The British Council is delighted to announce the winners of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2025 in the USA. The ceremony for US participants took place on Friday, February 7, at the British Consulate General Residence in Los Angeles, hosted by His Majesty’s Consul General, Paul Rennie OBE. During the ceremony, alumni of various UK universities were recognized for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs, innovative creators, and community leaders, as well as for their contributions to strengthening ties between the UK and the USA.
Study UK Alumni Awards 2025 USA Winners
Business and Innovation Award
was presented to Ignas Grazys, alumnus of the University of Manchester. Ignas is a climate tech entrepreneur reimagining packaging and supply chains through FoodWare, aiming to eliminate single-use plastics—a key driver of pollution. He co-founded Homely Energy, achieving a successful exit at 25, and now partners with Fortune 100 companies and NGOs to reduce 300M disposables and 200M pounds of CO2 annually.
Culture and Creativity Award
was presented to Dr. Erin Macdonald, alumna of the University of Glasgow. Erin is the first woman science advisor for the Star Trek franchise, has worked on every show and film since 2019, ensuring real science shapes its stories. An award-winning writer of the Audible Original The Science of Sci-Fi and Star Trek: My First Book of Space, she founded Spacetime Productions to uplift marginalized voices in storytelling. Erin connects with global audiences through fan conventions, media appearances like BBC and NPR, and inspiring science education worldwide.
Science and Sustainability Award
was presented to Dr. Jennifer O'Brien, alumna of Bangor University. Jennifer is an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, leading researcher on age-related cognitive decline and dementia prevention. With over $75 million in federal funding, including $15 million from the NIH in 2024, she leads the largest trial testing computer-based dementia prevention with 8,000+ participants.
Social Action Award
was presented to Ana Núñez-Lagos, alumna of the University of Exeter. Ana is a leader in gender equality and DEI with experience in global organizations like the UN. During her studies, she led the creation of a school in The Gambia, now educating 270 students and employing 15 staff. She represented The Gambia at the UN, advancing development priorities. Now with the Unstereotype Alliance, a UN initiative with 240 partners, she co-leads efforts to end stereotypes and foster gender equality across 12 global markets through transformative representation and collaboration.
The ceremony was attended by the British Consul General, Paul Rennie OBE, who offered welcome remarks to the attendees. Some of the national judging panel for the Awards including Rajiv Jain, CEO of ThinkSys Inc., and Frances Sterling, North America GREAT Program Lead at the British Embassy in Washington, DC. Additionally, guest speakers such as Rachel Koller Croft, author and screenwriter; Camila Morsch, Cultural Engagement Business Director at the British Council; and Elizabeth Tresnan, Study UK Campaign Director, also participated.
The Study UK Alumni Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of international UK alumni worldwide. These awards honour leaders who have leveraged their UK education to make significant contributions to their communities, industries, and countries. Now in their eleventh year, the Alumni Awards are truly global: more than 1,300 applications were received from alumni in over 100 countries, representing nearly 120 UK universities.
Camila Morsch, Cultural Engagement Business Director at the British Council, highlighted the celebration of individual achievements and resilience at the British Consul General Residence, while also acknowledging the ongoing tragedy in Los Angeles and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
‘Tonight, we’ve gathered at the British Consul General Residence to celebrate great individual achievements and stories of braveness and resilience. We are also gathered in Los Angeles witnessing a major tragedy, with lives, homes, businesses, communities lost. But as many other times when I was personally reminded that the resilient and generous human spirit, in the big scheme of things, prevail.’
Rachel Koller Croft, a WGA-award nominated screenwriter, USA Today bestselling author, and 2023 Study UK Alumni Awards Culture and Creativity Winner and Global Finalist, expressed her deep gratitude to the UK for significantly contributing to her personal and professional life.
‘I owe so much of my life’s happiness – both personal and professional – to the UK and it remains to this day, my very favorite place to be.’
