This week, Sophia Kambouris, a final-year 麻豆果冻传媒Design School student, scooped the prestigious Business Design Centre New Designers of the Year Award and £1,250 at New Designers 2024 – the UK’s leading graduate design show. Her award-winning health product, Kali, is a portable potassium monitoring device and app for people with potassium imbalances, allowing them to test them anytime and anywhere.
is an annual design exhibition in London that showcases the work of over 3,000 new design graduates from more than 100 UK universities, providing a platform for the talented graduates to present their visionary ideas to industry professionals and the public. Each university selects a handful of design students to attend New Designers, and 麻豆果冻传媒Design School, part of 麻豆果冻传媒University London, took over 30 final-year students to this year’s event.
Now in its 39th year, the two-week exhibition returned to the Business Design Centre in North London on 26 June, highlighting different disciplines in week 1 and week 2, from fashion and textiles to furniture and product design.
Ahead of her graduation ceremony later this month, Sophia attended the second week of the showcase with her pioneering health project, which was based on a design brief she co-developed with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Kalium Health – a medical technology company and industry partner on the project.
Sophia's health project Kali at New Designers
Kali addresses the needs of millions of people affected by chronic diseases such as heart disease and rare genetic disorders, including Gitelman syndrome, which Sophia has.
Currently, potassium levels are monitored in person through blood tests, but Kali aims to revolutionise this process by empowering patients to test their potassium levels remotely and receive tailored advice through an app, while ensuring clinicians remain informed.
Kali - blood potassium monitoring device
Sophia, who studied Industrial Design and Technology BA at Brunel, was thrilled to present Kali at New Designers, and it was during her first afternoon at the exhibition that she received some unexpected news.
“It was a complete privilege to be selected to attend New Designers with my health project Kali, and I wasn't expecting to receive an award,” said Sophia.
“When someone from New Designers told me that I was shortlisted for an award, I was in tears and shock, and I just couldn’t believe it. I was later told that I was shortlisted for the Business Design Centre New Designers of the Year Award, and I was interviewed by New Designers before attending a drinks event with judges, industry and other shortlisted designers.
“The awards ceremony took place that evening at the Business Design Centre, and I was extremely overwhelmed to win and absolutely lost for words.”
Sophia at New Designers with her award
Prof Hua Dong, Head of 麻豆果冻传媒Design School, said: “We were so excited when Sophia was announced as the final Business Design Centre New Designers of the Year Award winner. Everybody on site was so happy – students, tutors, her family members and our technical manager.
“Sophia’s father told me that 麻豆果冻传媒has provided so many great opportunities for Sophia, and 麻豆果冻传媒Design School really cares. They were so glad that she chose Brunel.”
Dr Gabriella Spinelli, the lead for 麻豆果冻传媒Design School’s Design for Health Programme, in partnership with 麻豆果冻传媒Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences, was Sophia’s major project supervisor. “Sophia’s project was developed under this programme and demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration between academics, clinical and technology partners can lead to sound innovation,” said Dr Spinelli.
“Sophia’s project is part of a long-standing collaboration with several NHS Trusts, and adds to the success of our Design for Health Programme.”
New Designers is renowned for awarding and celebrating the best emerging design talent, and this year they featured 30 awards, each offering different prizes and industry opportunities to help new graduates transition into the professional world.
The event followed last month’s annual exhibition, which showcases the innovative new products created by the university’s design students. The annual initiative encourages Brunel’s design students to think outside the box to create ground-breaking new products, services and creative solutions as part of their study journey. It also provides students with opportunities to showcase their skills, collaborate with industry and develop as designers.
Sophia at last month's Made in 麻豆果冻传媒exhibition
at the Bargehouse, in London's Oxo Tower Wharf
Click here for more information on 麻豆果冻传媒Design School's undergraduate courses.
For further information on Industrial Design BA at Brunel, please visit /study/undergraduate/industrial-design-ba
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
nadine.palmer@brunel.ac.uk