ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT DEFNE NIHAL ERTUGRUL, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Imperial College London | London, United Kingdom | Advancing SDG 11, SDG 13 & UNAI 6
" "I believe engineering and entrepreneurship can drive transformative change for people and the planet. As a Millennium Fellow, I'm excited to connect with like-minded change makers, amplify impactful ideas, and turn bold visions into sustainable realities." "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Sustainability in Chemical Engineering
The project focused on raising awareness about how sustainability can be incorporated into daily life, targeting students at Imperial College London, particularly those studying Chemical Engineering.
In collaboration with the Imperial Sustainability Ambassadors, Elizabeth participated in conversations and conferences to increase the visibility of sustainability initiatives on campus and contributed ideas for future planning and execution. Defne developed and facilitated hands-on workshops that allowed students to apply engineering skills to address humanitarian and environmental challenges. The workshops emphasized sustainable design, ethical community engagement, and the development of accessible technologies, equipping students with practical knowledge and actionable approaches to integrate sustainability into their academic and personal lives.
About the Millennium Fellow
Defne Nihal Ertuğrul is a first-year MEng Chemical Engineering student at Imperial College London, combining technical expertise with a passion for sustainability, event organization, and entrepreneurship. She is the Co-Founder and CFO of DormLink, a university-exclusive travel app, and serves as an organizer for Europe’s largest hackathon. With research experience in carbon capture technologies and a background in leading large-scale events, Defne is committed to driving impactful innovation at the intersection of engineering, climate, and community building.
