Meet the WISE Fellows – Nathalia Cristine Vieceli

You will also be able to find out more about the fellow’s research here.

Nathalia is an Environmental Engineer from Brazil. During her PhD at Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal, she focused on lithium recovery from natural and secondary resources. This experience sparked her interest in metal recycling and brought her to Sweden, first as a postdoctoral researcher at Chalmers University of Technology and later as an R&D Manager in battery recycling at Northvolt Revolt. She has now joined Uppsala University as a WISE Fellow, where she is establishing her own research group focused on sustainable hydrometallurgical processes for metal recovery.

What attracted you to WISE, and what made you decide to join the programme?

What attracted me to WISE was the excellence and diversity of its research network, as well as its ambition to create real impact in sustainability through advances in materials science. The programme also provides an excellent environment for connecting fundamental research with industrial and societal challenges, which is particularly important for my research.

Can you tell us about your research and what you find most exciting about it?

My research focuses on developing more sustainable alternatives for recovering metals from secondary resources, such as end-of-life products, as well as from natural resources such as minerals. I mainly work with hydrometallurgical processes, and I am particularly interested in understanding and controlling the chemical processes that determine how metals can be selectively recovered. What I find most exciting is the possibility of combining fundamental understanding with practical process development to make resource recovery more efficient and sustainable.

How do you think your research could benefit society in the future?

Many modern technologies that are crucial for decarbonising our society rely on critical metals, such as cobalt and lithium in lithium-ion batteries or neodymium in magnets used, for example, in wind turbines. Recovering these metals from end-of-life products can reduce dependence on primary resources and imports, while also contributing to more reliable and circular supply chains. Developing more efficient recycling processes can therefore help support the transition to a more sustainable society.

Are there any specific industries, technologies, or applications where you see your research making an impact?

Several key technologies supporting the energy transition rely on an increasing supply of metals, including batteries, solar cells and permanent magnets. My research could contribute to developing more sustainable ways of recovering and recycling the metals needed for these technologies, both from end-of-life products and from more complex natural resources.

When did you first become interested in research, and what inspired you to pursue a research career?

I became particularly interested in research during my BSc studies, when I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant. During this period, I realised that knowledge, science and technology could be powerful tools for addressing environmental challenges. This experience inspired me to pursue a research career in which I could contribute to solving some of these challenges.

What motivated you to specialize in your particular research area?

I was motivated by the opportunity to work on a topic that is both scientifically challenging and highly relevant to society. The need for sustainable access to metals is growing, and I find it particularly motivating to work at the intersection of resource recovery, sustainability and materials science.

What do you hope to achieve through your research in the coming years?

I hope to contribute to the development of more sustainable and scalable processes for metal recovery and recycling, while keeping my research connected to current societal and industrial challenges. At the same time, I aim to build a strong research environment and mentor the next generation of engineers and researchers in this field.