Humanitarian Innovation Awards

Professor Ron Johnston Prize in Humanitarian Innovation Winner (Prize: Medal, $2,500, Cardno internship and automatic entry into hackathon)

"Team Flux"

• Mansour Adie (University of Sydney)
• Jimmy Deng (University of Sydney)
• Ivy He (University of Sydney)
• Sharon Davids (University of Sydney)

Runner Up (Prize: GHD internship and automatic entry into hackathon)

"Team Collectous"

• Katherine Feng (Australian National University)
• Shaoheng Xu (Australian National University)
• Hang Sheng (Australian National University)
• Zirui Chen (Australian National University)

Professor Ron Johnston Prize in Humanitarian Innovation Winner (Prize: Medal, $2,500, Cardno internship and automatic entry into hackathon)

"Team Orinum"

• Vanathy Arudselvan (University of Sydney)
• Yeeun Cho (University of Sydney)

Runner Up (Prize: GHD internship and automatic entry into hackathon)

"The Double A Team"

• Ally Moodie (Queensland University of Technology)
• Adele van der Winden (Queensland University of Technology)

• International and national university students, domiciled in Australia and studying at any Australian University;
• Students studying in any discipline but preferably “STEM-capable participants” studying for degrees in engineering and/or computer science; the reason for this preference is because of the emphasis on “engineering” innovations;
• Students must be studying an undergraduate degree to participate –  full-time and part-time students are welcome;
• Entry may be made by groups of 2 to 4 individuals working as a team;
• Entrants will be required to provide evidence of their eligibility under these rules as a part of their submission.

Latest rules will be communicated soon.

The process is changing in 2022. Be sure to complete your Expression of Interest to stay up-to-date.

• Identify by research a real problem in a humanitarian or a developing country context;
• Preferably with a connection to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
• Especially those solutions that address needs which do not fit conventional commercial finance driven markets and are therefore “orphans” to traditional market solutions;
• Especially solutions aimed to alleviate or address needs of disadvantaged communities or
• Groups that may be overlooked by traditional engineering and technology projects.

Submissions will open on 4 March 2022 and close on 22 April 2022. 

But you can start today – just think of a humanitarian problem that needs solving and get your team together!

Evaluation criteria will include but not be limited to the degree to which the humanitarian engineering innovation:

• uses engineering skills, knowhow and technologies;
• is original;
• is novel;
• is inventive;
• is environmentally sound and sustainable;
• is practical for the target community or persons;
• addresses a real and pressing problem;
• an actual demonstration or other proof of practicality will be highly considered.

From 2019–2021 the winners were awarded:

• The Professor Ron Johnston Prize in Humanitarian Innovation,
• a total of $2,500 in cash prizes,
• an internship on a Pacific Islands engineering project with consulting engineering firm Cardno Ltd, and
• travel stipends for the Humanitarian Innovation Hackathon, held in Sydney.

All participants in the Humanitarian Innovation Pitch receive automatic entry into the Humanitarian Innovation Hackathon.

First Prize: RedR Ron Johnston Rapid Response Prize (Prize: Medal and $5,000)

"Team Aegis"

• Edith Lume (University of Wollongong)
• Mansour Adie (University of Sydney)
• Thomas Sau (MacquarieUniversity)
• Ivy He (University of Sydney)

Vonwiller Humanitarian Innovation Runner Up Prize

"Solomon Says"

• Emily Sacks (University of Sydney)
• Gayathri Aranhiyullathil Pradeep (University of New South Wales)
• Rebecca Kung (University of Sydney)
• Akrita Singh (Macquarie University)
• Aishwarya Kathikeuan (Macquarie University)

Engineers Australia People's Choice Award

"Solomon Says"

• Emily Sacks (University of Sydney)
• Gayathri Aranhiyullathil Pradeep (University of New South Wales)
• Rebecca Kung (University of Sydney)
• Akrita Singh (Macquarie University)
• Aishwarya Kathikeuan (Macquarie University)

First Prize: RedR Ron Johnston Rapid Response Prize (Prize: Medal and $5,000)

"H2ArchipelagO"

• Alex Hofmann (Monash University)
• Allan Soo (University of Technology Sydney)
• Ben Hofmann (Australian National University)
• Emily Unewisse (University of Adelaide)
• James Hurst (Australian National University)

Pacific Telecommunications Council / Beyond Essential Humanitarian Internship Appointent

"Winter is not Coming"

• Katia Moors (University of Sydney)
• Thomas Sau (Macquarie University

Pacific Telecommunications Council First Prize for Best Humanitarian Digital Innovation

"Greys Humanity"

• Alida Fois from (University of Melbourne)
• Celina Dhobbie (Monash University)
• Charvi Mamidi (University of Sydney)
• Portia Sihvola (Queensland University of Technology)

Pacific Telecommunications Council Second Prize for Best Humanitarian Digital Innovation

"Fortitude"

• Avanish Shrestha (University of Sydney)
• Isabella Notarpietro (University of New South Wales)
• Rafe Skidmore (University of Sydney)
• Meg Phillips (University of Tasmania)
• Syed Emaad Rizwan (Macquarie University)