Dr Zongli Xie

Dr Zongli Xie is a Principal Research Scientist and a Research Group Leader of Materials for Energy, Environment and Health at CSIRO, an Adjunct Professor in Victoria University with extensive research experience and expertise in advanced membrane materials/technologies and catalysis for water, energy and environment including desalination, wastewater treatment, resource recovery and gas separation. She is internationally recognised in membrane separation science and catalysis for the water and environment research fields, and is listed on the Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% World Scientist list (2024-2025). She is elected as Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (ATSE) in 2024.

Dr Xie has worked on more than 35 industry engagement projects with Australian and international companies in various aspects of advanced materials development, commercial scale production of electrolyte materials, environmental catalysts and membrane for industrial emission control and wastewater treatment. The highlight of her achievement includes the commercially scale up of the production of ceramic material for solid oxide fuel cell ($12M capital investment), and development of the catalytic deodorisation technology, N2O abatement catalysts, catalyst coating on static mixers, and dual-layer nanocomposite membranes. She has author/co-authored over 180 journal papers (>12900 citations and h-index of 65), 5 PCT patents, 5 invited book chapters and over 35 confidential commercial technical reports to Australian and international companies. Her achievement has led to many awards including MSA Anita Hill Leadership Award (2025), iSPT Distinguished Women Scientist Award (2024), Journal of Water Processing Engineering (JWPE) Trailblazer Award (2024), MSA Collaboration Award (2021), CSIRO Julius Career Award (2019), Victoria University Vice-Chancellor’s citation award for excellence in research (2013) and CMSE chief’s innovation award (2009)

Dr Xie is the elected Vice President of Membrane Society of Australasia (MSA), a Fellow of International Association for Carbon Capture (IACC), a committee member of the International Water Association (IWA) Specialist Group on Membrane Technology, and a committee member of ATSE Victorian Division, a board member of Monash Centre for Membrane Innovation (MCMI). She served as a CSIRO Champion of the Energy and Nanotechnology theme for the CAS/CSIRO relationship (2017-2024). She also serves as an Associated Editor of Separation Science and Technology, Desalination and Wastewater Treatment, Results in Engineering, and the editorial board member of Scientific Reports, Desalination, and Advanced Membranes.