Our Team

Dr Claire Bird is a highly respected figure in Australia’s indoor environment and mould industry, with a wealth of knowledge in environmental and laboratory sciences. She holds a Doctoral degree in the detection and characterisation of airborne microorganisms in indoor and outdoor spaces, and has supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate students as a postdoctoral academic in environmental microbiology and chemistry.

She has established and operated multiple laboratories in the university and commercial sectors, and has served as a Principal Indoor Environment Consultant on various small to large-scale water damage and mould/microbial contamination projects across Australia. She is currently part of funded and submitted NHMRC large grant-funded programs on environmental assessment of mould in relation to occupant health and building performance.

As Associate Director of the Indoor Air Quality Special Technical Group for AIRAH, Vice President of the global Integrated Biosciences and Built Environment Consortium (IBEC), and committee member of the Indoor Air Quality Association Australa, where she was former President, Claire is dedicated to advocating for and advancing Indoor Air Quality and microbial (and mould) contamination knowledge and best practices.

Claire is actively involved in authoring and reviewing several standard of care documents, educational and guideline publications to ensure the highest standards of indoor environmental quality are maintained, including the recent Chapter on Indoor Air Quality for the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene “Principles of Occucpational Hygiene” upcoming edition.

She regularly presents on the topic of Indoor Air Quality, mould and microbial ecology, and has chaired conference sessions in Indoor Air Quality. She also serves as a peer reviewer for high-ranking indoor air quality and microbiology journals and conference submissions.

Phil is an accomplished researcher with expertise in renewable energy, techno-economic assessment of new technologies, mathematical (including CFD and process) modelling, and Life Cycle Assessment. He has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and a MSc degree in building thermal performance from a top-ranking UK university as well as over 35 years of experience in research and development. As part of his work at LITMAS, Phil develops the analytical and software systems that underpin the organization’s operations.

Phil has extensive experience in designing, developing, and testing solar thermal energy, waste-to-energy and waste-to-chemical-product systems, as well as researching integrated energy crop production and biomass storage systems. He has also led and contributed to projects focused on airborne pollutant dispersion modelling and field measurements.

Phil has collaborated with national and international industry partners, universities, and government agencies to develop innovative solutions to environmental challenges. He is passionate about sustainable energy and committed to using his skills and expertise to help build a more sustainable future. He is a strong communicator and enjoys working collaboratively with colleagues and clients to achieve their goals.

Belinda is our Laboaratory Manager who started the organisation with Claire.

After completing her bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology and Biology at RMIT as a mature student, Belinda spent three months in Windsor, Ontario on a highly competitive Environmental Engineering Research scholarship. She spent her time in Canada experimenting with optimisation methods to increase microbial methane gas production for energy generation from wastewater sludge. Belinda brings experience in benchtop molecular biology and microbiology, training, business and systems development, preparation of reports and consulting to LITMAS.

Meet Irene, our skilled Laboratory Scientist with a strong microscopy background, most recently including examining sperm mobility and health for artificial insemination sectors. With a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science, Irene brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. She’s helping us expand our microscopy services and explore new mould taxa, ensuring that we can provide the best possible support and analysis to our clients.

Rusty holds their quaiifications in Art which has proved to be a huge advanatage for a microscopist, often finding such detailed obervations second nature. They have been with the compnary for over two years after working for many years in customer service, and are now one or our key microscopists. They also maintain our stockpiles, keep us spick and span and will be looking after our consumables pipeline.

Sophie, our Administration Manager, joined LITMAS when it formed, bringing a diverse background in the arts, education and administration. Whilst overseeing our administrative processes to ensure the smooth functioning of our financial operations, Sophie rekindled a love for science and is now competent across most areas of the business, including in molecular and microbial analysis.

Sophie also brings her expertise in developing interfaces for LITMAS products, helping us provide intuitive and user-friendly solutions for our clients. With a degree in Concept Art from Griffith University and training in Japanese, Sophie has a keen eye for design and aesthetics. However her direction is now firmly in the development of her science skills and knowledge,  and she is currently pursuing training in mathematics and chemistry while expanding her language skills to Chinese.

Alex is a valued and vital member of our team. Currently completing his degree in Creative Writing, he has played a key role in developing our workflow systems and marketing materials, helping us to communicate our services more effectively to our clients. We appreciate his creative input and dedication to the success of our company.

Currently a Financial Director of a large international UK-based food supplement supplier, Katrina advises LITMAS in relation to strategy and processes.