Oxford Researcher Showcases EcoNGN Innovation at Global Prototypes for Humanity Exhibition
2 Dec, 2025
Sawsan El Zahr, a final-year PhD student and Research Assistant on the EcoNGN project within Professor Noa Zilberman’s Computing Infrastructure Group at the University of Oxford, has represented the team at the prestigious Prototypes for Humanity 2025 exhibition in Dubai this week.
Her work was selected from more than 3,000 submissions, with only 100 projects worldwide invited to showcase their innovations at the event marking a significant recognition of the global relevance and impact of her research.
Pioneering Research Toward Low-Carbon Networks
Sawsan’s research investigates how to minimise the carbon footprint of computer networks, shifting the focus beyond energy consumption alone to include full lifecycle carbon emissions. Her work brings together routing algorithms, power modelling, and net-zero strategies to develop sustainable, future-proof approaches to network design.
This contribution forms a core element of EcoNGN, a project dedicated to rethinking next-generation networks through an environmental lens.
An Award-Winning Researcher
Sawsan’s innovative contributions have been recognised through several major awards, including:
- Dyson Award for Outstanding Research Towards a More Sustainable Future at STEM for Britain 2024
- Applied Networking Research Prize (ANRP) from the IRTF
- Prestigious scholarships including the Oxford–Qatar–Thatcher Scholarship and a Clarendon Scholarship
Global Stage for Global Impact
Participating in Prototypes for Humanity provided an opportunity to showcase the real-world environmental potential of sustainable networking technologies, while connecting with innovators, investors, and policymakers shaping solutions to global challenges.
Reflecting on the experience, Sawsan highlighted the importance of raising awareness about the environmental impact of digital infrastructure and the role network-level design can play in achieving climate goals.
Her selection underscores the international significance of the EcoNGN project and reinforces the University of Oxford’s leadership in advancing sustainable, next-generation computing systems.
