The IMI Awards: Learn more about the faces, achievements, and stories behind the 2024 recipients
On June 12th, professors, staff, and students of IMI gathered to recognize and celebrate the incredible work of the Institute, along with the faces and stories that make IMI a place of excellence and groundbreaking innovation. From invaluable research in AI and sustainability, to administrative and academic excellence and innovations in entrepreneurship, the IMI Awards celebrated the achievements, hard work, and futures of IMI’s finest.
Tolu Alebiosu is this year’s recipient of the Emerging Technology & AI Award. Having recently completed his MSc in Sustainability Management (MScSM), Alebiosu is interested in sustainable digital infrastructures and artificial intelligence (AI), especially in relation to serving the technological excellence and socioeconomic health of historically overlooked communities. As such, Alebiosu is a founding partner of Wamiri, “an applied research company leveraging cutting-edge AI research and tools to transform African data into actionable insights and intelligence for both local and global stakeholders.” Wamiri’s mission addresses a critical gap in the current AI landscape, which is the lack of comprehensive and accurate data about African countries and their socioeconomic realities.
In the last couple of years, AI has become increasingly salient both as a hot topic of discussion and as a powerful resource for achieving goals and overcoming barriers. But what happens if patterns of systemic exclusion and the undervaluing of non-western histories and knowledge manifest in the design and execution of our technologies?
This is already happening, with popular AI platforms such as ChatGPT generating incomplete or biased versions of information that consumers readily take to be accurate without a second thought. “In the field of AI, diversity is crucial in ensuring AI systems serve diverse populations and don’t perpetuate biases. By centering African perspectives and needs, we can create inclusive solutions that empower local communities and foster global progress,” says Alebiosu.
Alebiosu is just getting started. Soon, he will be starting a master’s in AI, Ethics, and Society at the University of Cambridge, using principles of justice and innovation to support future developments in AI. “I hope my story will motivate others, demonstrating that diverse perspectives are essential for driving innovation and progress globally.”
The success of students like Alebiosu reflects the dedication of their mentors and extended academic environment. The IMI Faculty Award recognizes individuals who have greatly enhanced the overall support, learning, and/or engagement of students or faculty members. Michael Marin, the recipient of the 2024 Award, is an assistant professor at IMI who is committed to fostering an engaging, rigorous, and rewarding learning environment for his students. Reflecting on his win, Marin writes that creating this learning experience for students “involves not just delivering lectures but also integrating interactive and practical examples into the curriculum. Guiding [students] through their academic journey, helping them navigate challenges, and celebrating their successes has been incredibly rewarding.”
Marin goes onto say that his time at IMI has not come without difficulties; balancing the demands of teaching, research, and personal commitments continues to reinforce important values and be a learning experience in and of itself: “the support from colleagues, the enthusiasm of students, and the assistance from everyone at IMI have been instrumental in overcoming these challenges, [which have all] added profound meaning to this award.”
Equally vital to organizational success and the flourishing of students are the staff at IMI. Clerissa Albores won the 2024 Staff Award, celebrating her key role and success as the program assistant for MMPA (Master of Management & Professional Accounting). Albores’s role as a program assistant goes beyond just the everyday administration of keeping the MMPA program running. She proactively supports students and other staff as they interact with the MMPA program, ensuring that their experience—however small—runs smoothly. This comes down to a “combination of asking myself what can I do in this situation? Who am I doing it for? I like to think that this is felt and reflected in this award,” affirms Albores.
Part of what inspires her work is her personal experiences of being a first-generation student during her university years, where student supports was scarce and meaningful connections were difficult to forge. “I remember for my first few years feeling very much like a number and no true connection to my learning or my community. Services and programs have come a long way since then, but that time really shaped my experience of being a staff member.”
This award goes beyond just recognizing Albores's administrative or clerical competencies, and celebrates the quick-thinking, collaboration, genuine care, and personal history that fuels her day-to-day work and impact.
IMI’s continued excellence, shown through these three awards and the additional winners in other categories, show the unique and dedicated personalities that make IMI a leader in tackling the world’s most pressing problems.
2024 IMI Award Winners:
IMI Faculty Award: Professor Michael Marin
IMI Staff Award: Clerissa Albores
IMI Team Collaboration Award: ICUBE - Ignacio Mongrell, Kayla Sousa and Mohammad Tahvili
IMI Alumni Award: Mayur Mukati (MScSM '17)
IMI Social Leadership Award: Matthew Reesor (MScSM '24)
IMI Emerging Technology & AI Award: Tolu Alebiosu (MScSM '24)
IMI Partnership Award: UTM Sustainability Office
