Imagining a Greener Future

Announcing the 2026 “Imagine That…” Environmental Contest Winners

We are thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s “Imagine That…An Environmental challenge for change” contest, our annual celebration of sustainability, innovation, and ecological creativity.

Every year, this competition showcases the incredible talent and dedication of the Université Laval student community as we look for forward-thinking solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The Knollenberg Foundation was deeply impressed by the high quality, passion, and scientific rigor of all the submissions we received this year.

After careful deliberation, we are proud to present the winners of the 2026 edition:

• First Place: Juliette Gagnon – Solid-State Immersion Biomethanization: Research into optimizing a process that converts organic waste into renewable biogas, helping divert waste from landfills and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
• Second Place: Salma Omri – Black Soldier Fly Bioconversion of Tomato Leaves: Research into using black soldier fly larvae to process greenhouse tomato leaves, with experimental results showing over 70% substrate reduction under certain conditions.
• Third Place: Louis-Joseph Couturier – Puppets for the Planet: Streets, Cars and Healthy Cities: An environmental education project using puppet performances and creative workshops to teach children how urban planning, traffic, and street design affect health and the environment.

We want to extend an extraordinary thank you to everyone who participated and made this annual event possible. Your ideas give us hope and inspiration for a more sustainable future right here at Université Laval and beyond.

Please join us in celebrating our winners and their outstanding contributions to environmental advocacy and innovation.

Sincerely,

Larry Raymond, Director

Knollenberg Foundation