TU Dublin students scoop 10 awards at the Smarter Travel Student Awards 2026
Once again, TU Dublin students have dominated the finalist boards at the Smarter Travel Awards 2026 scooping 10 awards including four first place winning projects. The event took place on Thursday, 7 May 2026, at an event at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin 7.
The Smarter Travel Awards recognised over 290 finalists selected from more than 580 students across 17 campus partners participating in the Smarter Travel programme. Sixty-one projects were presented that encourage, support and enable sustainable and active travel on the commute to campus and beyond.
Under the Engineering & Innovation category, students from X (Yelyzaveta Tesolkina, Princess Ogunbanwo, Jamie Dunne, Ariana Bisikirskaite, Chrio Adekoya) claimed the Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship award with their winning project So-Connect, TFI Leap Assist.
Under the Social Marketing category, Vaamika Budhiraja from X course claimed the Marketing & Communications award with her winning project Green Move.
Under the Social Marketing category: Advocacy and Programmes, students from X course (Nicoll Sofrone, Asmah Mekki, Joesph Okpara, Tony Ayodeji) came first place with their project Purple Priority.
Under the Media category, student Aliyat Egbeyemi claimed the award in the Video category 90 Minute Dash.
Lecturer recognition awards were given to Hilda Burton, Margaret Anne Lawlor, Niamh O’Hora and Roisin Vize, and TU Dublin students were also finalists in four sub-categories.
Under the Social Marketing category, Sebastian Pluta from Creative Digital Media course (School of Media) claimed the Marketing & Communications second place award with his winning project EcoRoute.
Under the Social Marketing category, Aleena Munir, Lucy Clarke, Roisin O’Neill, Rob Kinsella, Cormac Byrne from the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership course in the School of Marketing & Entrepreneurship claimed the Marketing & Communications third place award with their winning project Leap Forward, Reap Rewards.
Alannah Layden, Charlotte Reid, Jennifer Antonova, Victoria Babalola, Eimi Griskune received a Highly Commended Award for their project Calm Commute.
Finalists and Winners 2026:
Project Title |
Name of Student(s) |
Category |
Sub-category |
| Leap Rewards | Theresa Ryan | Engineering & Innovation | Digital and Concept Design |
|
The Greener routes Initiative -1st place |
Sean Walsh, Sarah Bradford, Darragh Ivory, Shane Mulvany | ||
| GPS Tracking Public Transport | Thomas Conroy | Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship | |
| TU Dublin Repair Pods | Jessie Leonard, Holly Carroll, Faye O Neil, Lily O Shaugnessy, | ||
| So-Connect, TFI Leap Assist | Yelyzaveta Tesolkina, Princess Ogunbanwo, Jamie Dunne, Ariana Bisikirskaite, Chrio Adekoya | ||
| #RaceToTheMoon Sustainable Kilometres Challenge | Dónal Ó Gallachóir, Murilo Dalbelo, Pat Carroll, Sinéad McNulty, Francesca Dini | Social Marketing |
Marketing & Communications |
|
EcoRoute - 2nd place |
Sebastian Pluta | ||
| Leap Forward, Reap Rewards | Aleena Munir, Lucy Clarke, Roisin O’Neill, Rob Kinsella, Cormac Byrne | ||
| Not Just a Bus Stop- Join the Journey | Kate Monte, Robyn Kearns, Sophie Martin, Eniola Oluokun, Martin Omoyeni | ||
| You Already Live in a Smarter Travel Zone | Roisin McCormick | ||
|
Green Move -1st place |
Vaamika Budhiraja |
||
| A year of biking with TFI | Matheus da Rosa Castro, Aníbal Barba Varela, David Concannon, Marina Nitoumbi, Ricky Byrne | Social Marketing | Programmes & Advocacy |
|
Calm Commute : Supporting Autism and Sensory Friendly Travel on Public Transport -Highly Commended |
Alannah Layden, Charlotte Reid, Jennifer Antonova, Victoria Babalola, Eimi Griskune | ||
| Campus Ride Along | Haiyang Feng, Megan Theng Ong, Saya Ono | ||
| The Easy Cycle To Aungier | Chinnu Thomas | ||
|
Purple Priority -1st place |
Nicoll Sofrone, Asmah Mekki, Joesph Okpara, Tony Ayodeji |
||
| Travel With Confidence | Mushfiqah Satardien, Jamie Ormiston, Luke Cashell, Krzysztof Przywara | ||
|
90 Minute Dash -1st place |
Aliyat Egbeyemi |
Media | Video |
TU Dublin is a Campus Partner with Transport for Ireland’s Smarter Travel for Campuses programme. TU Dublin works with Transport for Ireland to implement voluntary travel plans to promote and encourage students and staff to travel to campus sustainably and actively.