Samira is a PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University, focusing on the development of novel adsorbents and photocatalysts for the removal of emerging pollutants from water. Her current research explores cyclodextrin-based polymers and their application in the adsorption of PFAS and synthetic dyes. She has experience in material synthesis, surface characterization, and environmental remediation. Samira has also completed an industry internship working on PFAS treatment technologies. She is passionate about sustainable water treatment and bridging the gap between academic research and real-world environmental solutions.

Dr Masoumeh Zargar is a Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow at Edith Cowan University, with internationally recognised expertise in advanced functional materials, membrane technologies and environmental remediation. Her research focuses on innovative solutions for the removal of emerging contaminants such as microplastics and PFAS from water systems. She leads several industry-funded projects focused on water treatment, resource recovery and sustainable materials and has authored over 80 high-impact publications in leading journals. Dr Zargar’s interdisciplinary work—spanning materials science, membrane engineering and photocatalysis—positions her as a prominent researcher tackling critical challenges in water sustainability and environmental protection.

Lydia is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at UNSW, holding a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master's degree in Chemical Processing Engineering. Her research focuses on the intersection of water resource management and green energy development. Her research interests include water treatment technologies, life cycle assessment, and sustainable water allocation strategies. Currently, she is developing innovative models to optimize water resource allocation between green hydrogen production and agriculture in inland regions, aiming to maximize economic benefits while minimizing environmental and social impacts. she believes the output is significant for achieving sustainable energy transitions in water-limited regions.

Shima Shaikh is pursuing her PhD at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Queensland. Holding a master's degree in Mathematics from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, India, her research centres on analysing and modelling the influence of crystallisation on the particle size of the precipitate. With experience in mathematical modelling and data analysis, she aims to blend industry experience with academic research in her career. She has been involved with the Pacific Alumina Value Chain collaboration group since 2023, collaborating with Rio Tinto Australia, the University of Sydney, and Queensland University of Technology..

Zahra Rezaee is a PhD candidate at the University of South Australia. Her research focuses on magnetic separation of paramagnetic minerals, with a particular interest in the dry magnetic separation of iron ores and tailings. She has extensively studied key factors influencing the grade and recovery of minerals under both wet and dry conditions. She is also working on modifying a wet magnetic separator to operate without water while maintaining comparable performance. Additionally, she is also exploring the feasibility of recovering rare earth element minerals using magnetic separation and is preparing her first review paper on this topic.

Theophilus' research aims at improving the understanding of comminution strategy on downstream process performance. A key focus is on dry comminution with links to downstream flotation and hydrometallurgical processes, unravelling opportunities for low-grades ores and wastes processing.