1st place | Helena Opower

MA-thesis “Designing for The Next Generation - Building Responsible Social Media Platforms for Teenagers”
FH Joanneum Graz, MA Interaction Design | supervised by Birgit Bachler
money prize 250€

Helena Opower holds a Master's degree in Interaction Design (FH Joanneum, Graz) and a Bachelor's degree in Engineering Psychology (HS Furtwangen, Tuttlingen). She gained practical experience in user-centered design, UX research and UI design in study projects and as a working student. In her master's thesis, she focused on youth friendly design solutions for social media platforms such as Instagram. On the side, she also runs a small postcard business where she lives out her passion for illustration and design. She is interested in creative processes, new cultures, traveling and sports
such as soccer and skiing.

2nd place | Elias Van-Gils

BA-thesis “Which Future Do You Want to Live in? Generating Public Engagement with Audiovisual Art”
USTP University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, BA-Medientechnik | supervised by Victor Chitoline Schetinger
money prize150€

Elias Van-Gils holds a bachelor's degree in Media Technology from the University of Applied Science St. Pölten with a focus on audio and video. Previously, he graduated from the Walz, a high school with a focus on arts and crafts, and completed the multimedia college at Die Graphische. He has always been drawn to natural sciences and mathematics, while being raised in an environment where art had a firm place. According to his words, his “recent emerging enthusiasm for the connection of art and science came as a surprise, even though he could have anticipated it.”

3rd place | Lena Wagner 

BA-thesis “Discourse Ethics in Environmental Debates: Media and Stakeholders in the Controversy over the Construction of Wind Turbines in Lower Austria, 2023–2024”
USTP, BA Media Management | supervised by Simon Ganahl
money prize150€

Lena Wagner recently completed her bachelor’s degree in Media Management at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, Austria. As part of the Management Ethics course, she developed a strong interest in environmental ethics and the representation of diverse perspectives in media discourses. This inspired her to focus my bachelor thesis on a then highly dynamic environmental debate about the expansion of wind turbines in Lower Austria, analyzing it through the lens of discourse ethics. Through analyzing how media represent both human and non-human stakeholders, my research broadens the understanding of inclusion and diversity in environmental debates and has been an inspiring and deeply rewarding experience

Other possible relevant information:
•    For the paper review process we counted with contributions from members of the academic Design Network Austria (aDNA) and from USTP.
•    The prize was sponsored by the BMT.
•    The winners also have the chance to publish their work at the IconCMT 2025 Conference Proceedings