Bioleaching of critical metals from bauxite residue utilising filamentous fungal strains
Fernanda Soto is a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland, supervised by Dr. Denys Villa-Gomez, Prof. Esteban Marcellin, Prof. Susan Harrison, and Dr. Rosemary Gillane. She graduated in 2020 from the University of Chile with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnological Engineering, where she conducted research under the guidance of Prof. Juan Asenjo and Dr. Oscar Cerda. From 2021 to 2023, she worked as a Control Process Engineer at Minera Escondida–BHP, complementing her professional experience with several research assistant roles in biomedical, agricultural, and biotechnological projects at the University of Chile, the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA, Chile), and the University of New South Wales. Her academic and professional background reflects a strong interdisciplinary foundation, integrating chemical and biotechnological engineering with applied industrial practice. She is also a graduate of the Global Change Scholars Program, through which she applied knowledge beyond her core expertise to address UN Sustainable Development Goals, including a team-based placement with an external partner to tackle a real-world issue.