Associate ProfessorEllen Moon

I am a teaching and research academic who enjoys developing and delivering project-based units that present students with real engineering design challenges that require them to consider technical, social, cultural and sustainability factors in developing solutions. Within the civil and environmental engineering programs at Deakin, I primarily teach into units concerned with environmental protection and sustainability. These include units focused on water treatment, contamination & remediation of landscapes, and waste management, in addition to foundational earth & environmental science units. I particularly enjoy developing students’ professional practice skills, and strongly believe we can better prepare students for the world of work through greater exposure to industry practice throughout their degrees.

My research focuses on sustainable resource recovery and contaminant control across industrial, mining, and water systems. A core feature of my research is linking mechanistic understanding with scalable sustainability outcomes. My early work provides novel insights into metal speciation, adsorption, and mineral-microbe interactions, particularly for trace metals and radionuclides. This foundation evolved into applied research on mineral processing, ion exchange, and flocculation to improve metals recovery and dewatering efficiency. Recently, my research has focussed more on the circular economy valorisation of wastes - food and garden organics, biochar, water treatment sludges and mine tailings - for carbon sequestration, nutrient recovery, contaminant removal, and as building materials. 

I enjoy science communication and making studying and working in engineering more accessible and inclusive. I have presented my work to everyone from a Nobel Laureate (at Australia’s inaugural Falling Walls Lab) through to the general public through the Radio National Science Show, A Pint of Science and The Conversation.