Bridging Science and Society: A Q&A with Dr Elham Mousania
To celebrate Woman at Imperial week, we caught up with Dr Elham Mousania, Research Associate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, to learn how her work is shaping sustainable industry, why systems thinking matters, and what inspires her both inside and outside the lab.
Can you introduce yourself and your role in the department?
I’m Elham Mousania, a Research Associate working in Professor Evina Katsou’s group. My focus is on European collaborative research projects that aim to make industrial processes more sustainable and efficient. This ranges from recovering waste heat to producing battery-grade materials in environmentally friendly ways.
What drew you to civil and environmental engineering?
I was attracted to this field because it deals with systems that are not only technically complex but also have huge social impact. Civil and environmental engineering sits at the intersection where engineering decisions shape how we use resources, how industries grow, and how environmental challenges are managed. I find the combination of technical depth and real-world relevance especially compelling.