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Dr Pedroso is an expert in numerical and computer methods for solid mechanics and materials modelling. He has a strong background in tensor calculus, partial differential equations, computational geometry, and computer programming, among other topics. Dr Pedroso has been developing methods to model the mechanical behaviour of porous media including mixtures of solids, liquids and gases. Dr Pedroso has also developed new methods in molecular dynamics to model solids and granular assemblies. Therefore, his research work is quite multi-disciplinary but revolves around computational engineering and mechanics.

Dr. Pedroso received the highly prestigious Argyris Lecture Award of 2016 from the University of Stuttgart, Germany, which is internationally recognized. The Argyris Lecture is the top award for experts working on Modeling and Simulations, in particular, with the Finite Element Method (FEM), because Prof Argyris is a pioneer of the FEM. Today, this method is the most attractive for approximating the solution of partial differential equations with complex geometries and boundary conditions. One key aspect that the committee considered in the award was the innovative papers on new techniques for porous media, such as a new method to handle unilateral and variable boundary conditions for the interface between liquid and gases within porous media.

Journal Reviews

Dr Pedroso is an expert in computational mechanics for porous media and optimisation and is reviewing papers for top journals such as Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, Nature: Scientific Reports, Computers and Geotechnics, Geotechnique Letters, Advances in Engineering Software, Journal of Engineering Mechanics ASCE, Computer Physics Communications, International Journal of Plasticity, Soils and Foundations, Advances in Structural Engineering, Engineering Structures, among others.

Research Grants Reviewer

Dr Pedroso is an Australian Research Council (ARC) reviewer for DPs, DEs and LPs. He is also a reviewer for th Hong Kong Research Grants Council HK-RGC

Conference Services

Dr Pedroso has organised the 1st Workshop on New Advances on Computational Geomechanics in Australia in 2008 and the 5th Workshop on New Frontiers in Computational Geotechnics in 2010. Both in Brisbane, Australia.

Professor Wojtek Tomaszewski is Deputy Director (Research) and a Research Group Leader at the Institute for Social Science Research, and is also Chief Investigator in the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (the Life Course Centre). He holds a BSc and MSc in Mathematics, as well as an MA in Sociology from the University of Warsaw, Poland and a PhD in Social Sciences from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. Wojtek joined UQ from the National Centre for Social Research in London and has specialist expertise in quantitative research methods and advanced statistical analysis.

Wojtek has a strong research interest in the impact of disadvantage on educational and labour market outcomes in young people. He has undertaken a number of research projects for the State and Commonwealth Governments in Australia, and previously for the British Government. He has published in high-profile international academic journals across the fields of social sciences, education, and beyond.

Biography:

Suresh Bhatia received a B.Tech. degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and Master’s as well as PhD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked for a few years in industry in the USA, and for two years at the University of Florida, before joining the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, in 1984, and subsequently The University of Queensland in 1996. His main research interests are in adsorption and transport in nanoporous materials and in heterogeneous reaction engineering, where he has authored over two hundred and eighty scientific papers in leading international journals. He has received numerous awards for his research, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Engineering Sciences from the Government of India, and the ExxonMobil Award for excellence from the Institution of Chemical EngineersHe has held an Australian Professorial Fellowship from the Australian Research Council, and is a Fellow of two major academies – the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Indian Academy of Sciences. He served as the Regional Editor of the international journal Molecular Simulation between 2009 and 2015. He has held visiting positions at leading universities, and between 2007 and 2009 he was the Head of the Division of Chemical Engineering at UQ.

Research:

Bhatia’s main research interests are in the modelling and simulation of adsorption and transport in nanoporous materials, and in heterogeneous reaction engineering, in which he pursues both applied and fundamental research on a variety of topics. One of the current subjects is the development of models for the reaction kinetics and transport processes in the green electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide, as part of the research activities of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence. This is a novel route to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by converting it to useful chemicals and fuels, that is rapidly gaining increasing interest. In this technique, a porous electrode of complex structure is coated with nanoparticles of an electrocatalyst, on the surface of which carbon dioxide is reduced. Carbon dioxide (either pure gas or as part of flue gas) is fed into the electrolyser and must diffuse through the electrode’s structure to react with hydrogen ions in a liquid-phase electrolyte at the surface of the electrocatalyst. An added complexity is the intrusion of the electrolyte into the electrode, leading to its flooding and to a reduction in gas-phase transport rates. Bhatia’s research aims to gain an understanding of the complex interplay between gas-phase and electrolyte transport, and interfacial reaction kinetics, combining nanoscale models of transport and electrocatalytic kinetics with macroscopic electrode level models, and develop a comprehensive approach useful for process design and scale-up.

A second stream of activity relates to the modelling of mixed matrix membranes, particularly for carbon dioxide separation from flue gas and other industrial gas streams. These are a new class of membranes comprising a nanoporous adsorbent filler such as a zeolite or metal-organic/zeolitic imidazole framework material dispersed in a polymer matrix. Such composite membranes combine the high flux capabilities of the adsorbent with the selective properties of the polymer to overcome the established Robeson upper bound for polymers. Bhatia has developed novel effective medium theory-based models for transport in finite-sized composites, which overcome limitations of existing theories that are applicable only to large systems and therefore overlook particle and system size effects. At a more molecular level, Bhatia is investigating the nanoscale interfacial structure of the polymer in the vicinity of the solid, and its influence on the interfacial transport resistance using molecular dynamics simulation methods. When the polymer-filler interaction is strong, there is local densification of the polymer, which hinders gas transport, and when this interaction is weak interfacial nano-voids are formed which reduces selectivity. Both of these distinct effects deteriorate membrane performance, and a current focus of our research is the functionalisation of the polymer to improve polymer-filler compatibility and reduce interfacial defects. The synthesis of nanoscale and macroscopic approaches holds promise for the development of a virtual tool for the De Novo design of mixed matrix membrane specific to a given separation application; and is a key goal of this research.

Another thrust of his research relates to the transport of fluids in nanopores and nanoporous materials, where he is developing practical models of transport in nanoporous materials in conjunction with simulation and experiment. Among the achievements is a new theory of transport in nanoscale pores, which leads to an exact new result at low densities superseding the century-old Knudsen model. A current focus of the research is the interfacial resistance to transport in nanpororous materials, using molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical techniques. His results have shown that interfacial resistance dominates at nanoscales and can be very significant even at microscales. The results will have importance for a range of nanotechnologies involving the infiltration of fluids in nanoporous materials, including catalysis, gas storage, adsorption, and membrane-based separations, as well as nanofluidics.

In another stream of activity, he has developed atomistic models of disordered carbons using hybrid reverse Monte Carlo simulation methods, in conjunction with neutron scattering experiments. These atomistic models have been used to investigate the adsorption and transport of adsorbed fluids in the carbon nanostructure for a variety of applications. Among the carbons examined are carbide-derived carbon-based adsorbents for carbon dioxide capture from moist flue gases and CH4/CO2 separations. The co-adsorption of water has been shown by him to have a critical influence on both equilibrium and transport properties in these applications, and strategies for mitigating this influence are being investigated by means of simulation.

An area of recent activity is the study of carbon supercapacitors, where he is developing advanced simulation-based models for the equilibrium and flow of ions in porous carbon electrodes. These models will enable the optimisation of carbon structure for maximising capacitance and enhancing charging/discharging rates.

Teaching and Learning:

Bhatia has teaching interests in chemical reaction engineering, and applied mathematics, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Projects:

1. Simulation of the kinetics of electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide. The electrocatalytic transformation of carbon dioxide to useful chemicals and fuels is a subject of much current interest to the goal of a net zero carbon economy. This project aims to develop a model of the kinetics of the electrocatalytic reaction and use it to optimise the structure and loading of the electrocatalyst layer on the surface of the electrode. A combination of Quantum calculations and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations will be performed to determine the reaction kinetics for the carbon dioxide reduction to specific products such as ethylene and urea. Machine learning will be used to correlate intrinsic reaction kinetics with ionic concentrations in the electrolyte. Subsequently, reaction-diffusion modelling in the electrolyte will be performed to determine the optimal properties of the catalyst layer for maximising production rates. Validation of the models will be conducted using experimental data from other groups in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Green Carbon Dioxide Transformation.
2. Multiphase transport in packings of nanospheres. Numerous materials comprise packings of nano-sized particles. Examples are catalytically active layers of metals deposited on surfaces, layers of carbon nanoparticles in electrodes, and extrudates of catalyst and adsorbent particles comprised of aggregated nanoparticles. Current models of transport through such materials often simplify the structure by appealing to an idealised cylindrical pore model, which is often inaccurate and requires the use of empirical fitting parameters. In addition, such models frequently overlook fluid-solid interactions that become important at nanoscales. This project will investigate simultaneous gas and liquid electrolyte transport in packings of nanospheres, while considering fluid-solid interaction and phase equilibrium between gas and liquid, using molecular dynamics simulations, to determine multiphase transport properties as a function of interaction parameters, packing structure, packing density and particle size, and the results corelated using machine learning models. The models developed will be useful in the design of catalyst and adsorbent particles, and of electrodes in electrochemical processes.
3. Modelling transport in diffusion electrodes. Numerous electrochemical systems, such as fuel cells and electrocatalytic reactors use electrodes of complex structure, comprising a fibrous gas diffusion layer, a conductive carbon particle layer and a catalytic layer. The electrode separates gas and liquid electrolyte, both of which infiltrate the electrode from opposite sides. A reliable model of the electrode behaviour is essential for process design. This project will model the interplay between gas and electrolyte transport and their phase equilibrium in the electrode, as well as the reaction-diffusion process in the catalytic layer facilitated by the charge transport in the electrode. Joule heating of the electrode will also be considered. The particular process targeted is the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide. The outcome will be a comprehensive model of reaction and transport in the electrode that can be used in process design and scale-up of the electrochemical cell for electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction.
4. Synthesis and modelling of mixed matrix membranes. Mixed matrix membranes comprising a zeolite, metal-organic framework material, or other suitable adsorbent dispersed within a polymer matrix are attracting considerable attention because they combine the good mechanical properties of the polymer matrix with separation properties of the adsorbent. Here, we will perform molecular dynamics simulations of the separation of CO2 from flue gas using mixed matrix membranes and investigate their transport properties in this application. Suitable functionalisation of the polymer will be performed in silico to alleviate interfacial defects. Machine learning will be used to correlate transport properties with fundamental molecular level polymer and filler properties. Mathematical models of permeation through the membrane will be developed and validated against experimental data.
5. Dynamics of mixture adsorption in nanoporous materials. This project focuses on understanding the diffusion of gases in nanoporous materials, which is challenging both from a fundamental and applications viewpoint. Existing models frequently overlook fluid-solid interactions and require fitting parameters. In this connection, we have already performed molecular dynamics studies with single component systems and developed a novel new theory of diffusion and transport of adsorbates in nanoporous materials. The new studies now proposed focus on gas mixtures, and the theory developed will be extended to multicomponent systems in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulation. A system of particular interest is the separation of carbon dioxide from flue gas using nanomaterials and membranes.

Dr Jacqui Romero is an expert in experimental quantum information. Her research is focused on using higher-dimensional systems for exploring curious quantum physics phenomena and developing future quantum technologies. She is the group leader of the research team Qudits@UQ, there's more information on her group's webpage.

Jacqui was born and bred in Manila, Philippines. Hearing her high school physics teacher complain about quantum physics, she became curious and googled "quantum physics"—she has been hooked ever since. She holds BS Applied Physics magna cum laude and MS Physics degrees from the University of the Philippines. She finished her PhD at the University of Glasgow (in sunny Scotland!) where she was a researcher for seven years. In 2015, she moved to Brisbane to join the Quantum Technology group at the University of Queensland. In 2016 she took up an ARC DECRA fellowship with the same group. In 2019, she took up a Westpac Research Fellowship and formed her own team, Qudits@UQ. Jacqui is recognised for moving the shape of photons to mainstream quantum information. She has received several prestigious national and international awards which include: a L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science award in 2017 (one of four in Australia), the Ruby Payne-Scott Medal of the Australian Institute of Physics for excellence in early-career research in 2018, and a L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science International Rising Talent Award in 2019 (one of fifteen awards globally).

She is currently an associate professor and Westpac Research Fellow. She is also a chief investigator at the Centre of Excellence For Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS).

Outside work, she is a busy mum to three lovely boys, and an occasional painter. She also loves sharing her research to the wider community, example here.

Professor Bowen is Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology, and leads the Quantum Optics Laboratory at UQ. He is recognised both nationally and internationally for research at the interface of quantum science and nanotechnology; including bioimaging, biotechnology, nanophotonics, nanomechanics, quantum optomechanics and photonic/quantum sensing. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics.

Professor Bowen's research spans from the very fundamental, e.g. how does quantum physics transition into our everyday world at large scales?, to applied, e.g. developing next generation sensors for medical diagnostics and navigation. To pursue this research, his lab works in close partnership with industry and uses state-of-the-art facilities for nanofabrication, nanoanalysis, precision optical measurement and deep cryogenic refrigeration available in-house or on campus at UQ.

Professor Bowen has supervised more than thirty postgraduate students, who have been recognised with prizes such as Fulbright Scholarships, an Australian Youth Science Ambassadorship, a Springer PhD theses prize, the Queensland nomination for the Australian Institute of Physics Bragg Medal, the Australian Optical Society Postgraduate Student Prize and UQ Graduate of the Year. He regularly has projects available, both for postgraduate students and for postdoctoral researchers. Please check his website, above, or contact him directly for details (w.bowen@uq.edu.au).

Carlo Prato is Professor in Transport Engineering at the School of Civil Engineering of The University of Queensland. He has a PhD from the Politecnico di Torino in Italy where he approached the study of travel behaviour by focusing on route choices of car drivers. It is his natural curiosity and passion for behavioural modelling that drives his research into understanding what makes people behave the way they do as pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, and car drivers.

His research also looks at how people value congestion and reliability of transport systems, react to legislation trying to make their journeys safer, and accept and/or adapt (or not) to novel technologies and mobility solutions. Carlo contributes to the advancement of science in a cross-disciplinary environment by presenting his work in international conferences and publishing his contributions in prestigious journals as well as serving as a reviewer and editorial board member of journals spanning from engineering to psychology and medicine. Recently, Carlo has been named Associate Editor of Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, the journal of the International Association of Applied Psychology.

Prior to joining UQ’s School of Civil Engineering at the beginning of 2016, Carlo worked at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where he became Professor in 2013. During his time at DTU, he received the 2014 Pyke Johnson Award from the Transportation Research Board of the U.S. National Academies for the best paper in planning and environment at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board: “Estimating value of congestion and value of reliability from the observation of route choice behavior of car drivers” with Thomas K. Rasmussen and Otto A. Nielsen.

Most recently, Carlo was the recipient of the 2017 Partners in Research Excellence Award from The University of Queensland for his work in the partnership with the Port of Brisbane that aims at developing port growth. Awardees for the partnership were also Dr. Alistair Grinham from the School of Civil Engineering, Dr. Peggy Schrobback from the School of Economics, and Mr Rob Nave, General Manager of Infrastructure and Environment of the Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd. The project is to futureproof Brisbane’s largest multi-cargo port in terms of sustainability, transport and economy, regionally and globally.

In 2016, Carlo was invited to join the UQ Self-Assessment Team for the SAGE pilot of the Athena SWAN program, which The University of Queensland is part of in order to address and improve gender equity in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) disciplines. He is also a member of the equity and diversity group at the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology (EAIT).

Carlo has about 90 peer-reviewed journal papers and over 130 reviewed conference contributions and a coming book with publisher Taylor & Francis Group that will bring him back to his initial interests in traffic: “Route Choice Behaviour and Traffic Assignment Models”.

Damon Thomas is a senior lecturer in literacy education. His current research interests include theories of writing, writing development, pedagogy, and assessment, systemic functional linguistics, argumentation, standardised assessment, and classical rhetoric. Damon's research has made important contributions in the following areas:

• Understanding the complexities of student writing development
• Exploring writing instruction in situ
• Unpacking and critiquing the results of Australia's only large-scale test: the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy.

Damon completed his PhD at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) in 2015. He began lecturing at UTAS in 2014 and was promoted to senior lecturer in 2019. He took up a senior lecturer position at the University of Queensland (UQ) in 2021. Before starting his academic career, Damon taught as a primary school teacher in Tasmania after completing a Bachelor of Education degree with First Class Honours.

Damon was part of a team of Chief Investigators from the University of Tasmania, Deakin University, and La Trobe University that secured a successful ARC Linkage Project in 2015 in partnership with Anglicare Tasmania (LP150100558). The project investigated conditions that improved learning and wellbeing outcomes in regional, low-SES schools in Tasmania and Victoria. Damon oversaw the literacy component across school sites and conducted in-depth case studies in Tasmanian primary and high schools.

Damon is currently a Chief Investigator on an ARC Discovery Project investigating talk for learning in early years mathematics classrooms. Damon's main role is to employ several linguistic frameworks to understand the complexities of student dialogue and features of productive talk.

Damon is a member of several professional organisations including the Australian Systemic Functional Linguistics Association (ASFLA), the Primary English Teaching Association of Australia (PETAA), and the Australian Literacy Educators' Association (ALEA). Damon also translates literacy research for practising teachers via his blog: Read Write Think Learn

Dr Anthony Halog: Expert in Circular Economy, Life Cycle Thinking, and Sustainable Systems Engineering

Dr Anthony Halog leads interdisciplinary research on circular economy transitions, life cycle assessment, and AI-enabled sustainable systems at The University of Queensland. With a mission to co-design decarbonised and circular solutions for complex global challenges, his work advances the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and supports UQ’s strategic priorities of research translation, education transformation, and community enrichment.

His research spans bioeconomy, green hydrogen, waste-to-energy, and climate policy systems, with over 130 scholarly outputs and fellowships from OECD, DAAD, JSPS, and NREL. He actively secures research funding, supervises HDR and EMCR researchers, and partners with industry, government, and international universities to foster innovation and impact.

Dr Halog teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs on sustainable consumption, industrial ecology, and life cycle thinking. His teaching is informed by real-world research and student-centred pedagogies, with consistently strong SECaT feedback. He mentors diverse cohorts and champions experiential, inclusive, and future-focused education.

He serves on international panels and university committees, contributing to UQ’s mission through leadership, policy advice, and community engagement. Dr Halog exemplifies UQ’s values of excellence, sustainability, and global citizenship.

Keywords: Circular Economy, Life Cycle Assessment, Green Hydrogen, Sustainable Systems, AI for Sustainability, Industrial Ecology, ESG, Bioeconomy, Systems Thinking, Net Zero