Celine Kelso

Dr. Celine Kelso is a Chemical Characterisation Facility Manager and Senior Fellow at the University of Wollongong's School of Science, Faculty of Science Medicine and Health. She manages a $15 million facility housing advanced mass spectrometers, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, liquid and gas chromatography equipment, and other specialized analytical instrumentation. With over a decade of experience at UOW, she has progressed from a Fixed-term Mass Spectrometry Facility Manager to her current Senior Fellow position.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Mass Spectrometry of Biological Systems from the University of Wollongong (2006-2010), an MSc in Analytical Chemistry from Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris (2003-2004), and a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Bordeaux (1998-2002). She is fluent in both English and French.

Dr. Kelso's research focuses primarily on the chemical analysis of vaping products, particularly examining nicotine content, synthetic cooling agents, and contraband e-cigarettes in the Australian market. Her work has significant policy implications, as evidenced by her testimony before the NSW Parliament Committee on Law and Safety regarding e-cigarette regulation. She has published extensively on vaping product composition, with numerous high-impact publications in journals like Nicotine and Tobacco Research and Medical Journal of Australia.

Her research portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on analytical challenges in public health, particularly the chemical composition of vaping products and their implications for regulation and consumer safety. She has received multiple grants supporting this work, including internal UOW funding and equipment grants.

• University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Partnership and Impact (2024)
• Molecular Horizons Strategic Membership Support Award (2024)
• Early-Mid-Career Researcher (EMRC) Start-up Travel Grant (2016)

As Facility Manager, Dr. Kelso provides critical infrastructure support for researchers across disciplines while maintaining an active research program. She has organized major conferences including the Australian and New Zealand Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference and serves as a member of the Australasian Core Facilities Network. Her work bridges analytical chemistry, public health policy, and regulatory science, with direct impact on Australian vaping regulations.