Monash Engineering welcomes Professor Zongli Xie
Monash Engineering welcomes Professor Zongli Xie FTSE as the new Head of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
Professor Xie joins our Faculty from CSIRO, where she has been Principal Research Scientist and Research Group Leader of Materials for Energy, Environment and Health. She has extensive research and industry experience spanning advanced materials, membrane technologies, catalysis for water, energy, environment and sustainable resource recovery.
Of this important appointment Professor Yiannis Ventikos, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering says,
“Professor Xie's achievements have been recognised nationally and internationally. She was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) in 2024 and currently serves as Vice President of the Membrane Society of Australasia. She has authored more than 200 scientific publications and is widely regarded as a leader in her field.
I am confident that Professor Xie will bring exceptional leadership, vision and expertise to the Department and the Faculty.”
An alumna of Monash Chemical and Biological Engineering, Professor Xie brings a strong connection to the Department and a clear vision for its next chapter.
“As a graduate of this Department, I am particularly motivated to return and contribute to its continued growth and global standing,” she says. “I see great opportunities to build on the Department’s existing strengths, develop new collaborations and strengthen connections with industry.”
Professor Xie’s focus will span education, research and opportunities for the Department.
“I am excited to join Monash DCBE and work with such a talented community of colleagues and students. I am particularly looking forward to contributing to the department’s excellent education and research, building new collaborations and supporting our people to turn great research ideas into real-world applications.”
At CSIRO, Professor Xie led research into materials and technologies for applications including water treatment, resource recovery, energy and environmental sustainability. Her work has brought together fundamental research, engineering development and industry partnerships, with a focus on translating research into practical applications.
Looking ahead, Professor Xie is interested in advancing multidisciplinary research programs that connect chemical and biological engineering with industry application.
“I would like to further develop my research at the interface of advanced materials, membrane technology, catalysis and sustainable resource recovery,” she explains.
“I am also looking forward to establishing larger multidisciplinary research programs and strengthening the connection between fundamental research, engineering scale-up and industry application to deliver real-world impact.”
These priorities align closely with the Department’s strengths in sustainable energy and manufacturing, resource recovery, advanced materials, biotechnology and environmental engineering. They also create opportunities to bring these areas together in new research collaborations and strengthen pathways from research to industry.
Monash Engineering acknowledges and thanks interim Head of Department Professor Warren Batchelor for his leadership during the transition, and former Head of Department Professor Sankar Bhattacharya for his longstanding service and contribution to Chemical and Biological Engineering.
Professor Xie commences as Head of Department on 12 October. We wish her every success as she takes on the role and leads the Department into its next chapter.
