Our People


Pollution Science staff

Susan Wilson

Professor in Environmental Pollution | School of Environmental and Rural Science

Email: swilso24@une.edu.au

  • Fate, behaviour and availability of pollutants in soil systems
  • Soil-pollutant interactions
  • Food chain contaminant transfers
  • Ecotoxicity and impacts of contaminants
  • Biogeochemistry of arsenic and antimony
  • Exposure and risk assessment
  • Remediation and rehabilitation of polluted systems including phytoremediation and bioremediation
  • Environmental analysis and monitoring

Susan is a Professor in Environmental Pollution. She leads the UNE Pollution Science Research Group in the School of Environmental and Rural Science. She has a PhD in Environmental Chemistry (Lancaster University, UK), a Masters in Environmental Technology (Imperial College, UK) and a Bachelor in Chemistry (Honours) (Bristol University, UK).  Her research answers questions on the cycling, processing, fate and toxicity of contaminants in terrestrial systems to provide solutions for management, rehabilitation  and remediation. Her group works on legacy and emerging pollutants, including the metalloids arsenic and antimony related to mine site contamination, PFAS and microplastics.

Susan's full profile

Leanne Lisle

 Leanne Photo

Senior Technical Officer | School of Environmental and Rural Science

Email: llisle@une.edu.au

Leanne's full profile

Matthew Tighe

 Matthew Photo

Professor of Ecosystem Modelling | School of Environmental and Rural Science

Email: matthew.tighe@une.edu.au

I have a background in ecosystem management and soil chemistry. I am interested in the links between the spatial variation of chemical patterns and underlying environmental processes that generate these patterns. I believe understanding these links inform us as to function and dysfunction in both natural and production systems. My specific research interests include:

  • Fate and behavior of trace elements and nutrients in soils
  • Plant/soil interactions
  • Environmental tomography
  • Environmental forensics
  • Appropriate use of statistics in environmental research.

Dr Tighe is a Professor with an honours (first class) degree in Natural Resources Management, a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics and Statistics, and a PhD in environmental soil chemistry. His research focuses on understanding and managing stressors in natural and production related ecosystems. Dr Tighe has published over 80 scientific articles in a range of international scientific journals. He has served on the editorial boards of three scientific journals, and he is currently Editor in Chief of Geoderma, Elsevier's global journal of Soil Science. Dr Tighe has received numerous university teaching awards.

Matthew's full profile


Pollution Science students

Wahyu Adi Nuhroho

Wahyu Adi  Photo

Master of Science in Agriculture| School of Environmental & Rural Science

Email: wnugroho@myune.edu.au

Mitigation of Iron Toxicity in Rice on Acid Sulfate Soils by Silicon Application

Wahyu Nugroho is studying a Masters in Ag Science. Wahyu's project is investigating the effect of different source of silicon fertiliser in alleviating iron toxicity in some rice varieties on acid sulfate soils.