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Since 2007, the Water & Carbon Group has been at the forefront of sustainable engineering within the wastewater, environmental and remediation industries. They specialise in designing, building, and operating multifunctional infrastructure that value natural assets. Their aim is to engineer a new era of environmental solutions that are holistic in nature and meet the financial, environmental and sustainability goals of our customers.

APR Intern, Samira Sadeghi is a PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University (ECU). Her interests in water treatment and chemical engineering were sparked by a desire to address environmental challenges, particularly water pollution. During her earlier studies, she became fascinated by how chemistry could be used to tackle emerging contaminants. This passion led her to pursue a PhD at ECU, where she joined the Advanced Materials and Membranes Research Group. 

Samira’s PhD focuses on developing novel adsorbents and photocatalysts for more effective removal of pollutants from water. These advanced materials are designed to integrate adsorption and photocatalysis, creating efficient solutions for water purification.

“My interest in this area comes from a passion for environmental sustainability and the desire to develop innovative technologies that provide clean water for future generations,” Samira said.

The supportive, research-driven environment at ECU, along with access to world-class facilities, allowed Samira to apply her knowledge to practical projects targeting emerging contaminants. Through an APR internship with the Water & Carbon Group, she has applied her chemistry knowledge to contribute to sustainable water treatment solutions.

“My experience with The Water & Carbon Group has had a significant impact on both my research approach and career aspirations. Working on practical water treatment projects showed me the importance of applying research to solve real-world environmental challenges. It also reinforced my interest in developing sustainable technologies for water purification. This experience has shaped my research by encouraging a more solution-driven, interdisciplinary approach, and it has further solidified my goal of pursuing a career focused on environmental sustainability and innovative water treatment technologies.”

Samira is a recipient of the APR Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship (WiSE) Subsidy which she states significantly enhanced her internship and research efforts, providing both financial support and access to unique professional development opportunities.  

“The WiSE subsidy empowered my work and reinforced my commitment to advancing in STEM.”

One of the key impacts was the chance to attend a WiSE-sponsored masterclass in Western Sydney University, where Samira gained valuable insights into industry trends, networking strategies, and ways to bridge the gap between academic research and industry applications. In addition, the subsidy played a crucial role in strengthening the collaboration between her supervisor and industry partner. The partnership was given a fresh dimension through my active involvement, where Samira could contribute meaningfully to solving industry challenges.

“This masterclass not only broadened my perspective on STEM careers but also connected me with like-minded professionals and mentors, helping me grow as a researcher and future leader in the field. The hackathon, in particular, taught us valuable skills in teamwork and how to pitch a product with an entrepreneurial mindset. I observed that how diversity accelerates creativity and drives impact.”

Mark Mullett, Technical Manager at The Water and Carbon Group, emphasised the impact of Samira’s work and the ongoing collaboration with ECU.

“Samira made a valuable contribution to our research goals providing a range of recommended options for us to pursue and test. Her APR program was extended to ensure we gained full value from the program. We have engaged Samira and Masoumeh (Samira’s Manager) in a fee for service contract between us and ECU to generate novel additives to enhance our environmental engineering processes. These innovative additives are new to the water treatment industry and could provide us with a significant commercial advantage and huge benefits to our client base.”

– Mark Mullett, Technical Manager at The Water and Carbon Group

Since completing her internship, Samira is excited by the emerging trends in sustainable and green technologies within chemical engineering. Advanced water treatment methods and the development of novel materials for pollutant removal, such as those she is exploring in her PhD research, hold great promise for addressing environmental issues like water contamination.

 

 

Samira Sadeghi is completing a PhD from Edith Cowan University.

Samira Sadeghi was a recipient of the APR WiSE subsidy.