The School of Energy and Environment (SEEN), University of Phayao, proudly congratulates three first-year students from the Bachelor of Engineering Program in Environmental Engineering—Ms. Wichita Khodcharit, Ms. Waritsara Pearsanit, and Ms. Noppawan Chingchai—on winning the First Prize in the Pitching Competition on Environmental Innovations for Solving Northern Thailand’s Environmental Challenges and Fostering Innovation Entrepreneurship in Higher Education and Vocational Education.
The competition was held as part of UP-NEXUS Innovation Day 2026 at Phaya Ngam Mueang Auditorium, University of Phayao, with Dr. Wanawan Prakot serving as the team’s academic advisor.
The award-winning innovation, entitled “Sedimentation and Toxic Substance Adsorption Sachets Made from Aloe Vera Powder Gel and Activated Carbon from Coconut Shells and Husks for Community Applications,” highlights the students’ ability to integrate environmental engineering knowledge with locally available resources and agricultural residues. The innovation aims to provide an alternative approach to addressing water quality challenges while demonstrating potential for practical application at the community level.
This achievement marks an important milestone for the first-year students, demonstrating their ability to transform classroom knowledge into an innovative solution that responds to real-world environmental challenges. Through the Pitching process, the students also developed essential skills in analytical thinking, innovation development, presentation, and communicating the value and potential impact of their work.
More than a competition, the Pitching platform provided the students with an opportunity to explore the journey from “Idea → Innovation → Application → Business Opportunity.” This experience represents an important step in nurturing the next generation of innovation-driven entrepreneurs, equipping students with the mindset and skills to transform knowledge into practical solutions and create value for communities and society.
Through initiatives such as this, SEEN continues to empower students to “learn from real-world challenges, create meaningful innovations, and transform knowledge into value,” while encouraging them to pursue the further development, real-world application, and potential commercialization of their innovations in the future.