing, guided by her belief in words as a powerful resource for felt, embodied ways of knowing the world and healing from structural injustices. In her college life, she’s been a journalist, chef, seamstress, food reviewer, model, rally marshal, among other things; if not academia, she hopes to train as a hairstylist or staff a vintage shop.

Ng Si Jie, Elizabeth

Social Science: Sociology & Social Policy
London School of Economics and Political Science

Winning Paper: I call this adaptive intelligence – How do physically disabled employees integrate into the workplace?

Elizabeth is a final-year undergraduate studying BSc(Hons) International Social and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She believes that we all have a collective responsibility to care for the less-privileged in our communities. She is committed to using her voice to shed light on the structural injustice and fault-lines in society, including those perpetuated by the very policies that purport to be remedies. Her research seeks to understand the everyday experiences of labour, care, dignity, poverty, and inequality. She hopes this will inform policies on how to improve lives and livelihoods.

Evie Rose Thornton

Visual Arts
University of Dundee

Winning Work: Future Landscapes – Blue Carbon Habitat

Evie Rose Thornton is a visual artist whose work addresses climate change, envisioning symbiotic futures with nature. In collaboration with the Scottish Oceans Institute, she developed living sculptures to support mussel and oyster habitats, providing natural solutions to coastal flooding.

A first-class Fine Art graduate from the University of Dundee, Evie has received prestigious awards including the DJCAD Research Prize, the RSA John Kinross Scholarship and was selected for the V&A Dundee’s Graduate Showcase. She is currently developing a new body of work for inclusion in the RSA Permanent Collection, ‘A Recognised Collection of National Significance to Scotland’.