ProfessorAisling O'Sullivan

Aisling O’Sullivan is a Professor of Ecological Engineering. She leads the research group CELTS (Centre for EcoLogical Technology Solutions, CELTS.org.nz) which she founded to meet the research gap in Ecological Engineering in Aotearoa New Zealand. CELTS is part of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC. Aisling teaches 350 undergraduate engineering students each year and supervises graduate and Post-Doctoral research.

Aisling's research is cross-disciplinary and experimental in nature. She currently focusses on modifying waste materials for creating new biowaste filters and biocarriers to treat water pollutants. This includes treating excess nutrients, non-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs) and heavy metals, which are difficult to remove.

Aisling's early research involved monitoring, modelling and treating non-point source metal and nutrient contaminants in water. Applications have been applied to the urban, mining and rural environments. She recently completed a large National Science Challenge research programme where she led a team of 27 researchers that prototyped water treatment filters made from biowastes. Upon the end-of-their design life, these products are regenerated into safe (green) materials that become a new resource.

Complementary research Aisling has led included developing algal-bacterial biomass as a second generation biofuel. She also supervised research on green roofs and green wall systems treating wastewater. CELTS employ Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) modelling tools to measure the environmental impacts of different treatment technologies they develop.

Aisling's research has been widely published and independently validated as outstanding internationally with the award of an A score in the latest PBRF assessment and she has been awarded numerous other research accoldates including awarded the 2024 Scientist Medal of the Year (Environmental and Green Materials) by the International Association for Advanced Materials and was a semi-finalist (of thousands nominated) in the 2025 New Zealander of the Year (Sustainability) award. Her moto is it's 'Eco-Logical' to engineer in partnership with nature and the only pathway for sustaining ecosystems on which humanity depend.