Brighton student team wins with green plans at Parliament

Four students from the University of Sussex in Brighton took their sustainability project all the way to the Houses of Parliament, with a little help from the Head of Environment and Sustainability at Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express, Jason Brooker.

With Jason’s mentoring, Jovana Madarevic, Netta-Lee Zirlin, Camille Brenac and Alexander Mannerkorpi, who named their team ‘For Tomorrow’, turned their sustainability ideas into practical solutions, such as digital processes to identify climate risks at stations and the action required.

They tackled challenges including:

• Flooding in station car parks: exploring nature-based solutions to manage surface water
• Creating a climate risk register: a clear, usable way to track risks and mitigations at the site level

The group presented their project to MPs and potential investors alongside other students in Westminster and proudly came out on top.

Head of Environment and Sustainability, Jason Brooker, said: “It was a privilege to mentor such a driven and thoughtful group of students. They brought real energy and fresh perspectives to the challenges we face every day. I feel incredibly proud of them.

“The result was a brilliant achievement, and a real credit to the quality of their ideas.”

The competition is a collaboration between University of Sussex Business School leadership students and Rewired Earth, which is a next-generation, UK-based activator of finance, data and behaviour change experts who work with partners across business, financial services, and government to rewire the global economy for people and the planet.

Alison Bailey, Associate Professor, Management, University of Sussex Business School, who led the project with students, said: “We are incredibly proud of this outstanding group of students and of the way they have represented the Business School throughout this process and at the Houses of Parliament.

“This is a remarkable achievement with the winning team demonstrating their creativity, professionalism and commitment to tackling real-world sustainability challenges. The teams took part for a second year in a competition developed by Rewired Earth.

“Collaborations with industry partners like Govia Thameslink give our students invaluable opportunities to apply their learning in meaningful ways. Working alongside mentor Jason Brooker clearly helped them to translate ambitious environmental ideas into practical, deliverable solutions. This is exactly the kind of impact-driven education we strive to provide.”

ENDS

About the University of Sussex: For over 60 years the aim of our courses, research, culture and campus has been to stimulate, excite and challenge. So, from scientific discovery to global policy, from student welfare to career development, the University of Sussex innovates and takes a lead. And today, in every part of society and across the world, you will find someone from the University of Sussex making an original and valuable contribution. Visit www.sussex.ac.uk

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