Urbana, Illinois – The Center for Global Studies (CGS) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign proudly celebrated the achievements of students from around the world during the 5th annual Reimagine Our Future sustainability competition held on December 6, 2025. A highlight of the event was the Climate Change Award, presented by Professor Donna Tonini on behalf of CGS. The winning project, Heat to Harmony, created by UIUC students Ayush Thaker, Vidipta Roy, Saarthak Jain, and Marcus Lam, proposes living, self-healing “cool tiles” that combat urban overheating and reduce carbon-intensive infrastructure waste. This year, 313 students from 12 institutions across 9 countries participated, submitting original ideas that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Thirteen finalist teams presented their projects at an online awards ceremony attended by more than 70 participants. Check the blog for more information!