Priscilla Tremain

Dr. Priscilla Tremain is a Research Associate at the Priority Research Centre for Frontier Energy Technologies & Utilisation within the University of Newcastle's College of Engineering, Science and Environment. Her academic journey includes a Doctor of Philosophy (2016) and Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering Honours) (2011) from the same institution. As a multidisciplinary researcher in

• low emissions technologies
• waste utilization
• hydrogen production
• reaction kinetics

, she combines chemical engineering principles with environmental innovation.

Her recent work focuses on atmospheric water generation through advanced desiccant systems, with 2025 publications analyzing

• silica gel composites
• genetic algorithm optimization
• climate-specific modeling

. These studies demonstrate specific water production rates up to 230 L·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹ while addressing energy consumption challenges. Earlier research (2016-2021) explored calcium looping processes for energy storage and methane abatement, including pilot-scale reactor designs and catalytic tar-cracking mechanisms.

Grants totaling $3.87M highlight her leadership in projects like the Hydro Harvester for drought resilience and 2SRC Process for mineral processing innovation. As a co-supervisor, she mentors PhD candidates in novel metal recovery and biochar production technologies.