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Oluwatoyin Odulana ( left) is a Masters student of the Department of Geography, and Imisioluwa Aliya Onafeso (right), 400-level undergraduate at the Department of Geography, both from UNILAG.
Determination to make a difference, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) winning spirit and their wits, two students representing Team PlastiConn of UNILAG, Oluwatoyin Odulana and Imisioluwa Aliya Onafeso, took on the world at the 2024 SDG Olympiad held in Paris, France and emerged victorious.
The courageous duo represented the University in a global competition that involved twelve (12) universities across four (4) continents vying for Gold.
Team PlastiConn from SDG Summer School, UNILAG clinched the Gold Prize Award while Team QMorjan from the Hackathon for Social Good at New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi went home with the Silver Prize Award and Team Planetary Predictor from the SDG Summer School at University of Geneva took the Bronze Prize Award.
The SDG Olympiad Global Prize Award Winning Teams were selected after careful evaluation of each team’s innovative solution pitch.
These teams have big dreams to improve life as we know it! Team Plasticonn aims to bridge the gap between plastic collection initiatives and accessibility to plastic collection centers.
Team QMorjan is working on an AI and Quantum-powered platform that helps identify optimal spots to achieve the highest coral restoration with limited resources.
Team Planetary Predictor is developing an interactive and friendly platform to bring Climate Change Modelling to schools.
The 2024 SDG Olympiad is a competition aimed at empowering students around the world to tackle environmental and health challenges related to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
PlastiConn, a derivative of “Plastic Wastes Connectors”, is more than an idea for these UNILAG students. It has become a movement and a positive force in catering to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as plastic is fast becoming a menace to the environment and quality of life. One of these is the SDG 12, which is “Responsible Consumption and Production”.
By connecting communities with plastic collection initiatives, UNILAG’s Team PlastiConn aims to promote a sustainable use of plastic and through that contribute to restoring balance in our ecosystem on land and water.
The team, under the guidance of their staff adviser, Dr. Peter Elias of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, UNILAG, was intentional about the goal of making this idea work! Team PlastiConn therefore worked closely with UNILAG Green Hub; UNICEF; Lagos Urban Studies Group (LUSG), to mention a few.
The Team’s ability to explore collaboration in achieving this feat is an exemplification of the true understanding of the increasing need for multidisciplinary approach in solving problems.
This is a remarkable way for parts of the FUTURE-Ready vision of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG) Professor Folasade Ogunsola, to come into existence.
Professor Ogunsola, on behalf of the entire University community, heartily congratulates and celebrates Team PlastiConn on this meritorious achievement and encourages the team not to rest on its oars, as there are boundless impacts to be made and limitless opportunities to be explored.
