Design, Energy, Environment and Water Alumni Awards 2024 winners

Charan Sekhon MBE (MSc Energy Conservation and the Environment 1998)

Senior Environment Officer for the Environment Agency and has led environmental projects and EDI-related projects in East Anglia

Charan Sekhon MBE has demonstrated exceptional dedication to environmental protection and community service.

Born in Punjab, India, Charan's early life in a rural village with limited access to education motivated him to create the SEVA Trust. As the Founder and Chairman, he has made significant contributions to education, health, welfare, and environmental initiatives in the UK and India.

Charan’s commitment to public service is further exemplified by more than 20 years’ experience as a local councillor. His involvement extends to various youth, charity, and sports projects, including fundraising campaigns and participating in the London Marathon to support individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Charan led a team of volunteers in Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, and Hertfordshire to assist hundreds of vulnerable families, rough-sleepers, and isolated international students with food and essential items. His efforts particularly supported Cranfield University students and the local community.

The relentless dedication to charity and environmental causes, and support for his local community earned Charan an MBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List. He has also been recognised with several national and regional awards, including the ‘British Asian Pride of Britain Award’ at the House of Commons, the ‘Volunteer Fundraiser Award’ by the Papworth Trust, and the Cambridge and Bedford Mayor’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ Award for outstanding community and charity services.

Charan's exemplary career and personal life reflect his unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on communities and society as a whole.

Elodie Aubanel (MDes Innovation and Creativity in Industry 2016)

Digital Design Director & Managing Consultant, PA Consulting

Elodie Aubanel, is renowned for her ability to identify and champion user needs, crafting intuitive end-to-end experiences.

Elodie excels in implementing product and service strategies, facilitating complex decision-making, building consensus, and reducing risk through design. Leading teams with diverse design skills, including Research, UX/UI, Service Design, Strategy, and Testing, she ensures her teams have the right environment, tools, methods, and learning opportunities to thrive.

In her current role, Elodie leads teams designing and implementing new experiences across a range of use cases and tech stacks. She has previously served as Senior Experience Designer at the Department for Health & Social Care and Senior Service Designer on the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme at NHS Digital, where she led two services within the Customer Experience team, collaborating closely with operational teams at NHS England and product delivery teams at NHS Digital on digital services that facilitated the booking, recording, and reporting of every COVID-19 vaccination in England.

Her corporate project experience includes work for organisations such as IKEA, Unilever, and Abbott Nutrition, and research and academic institutions including the Medical Research Council, Royal Society of Chemistry, and University of York. Elodie is an Ambassador for C4DE at Cranfield University and has proactively given back to the community by serving as an industry speaker across the design programme. She also champions early-stage and growth-stage startups, actively supporting and mentoring early-stage ventures.

Elodie is a design and innovation leader with a proven track record of championing human needs to drive impactful design initiatives and foster innovation within various sectors.

Dr Prafull Sharma (PhD in Energy and Power 2017)

Chief Technology Officer, CorrosionRADAR Ltd

Driven by innovation, Dr Prafull Sharma stands at the forefront of revolutionising corrosion monitoring through cutting-edge Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies.

Prafull has pioneered innovative corrosion monitoring technologies using IIoT. One of his most notable achievements is the development of the CorrosionRADAR predictive Corrosion Under Insulation monitoring system, a groundbreaking invention that has garnered global acclaim for providing a robust solution to a significant industry challenge. His extensive industrial journey is marked by deep expertise in digitalising corrosion management, leading to the creation of numerous inventions that have made substantial contributions to the field.

Prior to his current role, Prafull played a pivotal role at General Electric R&D, where he spearheaded the development of several sensing and non-destructive testing technologies. With a specific focus on asset integrity and automation within the oil and gas industry, his remarkable contributions also extend to the intellectual property realm, boasting over fifteen international patents and innovations to his credit. Driven by a passion for pushing the boundaries of technological advancements, Prafull continues to shape the future of corrosion monitoring and management.

Prafull has also served as a Visiting Lecturer at Cranfield University for over two years, where he lectured on Industry 4.0 automation technology and informatics.

Prafull’s dedication to innovation and his remarkable contributions to industrial technology have made him a leader in his field, continually advancing the capabilities and applications of corrosion monitoring technologies.

Enrique Morán Montero (MSc Land Reclamation and Restoration 2015)

National Restoration Manager, Tarmac Ltd

Enrique Morán Montero has showcased exceptional expertise and leadership in environmental restoration.

As National Restoration Manager, Enrique oversees the restoration of 198 quarries across the UK. He is responsible for preparing and reviewing restoration, aftercare, and decommissioning schemes, managing associated budgets, and building strong relationships with external stakeholders to demonstrate best practices in restoration and reclamation.

Enrique has also been instrumental in leading Tarmac's sustainability strategies, such as Biodiversity Net Gain and carbon sequestration. In 2021, his pioneering work at Crown Farm Quarry earned Tarmac the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) BIG Biodiversity Challenge Award for enhancing natural habitats for plants and animals. Since 2023, Enrique has been spearheading an initiative to establish a Tarmac Sustainable Farming Code of Practice.

Throughout his tenure at Tarmac, Enrique has strengthened the relationship with Cranfield University by signing a five-year Service Level Agreement and co-developing funded Group Projects with Dr Rob Simmons. This collaboration has positioned Tarmac at the forefront of innovative research in soil health, biodiversity net gain, and carbon sequestration and has been recognised with a special award at the 2019 MPA Quarries and Nature prize-giving ceremony for conducting the first trial of the Biodiversity Net Gain metric (DEFRA metric) in quarry sites.

Enrique is a Chartered Environmentalist and a Full Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, whose remarkable contributions to environmental restoration and sustainability continue to set industry standards.

Dr Sarah Fane (MSc Water Management 2013, PhD in Water 2016)

Head of Water Strategy and Regulation, Jacobs

Dr Sarah Fane has held influential positions in several prominent organisations, playing a crucial role in ensuring the quality and safety of water services in England and Wales.

At Severn Trent, Sarah served as a duty manager and senior advisor on Public Health and Standards, where she was instrumental in maintaining the effectiveness of water treatment and quality control processes. She then joined the Drinking Water Inspectorate where as Inspector and then Principal Inspector she managed regulatory activities across the North operational area and oversaw Defra's drinking water research programme. In her current role at Jacobs, Sarah directs consultancy projects across several UK clients. These projects include strategic resource schemes, long-term delivery and water resource planning, assurance services, auditing, and assessments of regulatory submissions.

Throughout her career, Sarah has demonstrated exceptional technological leadership, particularly in identifying risks to drinking water quality and diagnosing the causes of process failures and the options for corrective action. She is also an emerging thought leader in her field having spoken at major events organised by The Public Policy Exchange and the Foundation for Water Research.

Sarah exemplifies the highest professional and ethical standards in her actions, relationships, and research. She actively engages with Cranfield to deliver lectures, advise on industry-relevant scenarios, and support students in the Centres for Doctoral Training - highlighting her commitment to education and professional development.

Sarah’s dedication and leadership have made her an influential figure in the sector, and she continues to play an important role in ensuring the safety of water delivered to homes and helping ensure the transition to a more sustainable water sector in the face of increasing water stress.