Where do our clothes come from? What is used to make them?... do you notice that they slowly vanish as you use them? Where do all those fibres go?
Alessandra seeks to find out and help! A keen snorkeller, Ale combines a love for materials science and environmental science with a passion for STEM education. Ale is Associate Professor at Deakin University's institute for Frontier Materials and Senior Scientific Advisor in the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG). At Deakin University, Alessandra's research team helps industry shift textile processes and materials away from 'forever chemicals', towards renewable and biodegradable ingredients.
At Deakin, Alessandra has supported the industrial implementation of scientific breakthroughs into commercial technologies and has initiated international programs for environmental monitoring of emerging pollutants such as microplastics.
Alessandra has a broad STEM background, with a PhD in advanced materials for sensing and a more recent focus on chemical processes. Her research journey remains multi-faceted: innovative and productive collaborations in artificial intelligence, textiles, medical devices, environmental education, hydrology as well as food. Alessandra's role in DSTG provides her with an opportunity to help accelerate innovation and translation pathways, and growing Defence's cross-discipline STEM capabilities.