That question eventually became WaterSense, an autonomous, AI-powered water-monitoring system now being deployed across Poland and garnering global attention. In November 2025, WaterSense earned Filip the James Dyson Award for Global Sustainability, selected from more than 2,100 inventions across 28 countries.

Today, we’re excited to share Filip’s story and how his journey in Destination Imagination helped shape the way he approaches creativity, engineering, and innovation.

Q&A with DI Alum Filip Budny

1. Congratulations on winning the International James Dyson Award! What does this recognition mean to you personally, and what has the response been like since the announcement?

Winning the International James Dyson Award has been an extraordinary moment for me — not only as a scientist and engineer, but also as someone whose journey began in Destination Imagination. DI taught me that imagination, teamwork, and the courage to take on real problems can change the world. This recognition feels like a continuation of that path.

The Award is also meaningful because WaterSense was born out of the 2022 ecological disaster on the Oder River. It started with a simple question: “How could this happen without anyone noticing?” Receiving global recognition now shows that protecting inland waters is a challenge the world is ready to take seriously.

Since the announcement, the response has been overwhelming. Environmental agencies, researchers, investors, and universities have reached out. We’re now discussing new pilots across Europe, including the Rhine, Vistula, and Oder rivers. Schools and innovation hubs have also contacted us. Most of all, this Award inspires young innovators to believe that engineering can drive real impact — that’s the greatest reward.

2. In 2022, the ecological disaster on the Oder River exposed serious gaps in how inland waters are monitored. Can you describe the moment you realized, “This is a problem I need to solve”?

The turning point was the disaster itself — seeing hundreds of tons of fish washed ashore and realizing no early warnings existed. Growing up in Masuria, surrounded by lakes, water has always been close to me. Watching a river ecosystem collapse overnight felt deeply personal.

What struck me most was the complete lack of real-time data. Inland waters were being monitored manually, as if nothing had changed since the 20th century. With my background in mechatronics, printed electronics, and electrochemistry, I realized I had the skills to create something better. What began as frustration quickly became a mission.

3. For readers who may be new to water monitoring, what makes WaterSense different from traditional tools, and why does that difference matter?

Traditional monitoring is slow and reactive — you take a sample, send it to a lab, and get results days later. WaterSense flips that model entirely.

It’s continuous, autonomous, and predictive. Each station can measure over 25 parameters every 10 minutes, renew its own sensors daily, and use AI to forecast problems up to 72 hours in advance. Instead of snapshots, it provides a living, real-time picture of water quality.

Traditional tools tell you what has already happened. WaterSense tells you what’s happening now—and what’s coming next. That shift from reaction to prevention is transformative.

4. WaterSense includes features like printed disposable sensors, self-calibration, and AI forecasting. Which part of the design challenged your creativity the most, and why?

The biggest creative challenge (and the most rewarding one) was designing the printed disposable sensors. We were inspired by glucose test strips, which are inexpensive, precise, and contamination-resistant.

We created a roll of printed electrochemical sensors that automatically advance every day, like camera film. It required combining materials science, electrochemistry, mechanics, and embedded systems.

Solving that problem unlocked autonomous, long-term, lab-grade monitoring — something traditional systems simply can’t do.

5. You’re a Destination Imagination alum! Which years and Team Challenges did you participate in, and what stands out most from those experiences?

Yes, I’m a proud DI alum! I competed with team Winders in 2013 and 2014 when I was about 16 years old. We took on the Technical Challenge that season, and our DI journey took us across the world. We won the Polish National DI Tournament, then represented Poland at the DI China Tournament in Beijing, where we won the special National Geographic Challenge, and then competed at Global Finals in Tennessee.

What stands out most is the scale: thousands of young people engineering, building, inventing, and creating. DI showed me that creativity is a skill you practice, and that when you combine imagination with teamwork, you can build things that genuinely matter. DI didn’t just teach me how to solve problems; it shaped the way I approach every challenge today, including WaterSense.

6. DI emphasizes breaking down complex problems, prototyping quickly, and testing ideas under real constraints. How did those skills show up while you were building WaterSense?

DI shaped the way I build things long before WaterSense ever existed. As a teenager in DI, my team and I took on a Technical Challenge where we designed a concept device to help humans survive on Europa — Jupiter’s moon — and presented it through a theater performance. It sounded like science fiction, but DI teaches you to think without limits, break problems into manageable parts, build quickly, and refine constantly. That mindset has stayed with me.

When I began developing WaterSense, I approached it the same way. We didn’t wait for a perfect blueprint — we prototyped fast, tested in real rivers, saw what broke, and iterated right away. Sometimes we built a component in the morning and tested it in the water that same afternoon. Real-world feedback became our primary design tool.

That rapid cycle of build → test → fail → improve is pure DI. It’s a big reason we were able to create the first working prototype in under six months. DI taught me that innovation isn’t about getting it right the first time; it’s about iteration, teamwork, resilience, and solving real problems with creativity.

7. DI’s Creative Process is non-linear and encourages teams to recognize a problem, imagine possibilities, collaborate and initiate action, assess results, and keep improving. Where did that approach show up in your development of WaterSense?

The DI Creative Process is present at nearly every stage of building any product — and each part of it matters. DI teaches you to recognize a problem, imagine bold solutions, test them quickly, and refine what you’ve learned. That mindset became central to how we developed WaterSense.

In the early prototypes, we didn’t chase perfection. Instead, we focused on fast, structured iteration. We put the first versions of the station into real conditions, watched what broke, and redesigned immediately. Every leak, mechanical issue, or sensor misreading simply pointed us to the next improvement. It wasn’t about following a formal sequence; it was about embracing the iterative way of thinking that DI naturally builds into you.

That philosophy — imagine, test, improve — became not just a creative tool from DI, but a practical product-development strategy. It’s what allowed WaterSense to progress from an idea to a functioning system in just a few months.

8. Now that more than 20 WaterSense prototypes are deployed, what has surprised or excited you most from the real-world data you’re seeing?

What has surprised me the most is just how fast inland waters change. Monitoring rivers and lakes every 15 minutes reveals dynamics we could never see before. A shift in rainfall, a change in flow, a nearby industrial discharge, even activity in a small tributary — all of it shows up almost instantly in the data.

It has also been eye-opening to see how strongly human activity shapes water quality. Sometimes a single event upstream can alter conditions for kilometers within just a few hours. The AI model captures these patterns clearly, revealing relationships between environment, weather, and human behavior that traditional methods could never show.

The most exciting part is that these insights are actionable. When we understand how quickly water responds — and how much influence we actually have — we can finally move from reacting to problems to preventing them. That, to me, is the real power of seeing water in real time.

9. WaterSense will expand across Poland, Europe, and eventually the U.S. What’s your long-term vision for how this technology could change the way communities and governments protect their water?

My long-term vision is to make water quality data accessible to everyone. I want to make checking the health of a river or lake as normal as checking the weather.

I want WaterSense to help create the world’s first real-time digital model of inland waters: a constantly updated “digital twin” that shows what’s happening in rivers and lakes across entire regions. With thousands of autonomous stations feeding data into AI, we could see changes as they happen, understand how different factors affect the water, and predict risks before they become disasters.

A system like this could fundamentally change how we protect inland waters. When communities, governments, and companies all have access to the same real-time information, they can make faster, smarter, and more sustainable decisions.

10. What advice would you give to young people who want to use their creativity to make a difference in the world?

My advice is simple: follow the same approach DI teaches — because it applies to anyone who wants to solve real problems.

Recognize a problem. Imagine solutions. Build something. Test it. Fail. Improve. Don’t wait for the perfect plan — just start.

And if you don’t see a problem right away, wander a bit. Stay curious. Every meaningful innovation begins with noticing something others overlook.

Creativity isn’t about having flashy ideas; it’s about helping people and the planet in a practical, meaningful way. If you stay curious, stay open, and keep building, you’ll be surprised how quickly your ideas turn into something real.

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What’s a Dissector?
Challenge Dissectors are part of a global group of volunteers who help us fine-tune the next season’s Team Challenges. As a Dissector, you’ll review early drafts of one Team Challenge and provide thoughtful feedback to ensure it’s clear, inclusive, innovative, and inspiring for students from all walks of life. No previous experience in this role is required—we welcome fresh perspectives!

Why Volunteer as a Dissector?

• Be a Changemaker: Your insights will help shape the Challenges that spark imagination, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving in tens of thousands of students across the globe.
• Bring Your Voice to the Table: Our Dissector teams are made up of people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and careers—because great ideas come from everywhere.
• Support 21st-Century Learning: Whether you’re an educator, engineer, artist, or simply someone who values creativity and collaboration, your experience can directly influence student success.

Who Should Apply?
We’re looking for people who bring:

• Experience in fields like education, STEM, the arts, accessibility, or youth development
• Knowledge of one or more DI Team Challenge types (Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Engineering, Service Learning)
• A desire to help create something meaningful—no prior experience as a Dissector necessary!

What’s the Time Commitment?
Dissectors will be asked to review and submit feedback on two drafts of a Team Challenge:

• Round 1: Feedback due August 18 (draft sent August 4)
• Round 2: Feedback due September 15 (draft sent September 1)

All reviews are submitted online and can be completed on your schedule within each review window.

Requirements

• Must be 21 or older by August 1, 2025
• Must be able to participate fully in both rounds of review
• Must complete and submit all feedback online
• Cannot be a Team Manager for the Challenge(s) they have helped to develop. 
  

Ready to Dive In?
The deadline to apply is July 16, 2025. Selected volunteers will be notified by July 21.

Click here to apply now and help us create Challenges that inspire the next generation of innovators, leaders, and creative thinkers.

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Why Become a Dissector?
As a Team Challenge Dissector, you will have the unique opportunity to engage with DI as an adult volunteer. By meticulously reviewing and refining Challenges, you’ll help ensure that we continue to offer high-quality, engaging educational experiences. Imagine the sense of pride you’ll feel knowing that your input helped shape the very Team Challenges that ignite creativity and innovation in young minds around the world!

Who Are We Looking For?
Our Team Challenge Dissection process thrives on bringing together individuals with diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise. By engaging people from various backgrounds, professions, and walks of life, we ensure that the Challenges we develop are dynamic, well-rounded, and relevant to a wide range of students. Whether you’re an educator, an engineer, an entrepreneur, or a graduate student who values the creative process and the development of future-ready skills, we encourage you to apply!

Timeline
The Team Challenge Dissection process requires Dissectors to individually review up to 2 drafts of one Team Challenge that is currently in development. The first draft will be sent to Dissectors on August 5, with feedback due by August 19. The second draft will be sent to Dissectors on September 2, with feedback due by September 16.

Experience
We are looking for individuals with deep knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas:

• The Destination Imagination Challenge Experience, with specialized knowledge of one or more Team Challenge types (Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Engineering, Service Learning)
• Subject area experience (occupation, coursework, or other experience that falls within a Team Challenge type)
• Education (this could include in a school, after-school program, administration, etc.)
• Fostering welcoming environments where all individuals can thrive

No previous experience as a Dissector is necessary! We welcome and encourage applicants who are new to the process! 

Requirements
Applicants must be 21 years of age or older on or before August 1, 2024. Additionally, applicants must be able to participate fully in the Dissection process, providing feedback according to the timeline for both drafts. Dissections must be submitted online.

Deadline
All parts of an application must be received by July 17, 2024. 

The Educational Experiences Team at Destination Imagination will review each submission individually and put together a Dissection team for each Team Challenge in development. Applicants who are selected to be Dissection team members will be notified by July 22. 

Ready to Dive In?
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to contribute to the future of Destination Imagination! Click here to fill out the 2024 Dissector application. 

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Drumroll, please…

The Winners!

• Iryna M.
• Olha M.
• Nazar S.
• Oksana
• Emma
• Lisa S.
• Grace P.
• Gayatri D.

Congratulations to our winners! Each of our winners will receive a limited-edition 25th Anniversary DI Animal Party kit, a fantastic collector’s item celebrating 25 incredible years of DI.

We were truly moved by the visual journey through time your photos took us on. From the early days of DI to the most recent Challenges, your entries perfectly captured the essence of what makes DI so special. Thank you for sharing your memories and helping us create a beautiful tapestry of experiences.

This is just the beginning! We look forward to seeing you continue to share your creativity and passion for Destination Imagination as part of the next chapter of our Share for Creativity campaign.

Best Regards,

Clistia Smith
Department of Development and Advancement
Destination Imagination

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Open to everyone! Whether you’re a longtime volunteer or just starting your journey, your participation matters. From participants to parents to alumni, we invite you all to join the fun!

Here’s how you can participate:

• Submit your photos: Share your most memorable DI Challenge moments from any year! The contest is open for submissions until March 21.
• Cast your votes: Invite your family and friends to vote for you! Voting opens on March 11 and runs until April 1.
• Let the nostalgia flow: Relive the joy and creativity of DI with your fellow teammates and volunteers. 

Everyone who participates will also have the opportunity to win a commemorative 25th Anniversary DI Party Animal pin – a fantastic collector’s item for any DI enthusiast!

Your memories are the heart of DI. Join our DI Through the Years Photo Contest and help us to create a collective tapestry of experiences that define the essence of Destination Imagination.

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The DI Graduate of the Year Award is presented to an exceptional scholar who embodies DI’s vision to ignite the power of ALL youth, fostering creativity and collaboration to shape tomorrow’s innovators. This award is reserved for individuals who exemplify the mission of the program. One outstanding recipient will be chosen to receive an annual $2,500 award for four academic years, culminating in a $10,000 scholarship.

The Founders Award, instituted as an expression of gratitude for DI volunteers, pays tribute to the essence of Destination Imagination, grounded in volunteering and dedication to the organization’s mission. A single recipient will be granted a $1,500 award each academic year for four years, resulting in a cumulative $6,000 scholarship.

Our DI Scholar Award will be awarded to five scholars who embody the core values of DI – respect, collaboration, stewardship, perseverance, and integrity. Each recipient will be granted a one-time $1,000 scholarship.

These opportunities are open to students graduating from high school in 2024 or those currently pursuing a post-high school degree in a trade school, community college, or university. Applicants must have been accepted at a post-secondary educational institution and plan to attend during the 2024-25 school year. Additionally, they should have actively participated in Destination Imagination as a team member or volunteer during the 2023-24 Challenge season.

Application Materials:

• Online application form, including contact information and a photo.
• Brief bio (500 words or less). Tell us about yourself. (This scholarship is not based on academic achievement.)
• Letter of recommendation.
• Creative response to the questions:
  • How has Destination Imagination affected your life?
  • Why is it important to get others involved in DI?
  • How do you represent the spirit of volunteerism and impact within Destination Imagination?

Creative responses can be submitted in any format, such as an original song, podcast, video presentation, story, poem, essay, website, or any other creative medium.

All applications must be submitted by March 31, 2024, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. To apply, click here. 

Announcements will be made by May 5, 2024. For questions, please reach out to scholarships@dihq.org.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!

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