Activist Greta Thunburg is known all over the world due to her public profile as an advocate for action to address climate change. Youthful passion for finding innovative solutions to global scale challenges is also happening in the area of water access and security.
Meet Canada’s Annabelle Rayson, a grade 11 student, who is the 2022 winner of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) hosted by The Stockholm International Water Institute. Rayson was awarded the prize for her research on treating and preventing harmful algae blooms using micro aquatic organisms called zooplankton. She received her award at the World Water Week 2022 held recently in Stockholm.
Rayson is just one of tens of thousands of young student innovators who participated in this year’s SJWP. The annual global competition that was started in 1997 is for young innovators ages 15 through 20. Participants represent over 40 countries, working together to solve water insecurity and poor accessibility— that includes utilizing experts on climate and sustainability solutions.
The organizers view those who are engaged in their program as “brilliant young minds”. With talent and youthful passion they are developing innovations for better water management, as well as educating their communities on how best to deal with water challenges. The final round is comprised of winners from nationally-held competitions whose work is then judged by international water experts.
Rayson shares how she personally benefitted from her participation in SJWP and what it means to be young and passionate about a cause.
“Young people need to be involved with water because this is our future, our planet. What inspires me is the fact that people are becoming more and more aware of water issues. People have taken water for granted, but with climate change, people realize that we need to do something,” said Rayson. “Participating in the SJWP, I met 58 phenomenal students around my age from every corner of the globe. Seeing their passion, research, and drive to make the world a better place gives me hope.”
SJWP has the ongoing support of global water technology leader Xylem. The company actively promotes youth to become innovators who can approach challenges in a variety ways. They partner with other organizations such as HackZurich and hold a major competition of their own, the Xylem Ignite Innovation Challenge. In the prior year’s competition Xylem gathered hundreds of students from all over the world to design and develop solutions for real-world water challenges.
“Engaging and empowering the next generation is critical to ensuring a sustainable water future,” said Austin Alexander, Vice President, Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. “That’s why we’re leaning into the passion and creativity of young people through Xylem Ignite, our global youth innovation program that launched in 2020. This initiative connects us to some of the brightest and best young minds – and unleashes their potential to change the world.”
Young innovators who participate in these challenges are just beginning their careers. It is encouraging that so many have found their passion at such an early age. They have much to offer as seen in this year’s SJWP award winner Annabelle Rayon—whose research was judged to be a valuable contribution to solving the world’s security and access water challenges.
