Donate
Instagram Linkedin Icon-subsubstack-brands-solid-full Tiktok Facebook Spotify
Donate

Speaker Profiles

Keynote Speakers

Cllr. Yemi Adenuga

Fine Gael Councillor, Meath County Council

Opening Keynote Address

Victor Sosanya

Founder & CEO Valuable Community | Alumni 2022

Alumni Keynote Address

Enda Kenny

Former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister)

Gala Dinner Keynote Address

Workshops

Joeli Ramirez & Connor O’Rourke

Root and Rise

Confidence, leadership & moving ideas forward

Dr. Oludurotimi Adetunji

Brown University

Bridging Research and Story: Visualising Complex Ideas in the Age of AI

Panel Members

Prof. Palvo Bosyy

Panel Judge – Music, Film & Theatre

Mrs. Dominika Buresova

Panel Judge – Maths & Physics | Alumni 2023

Dr. Lorraine Chadwick

Panel Judge – Education | Alumni 2009

Dr. Fiona Malone

Panel Judge – Engineering | Alumni 2014

Dr. Peggy Shannon

Chair Judge – Music, Film & Theatre

Prof. Marco Sonzogni

Chair Judge – Global Communication

Need a Hand?

If you have any questions or need assistance during the Summit, please speak to a member of the GUA team. If you can’t find us, use the contact form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Cllr. Yemi Adenuga

Fine Gael Councillor, Meath County Council

Opening Keynote Address

The Global Undergraduate Awards is delighted to welcome Councillor Yemi Adenuga back to the Summit as our opening keynote speaker for 2026.

A trailblazer in Irish public life, social entrepreneurship and people development, Yemi made history in 2019 when she became Ireland’s first elected Black female councillor, representing Fine Gael on Meath County Council. Known as “Energy in Motion”, she brings an unmistakable presence, a powerful personal story and a deep commitment to helping others recognise and realise their potential.

Yemi’s journey began in Nigeria, where she grew up as one of 27 children in a polygamous household. At just 13, she heard her mother and sisters be told that they would amount to nothing. Rather than accept those words as their destiny, she turned them into a determination to prove otherwise. That resolve would shape a life defined by breaking barriers, building communities and creating opportunities for others. From a pioneering career in broadcasting to elected office in Ireland, Yemi has continually challenged expectations of who gets to lead, whose voices are heard and what is possible.

Beyond politics, Yemi is a people development strategist, mentor and social entrepreneur whose work spans confidence building, leadership, women’s empowerment and youth development. Through her initiatives, she helps people find their voice, recognise their strengths and turn ambition into action. Her message is rooted in a conviction that no one else should have the power to define the limits of another person’s potential.

Returning to the GUA Summit, Yemi brings a message that speaks directly to this year’s theme, Thinking Forward. As a community of exceptional undergraduate thinkers preparing to shape their fields and influence the world around them, delegates will be challenged to consider not only what they can achieve, but how they can lead, overcome expectations and create opportunities for others. Her story is a powerful reminder that the future is not something we simply inherit. It is something we have the courage to shape.

Victor Sosanya

Founder & CEO Valuable Community

GUA Alumni Keynote Speaker

Victor Sosanya is the Founder of Valuable Community, an organisation creating opportunities for young adults from lower socio-economic backgrounds to build confidence, develop their ambitions and access networks that help them thrive.

Raised in Barking and Dagenham in London, Victor went on to study Economics at the University of Warwick on a full-tuition social mobility scholarship, secured internships at Credit Suisse and worked as an Equity Trader before studying for his Master’s in Entrepreneurship at Cambridge Judge Business School.

Drawing on his own experience of navigating barriers to opportunity, Victor founded Valuable Community to provide the encouragement, connections and sense of belonging he once lacked. The organisation has supported more than 300 young adults through retreats, workshops and community-building initiatives.

As a GUA alumni, Global Winner for Economics 2022 for hs paper “The Effect of Pre-University Work Experience on Graduate Wages” Victor brings a distinctive perspective on how recognition, access and the right networks can help exceptional potential translate into lasting impact. His journey speaks directly to the Summit’s themes of thinking forward, connecting across disciplines and creating opportunities that extend well beyond university.

Enda Kenny

Former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister)

Gala Dinner Keynote Address

 

Enda Kenny was elected to Dáil Éireann, the Irish National Parliament, at 24 years of age in 1975. He was re-elected in twelve subsequent General Elections until his retirement as Taoiseach in 2017. He served as Minister for Education, Tourism and Trade and became the Leader of Fine Gael in 2002. He led the Party for fifteen years, the longest period of any Fine Gael Leader. He also served as the Vice President of the European People’s Party for six years. He became Taoiseach in March 2011 and again in May 2016, the first Fine Gael Leader to be re-elected as Taoiseach in successive elections.

Under his leadership, Fine Gael became the largest party at local, Dáil, and European Parliament levels, a result that had never been achieved previously. His tenure of office saw Ireland exit a Troika bailout without condition, which resulted in the restoration of Ireland’s sovereignty and economic independence. He has always credited the Irish people for this outcome. He co-chaired meetings of the European Council during Ireland’s Presidency in 2013 and oversaw the approval of the EU budget 2013/2020 of 960 billion euros. As Taoiseach to May 2017, Ireland became the fastest-growing EU country for four successive years; unemployment reduced from 15.2% to less than 5%; interest rates on Irish borrowing fell from 15% to zero, the country’s credit rating was restored, and access to financial markets was fully secured.

In 2017 the European Council of 28 countries, gave unanimous support to his call that Northern Ireland, having left the EU as part of Brexit, would again be recognised as a full member of the EU without having to reapply, if the Good Friday Agreement on the question of a United Ireland, were to be implemented by a vote of the people.

Mr Kenny was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Law by the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). In May 2026, he was appointed chairperson of Ireland for Law, a government initiative promoting Ireland as an international legal services hub. He is Chairman of the Venturewave Capital Global Advisory Council.

Enda Kenny was born in 1951 and is married to Fionnuala. They have three adult children.

Joeli Ramirez & Connor O’Rourke

Root & Rise

How do we find the confidence to lead, the courage to challenge convention and the conviction to move an idea forward?

Joeli Ramirez and Connor O’Rourke, founders of Root & Rise, will invite delegates to explore the relationship between self-belief, personal leadership and purposeful action.

Drawing on Root & Rise’s focus on personal development and leading from within, the workshop will examine how greater self-awareness can help us recognise our potential, navigate uncertainty and take the first steps towards meaningful change.

Through practical reflection and engaging discussion, delegates will be encouraged to consider how they show up as leaders, communicate their ideas and build the confidence to bring others with them. Moving beyond leadership as a title or proposition, the session will explore it as a practice grounded in intention, authenticity and the willingness to act.

For a community of exceptional undergraduate thinkers, the workshop offers an opportunity to consider what happens after a good idea takes shape.

How do we find our voice, build the confidence to share our thinking and turn possibility into progress?

Dr. Oludurotimi Adetunji

Brown University

Associate Dean of the College for Undergraduate Research and Inclusive Science  – Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics

Dr. Oludurotimi Adetunji is Associate Dean of the College for Undergraduate Research and Inclusive Science at Brown University and an Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Physics. He leads university-wide programmes that expand undergraduate research opportunities, build transferable research competencies, and support student success across disciplines. Previously, he served as Assistant Dean at The Ohio State University and as a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

Dr. Adetunji chairs the Ivy+ Undergraduate Research Forum and serves on the Governing Board of Felbry College of Nursing. He is the founder of SciToons, an animated science communication programme reaching a global audience of millions across topics in artificial intelligence, research ethics, climate health and health literacy.

He holds degrees from Fisk University, The Ohio State University, and completed executive leadership training at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Prof. Palvo Bosyy

Panel Judge – Music, Film & Theatre

Associate Professor, Design and Production TMU

Pavlo Bosyy has taught Theatre Arts, History, and Humanities for more than 30 years at the college and university level. Pavlo also worked as the Principal Resident Designer (Scenographer) at Kirovohrad State Puppet Theatre and Kropyvnytsky State Theatre, both in Kropyvnytsky (Ukraine).

He designed or directed for more than 200 projects at regional and academic theatres in Canada, Ukraine and the USA and at the Off-Broadway companies. Pavlo’s work has been featured in the Southeastern Theatre Conference, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology’s Young Designers’ Forum, and in other numerous international conferences in the United States and Western Europe.

He has participated in theatre design exhibits such as World Stage Design and Ming’s Clambake portfolio review. Pavlo is a four-time participant of Prague Quadrennial. Professional credits include Volyn State Puppet Theatre, Odessa Theatre for the Young Audiences, Poltava State Puppet Theatre (all in Ukraine), Le Ballet du Siècle de Taipei (Taipei, Taiwan), New York Fringe Festival, Equity Showcases at Take Wing and Soar company, Yangtze Repertory Company and The Billie Holiday Theatre (NYC), Michigan’s Meadowbrook Theatre, Plowshares Theatre Company and Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Texas Shakespeare Festival and Daemon Theatre (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Pavlo holds the MFA degree in Production Design and Technology from Ohio University (USA); he is a member of UNIMA and ADC.

Ing. Dominika Burešová

Panel Judge – Maths & Physics | Alumni 2023

PhD researcher, Faculty of Electrical Engineering Czech Technical University in Prague

Dominika Bartoň Burešová is a Czech mathematician and researcher whose work explores algebraic methods in quantum theories. In 2023, she received a Global Undergraduate Award in Mathematics & Physics for her undergraduate research, “Algebraic and State Space Properties of Quantum Logics”, distinguishing herself among the exceptional submissions that year.

Now a doctoral researcher at the Czech Technical University in Prague, Dominika is the lead author of several publications in international journals and has presented her research at conferences in the Czech Republic and abroad. Her achievements include further national recognition for her research as she contributes to the wider scientific community through academic reviewing and evaluation.

Having now returned to GUA as a judge in Mathematics & Physics, Dominika brings a valuable dual perspective to the alumni panel, a former award recipient who experienced the impact of recognition and as a researcher now assessing exceptional undergraduate work herself. Her journey reflects the depth of thinking that can emerge at the undergraduate level and the potential for that work to become the foundation of a sustained research career.

Dr. Lorraine Chadwick

Panel Judge – Education | Alumni 2009

Lecturer, School of Education, University College Cork

Dr. Lorraine Chadwick is a Lecturer in the School of Education at University College Cork (UCC), where she works in teacher education and research. Her academic journey has been shaped by perseverance, a return to education as a mature student and the recognition that helped her begin to see her own potential differently.

Lorraine was one of the inaugural Overall Winners of the Undergraduate Awards in 2009, receiving recognition for her work in Economics. Having returned to UCC as a mature student while working and raising her family, she went on to complete her teaching qualifications, postgraduate studies and PhD. She describes the award as a turning point: an experience that strengthened her confidence in her ability to write, contribute academically and pursue a different professional future.

Today, Lorraine teaches future educators and contributes to research spanning student voice, curriculum development and the role of AI in education. She has also returned to GUA as a judge, bringing her own experience of recognition into the assessment of exceptional undergraduate work and the encouragement of emerging academic talent.

As a member of the alumni panel at the 2026 Global Summit, Lorraine brings a perspective grounded in lived experience: that academic and professional journeys are rarely linear, that potential can emerge at different stages of life and that the right recognition can help someone believe in what they are capable of achieving.

Read Lorraine’s GUA alumni interview

Dr Fiona Malone

Panel Judge – Engineering | Alumni 2014

Lecturer, Atlantic Technological University, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Dr. Fiona Malone is a researcher, educator and science communicator at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), whose career spans biomedical engineering, research, STEM engagement and science communication. She completed a PhD in biomedical engineering and is passionate about making science and engineering accessible to wider audiences, communicating complex ideas and encouraging the next generation to engage with research and innovation.

Fiona’s connection to the Global Undergraduate Awards began in 2014, when she was recognised as an Overall Winner in Engineering & Mechanical Sciences. Her journey since then reflects the possibilities that can emerge from exceptional undergraduate work and the value of recognising potential at an early stage.

Now returning to the 2026 Summit in an alumni capacity, as well as bringing her experience as a member of the judging community, Fiona offers a perspective shaped by both sides of the programme: having had her own work recognised and helping assess the work of others. Her experience brings valuable insight into the progression from undergraduate research to further study and professional practice, as well as the role recognition can play in encouraging students to pursue their ideas further.

Read Fiona’s GUA alumni interview

Dr. Peggy Shannon

The Nerman Family President of the Kansas City Art Institute

Kansas City Art Institute

Over the past two and a half decades, Dr. Shannon has served as a tenured Professor of theatre and Associate Vice Provost at the University of California, Davis. Dean of the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University. Chair of the School of Performance at Toronto Metropolitan University, former President of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and currently, is The Nerman Family President of the Kansas City Art Institute.

Dr. Shannon has directed major musical concerts, plays and musicals at numerous professional theatres across the United States and Canada.

She has served as the Artistic Director of two professional American theatres: A Contemporary Theatre (Seattle) and the Sacramento Theatre Company (Northern California) She also served as the Associate Producing Director of L.A. Theatre Works, where she directed and produced over thirty plays for national public radio.

Prof. Marco Sonzognie

Professor in Translation Studies

Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Marco Sonzogni (OMRI, Officer) is an award-winning scholar, literary translator, poet and editor. He is a Professor in Translation Studies at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (Aotearoa New Zealand), where he teaches evolutionary translation and intercultural communication.

Additionally, he teaches translation and intercultural communication theories and practices at the Communication University of Zhejiang in Hangzhou, China. He is the editor of the critically acclaimed, “The Translations of Seamus Heaney” (Faber 2022 and FSG 2023).

Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance (opens in a new tab)
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.