Imperial College London Alumni

“When I was a child, I wanted to be a medical doctor,” says Dr Ibolya Kepiro. “Over time, I realised that through research, I could shape medicine more broadly.”

Originally from Hungary, Ibolya studied medicine with a focus on ophthalmology before coming to Imperial for her PhD. Her pioneering work has led to novel standards that underpin life-saving research in vaccinology, virology and drug development.

Ibolya receives the 2026 Emerging Alumni Leader Award for her work in advancing how disease is measured and detected.

Discover her story ⬇️
https://ow.ly/O69V50XXSJN

“I love using engineering solutions to make an impact,” says Dr Jiajun Cen (PhD Chemical Engineering 2020), founder and CEO of climate tech company AQUABATTERY.

Jiajun’s company is pioneering a new kind of rechargeable battery that uses saltwater instead of lithium. The technology provides a safer, lower-cost and sustainable way to store renewable energy.

He receives the 2026 Emerging Alumni Leader Award for his innovative work providing a safe, sustainable and low-cost alternative for energy storage.

Discover his story: https://ow.ly/WIc050XXSQe

“I knew I wanted to be at the bedside of people in need, and to offer hope,” says Imperial alumnus Dr Tunde Oyebamiji.

Tunde is a postdoctoral research fellow in trauma immunology and a graduate of Imperial’s Master’s in Public Health. He co-founded Lend An Arm to tackle blood shortages in Nigeria and later launched Mediverse to help hospitals improve workflows and deliver telemedicine to underserved communities.

Tunde receives the 2026 Emerging Alumni Leader Award for combining medicine, research and digital innovation to save lives.

Discover his story ⬇️
https://ow.ly/4Q1C50XXSGb

“Science was a reality that was too far away,” says Imperial alumna Dr Joana Moscoso (PhD Life Sciences Research 2013).

From rural northern Portugal to a PhD at Imperial College London, Joana went on to become Director of Native Scientists, a pan-European non-profit dedicated to broadening children’s horizons and promoting scientific literacy, focusing on underserved migrant or rural communities.

Joana receives the Emerging 2026 Alumni Leader Award for her leadership in making science more accessible, inclusive and global.

Discover her story ⬇️
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/Stories/alumni-awards-2026-joana/

Imperial alumna Dr Mariatulqabtiah Abdul Razak (PhD Clinical Medicine 2011) is shaping the future of vaccinology.

“From a very young age, I was drawn to science,” she says.

From completing her PhD at Imperial to becoming Associate Professor and Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences Universiti Putra Malaysia, Maria’s work has been recognised around the world, including with the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award.

Maria receives the 2026 Emerging Alumni Leader Award for her leadership in vaccinology and her commitment to growing scientific talent.

Discover her story ⬇️
https://ow.ly/JvEJ50XXSjN

“Indonesia has one of the biggest food waste issues in the world,” says Imperial alumnus Muh Agung Saputra (MSc Environmental Technology 2019).

From growing up with food shortages in Papua to founding Surplus Indonesia, Agung has helped tens of thousands of restaurants, cafes and small businesses redistribute surplus food at affordable prices, reducing waste, pollution and food insecurity.

Agung receives the 2026 Alumni Entrepreneur Award for building one of Indonesia’s most impactful climate tech platforms.

Discover his story ⬇️
https://ow.ly/oOsH50XXSeo

Imperial alumna H.E. Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich (PhD Physics 1970) is a trailblazer in science whose journey began far from any laboratory.

Born in rural Thailand, Kalaya was first educated at her local temple and sold rainwater at a train station to earn pocket money. With support from her teachers, she progressed from a Bangkok school to Chulalongkorn University, before earning a place at Imperial.

Despite arriving in London with limited English and deep homesickness, she went on to complete a PhD in nuclear physics, working long nights on the university’s only computer. “I told myself I wouldn’t go home until I was a success,” she says.

Kalaya is the recipient of our 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award, celebrating her astonishing career trajectory spanning education, technology and the environment.

Discover her story ⬇️
https://ow.ly/StqN50XVXhC

🎉 Meet our 2026 Alumni Award winners
Each year, Imperial invites nominations from across its global community to recognise alumni who are making a powerful impact in the world.

After careful consideration, we’re delighted to announce this year’s nine outstanding Alumni Award winners, recognised across three award categories.

From clean energy and climate innovation to healthcare, education and entrepreneurship, these alumni are leading change across disciplines and borders.

🔗 Discover their stories and contributions: https://ow.ly/Zw6p50XTZlx

We always enjoy hearing from alumni celebrating their milestone years, and this message from Peter Atkinson, an Engineering alum who went on to lecture in Control Engineering at the University of Reading, was especially lovely.

Peter graduated 70 years ago and was delighted to receive his milestone pin over the summer last year, which his family tell us he proudly wears.

Thank you to Peter and his family for sharing these wonderful photos with us.

🔗Did you graduate in a year ending in 1 or 6? 2026 marks a milestone anniversary for you! Request your free milestone pack today ⬇️ https://ow.ly/NMGR50XSlQV

🚀 Exploring the IPO route as a founder?

Imperial Enterprise Lab is hosting an in-person masterclass with the London Stock Exchange plc on what the path to IPO really looks like.

📅 Thursday 15 January | 12.30–14.00
📍 Imperial Enterprise Lab, Sherfield Building

Led by Lauren Crawley-Moore, Regional Lead for London & the South at London Stock Exchange plc, the session will unpack how IPOs fit into the UK funding landscape, why public markets matter and what founders should be thinking about as they scale.

A great opportunity for early-stage, scaling and more established founders.

Register below 👇

The Path to IPO for Founders | Imperial Enterprise Lab Join us for an in-person workshop where you can learn what the journey to an IPO really looks like.

What does it really take to build an AI future that stays human at its core?

The recording from our Imperial AI Alumni Network launch event is now live on Imperial Plexus, bringing together alumni and industry experts for a sharp, wide-ranging conversation on ethics, global competitiveness, ‘AI-shame’ in the workplace and why human judgement still matters.

You’ll also see rapid demos from Imperial-connected startups working across accessibility, advanced manufacturing and next-generation materials.

🔗 Login to Plexus to watch: https://ow.ly/PAwr50XMB2o

This benefit is available only to registered Plexus users, if you don't yet have an account, now's the perfect time to join thousands of fellow Imperial alumni already connecting, sharing and accessing exclusive resources. Learn more about Plexus and request your account today ⬇️
https://ow.ly/QBV550XMB2p