Pavlina is a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellow at Newcastle University and the CEO & Co-Founder of METzero Technologies LTD. After completing her PhD in Bioenergy and Self-sustainable Systems (UWE, Bristol), she continued her work as a researcher in the R&D of Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) for wastewater treatment. As part of her research, she has installed and maintained pilot-scale METs for urine treatment and energy recovery in East Africa funded by OXFAM and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Her research journey led her in 2020 to Newcastle University to study and develop METs for wastewater treatment and hydrogen recovery. Later on, she became a Lecturer in Environmental Engineering at Newcastle University. Today she is leading METzero Technologies, a Newcastle University spin-out company which aims to commercialise MET systems for wastewater treatment and resource recovery to help water companies increase their treatment capacity and meet their net zero targets. Her work and mission focus on bridging the gap between academia and industry and accelerating technology transitions from lab to field. She is passionate about promoting STEM and has been a STEM ambassador for over a decade, enabling her to deliver numerous hands-on MET-related workshop activities all over the UK and abroad. She serves as the Institute of Water Northern Area committee secretary and has led many academia-industry engagement activities (networking events, technical visits, etc.).