Sandra Kentish

Professor Sandra Kentish FTSE GAICD is a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne, serving as Head of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering within the Melbourne School of Engineering. She earned her PhD and Masters by Research from the University of Melbourne. Throughout her career at the University of Melbourne, she has held key leadership positions and contributed extensively to chemical engineering research and education. Kentish leads the Kentish Research Group and is a key figure in the Separations and Membranes research theme, focusing on advanced separation technologies including solvent, ion exchange, and adsorption-based processes.

Her research specializations encompass membrane separations, sonoprocessing, water recycling, and carbon dioxide capture from industrial sources. Notable projects include the development of nanoporous carbon for CO2 separation, investigations into the performance of reverse electrodialysis systems under varying temperatures and concentrations, membrane stripping for desorption of CO2 from alkali solvents, and mineral carbonation using thermally activated serpentine. She has also conducted pilot studies to reduce energy intensity in milk powder production by utilizing cheese by-products for skim milk concentration. Kentish serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Membrane Science and has supervised 32 PhD students to graduation, earning the MSA Mentor Award in 2021. Her accolades include Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (FTSE), Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), the R.K. Murphy Medal at Chemeca 2024, and the Kelvin Medal for Teaching Excellence. She holds board positions such as with the Bionics Institute and is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Association for Carbon Capture, contributing to ARC-funded initiatives and public seminars.

Professional Email: sandraek@unimelb.edu.au