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We are delighted to share that the The University of Buckingham’s School of Computing has won three awards at the , held on 4 March to celebrate outstanding achievements within the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) community in the Milton Keynes area.

The School of Computing was recognised for creating exceptional opportunities to advance women in STEM as well as being declared the ‘Overall STEM Champion’.

Madara Premawardhana, PhD Computing student won the ‘Tomorrow’s Leader’ award, the School of Computing has been awarded for ‘Advancing Women in STEM’, and we were also announced as ‘Overall STEM Champion’.

Speaking on the awards, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Buckingham, Professor James Tooley said: “Congratulations to Professor Harin Sellahewa, Madara, and the team in the School of Computing for this achievement. It is fantastic to see our guiding principles of academic excellence and innovation highlighted by these achievements in the MK STEM Awards. Well done to all involved.”

Professor Harin Sellahewa and PhD student Madara Premawardhana

Tomorrow’s Leader Award

Madara’s award celebrates her work focusing on developing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies for sustainable energy production. Madara’s research project focuses on the development of a digital twin of a solar panel system, which mimics geographical conditions. The system simulates energy production, predicts future outputs based on weather forecasts, and optimises performance using AI. The aim is to create a digital twin ecosystem, supporting smart energy grids and driving sustainability efforts.

Advancing women in STEM Award

The School of Computing was awarded for work to champion diversity and equality in Computer Science, to inspire the next generation of women in a male-dominated field.

The proportion of women in Computing at Buckingham has increased to 26%, which surpasses the national average which is approximately 20%. The school has also secured philanthropic donations worth over £50,000 to award scholarships and bursaries to female undergraduate Computing students to mitigate financial barriers to studying. The team also engages in outreach activities at local schools and regional events to inspire and promote diversity within the field.

Thanks from the Dean of Computing, Law and Psychology

Professor Harin Sellahewa, Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Law, and Psychology said, “We are delighted to have won. The awards recognise the hard work, passion, and dedication from our students, staff, and alumni to making a meaningful impact in STEM. I would like to thank them all for their continued efforts to inspire change and pave the way for future generations of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”