Sayed Bilal Quraishi is a PhD student in chemical engineering at RMIT University, researching the settling behaviour of particles in thickened tailings under laminar flow conditions under the supervision of Professor Raj Parthasarathy and Professor Sati Bhattacharya. With a passion for sustainability in mining, his work focuses on optimising tailings transport for improved water conservation and energy efficiency. Beyond academia, Sayed enjoys cricket, walks, and spending time with his three young children. He has lived in Australia, Malaysia and Afghanistan and works casually as a disability support worker.

Sai Krishna Reddy Velagala is a PhD scholar in the BITS-RMIT collaborative doctoral programme, which he joined in January 2024. His research focuses on low-concentration CO2 capture using sustainable porous materials for direct air capture (DAC) applications. His work integrates physicochemical characterisation, statistical optimisation of adsorption systems, and process engineering analysis, including kinetics, equilibrium, and thermodynamic evaluation. He has presented his research at several international conferences and contributed to three publications during the first two years of his PhD. His work aims to develop efficient and scalable solutions for sustainable carbon capture under ambient conditions.

Majid Noorbakhsh Soltani is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne and a member of the ARC Research Hub for Smart Fertilisers. His research is focused on engineering biodegradable coatings for controlled-release fertilisers using electrospinning and multilayer coating design. His work investigates how coating structure influences permeability, mechanical properties, and nutrient release behavior. He has expertise in polymer-based coating systems, experimental design, and material characterization. His broader goal is to develop scalable and sustainable fertiliser technologies that improve nutrient efficiency, reduce environmental losses, and support more sustainable agricultural production.

Vihanga Kularatne is a third year PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at RMIT University, Australia. His research focuses on thermoplastic elastomers and polymer nanocomposites, with an emphasis on their 3D printability for sustainable industrial applications. He has experience in both MD simulations and experimental synthesis and characterisation techniques. His work explores interfacial interactions and structure property relationships in elastomer systems. He aims to develop scalable, high performance, and environmentally friendly materials to replace conventional thermoset rubbers in advanced engineering applications, contributing to more sustainable and efficient manufacturing practices.

Nisha Arunachalam is a researcher at RMIT University, working in the field of biomaterials and bioadhesives. Her research focuses on the development of protein–polymer systems, particularly modular proteins and modified polysaccharides, for advanced biomedical applications. She has experience in designing and characterizing hydrogel-based materials, with an emphasis on understanding their structure–property relationships. Nisha is also skilled in cell-based studies, enabling evaluation of material–cell interactions for translational outcomes. Her work aims to develop innovative, functional bioadhesives for healthcare applications, bridging material science and biology.

Evangeline Leong is an Industry PhD candidate in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Monash University. Her work focuses on direct air capture (DAC), carbon utilisation and biomanufacturing, with an emphasis on translating these technologies from laboratory research to integrated pilot-scale systems. Her doctoral research investigates the integration of DAC with microbial conversion of captured CO₂ into products including bioplastics and microbial protein. Her work spans CO₂ adsorbent characterisation, DAC process development and operation, gas fermentation and downstream product recovery. She has contributed to the development and operation of Monash's pilot-scale DAC technologies and is involved in developing new research programs in carbon capture, carbon bioconversion and industrial translation. Evangeline holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Biomedical Science from Monash University. She has also led multidisciplinary teams developing carbon-removal technologies and has received national and international recognition for her work in climate technology. In 2026, she was Highly Commended in the Waste Valorisation and Circular Economy category of the Young Engineers Awards for Innovation and Sustainability (YEAIS).