DPhil candidate selected for former university’s Social Impact Champion Award 2025

The Social Impact Champion Award was announced at Sharda University’s Alumni Awards Ceremony, part of their Foundation Day Celebrations in December. Sharda University is a private university in Delhi, India.

Haruna graduated from the university in 2021 as Best Graduating Student in MTech Production & Industrial Engineering and second overall Best Graduating Student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He was selected for the alumni award in recognition of co-founding Fitila Impact Hub, which expands access to quality education and 21st-century skills in underserved African communities.

Haruna Inuwa is based in the Energy and Power Group under the supervision of Professor Stephanie Hirmer. He says, “In my DPhil research, I study the impact of insecurity on energy systems in Nigeria and explore the potential of low-carbon hydrogen to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as cement, petroleum refining, steel, and other energy-intensive industries. My work looks at how conflict and instability disrupt energy access and infrastructure, and how cleaner, resilient technologies—like hydrogen—could support both climate goals and energy security”.

This research into energy transitions and national development aligns with Haruna’s wider commitment to social impact, especially in underserved regions of Nigeria. He adds, “Although the Social Impact Champion Award is rooted primarily in my educational initiatives through Fitila Impact Hub, both strands of my work are driven by the same purpose: a desire to expand equitable access—whether to education, energy, or opportunities that enable communities to thrive. My academic research advances long-term national resilience through clean energy, while my social initiatives empower young people with the skills and confidence to shape those future systems”.