promoted to associate professor of Life and Social Sciences in 2003, and became Professor of Science, Engineering and Technology in 2009. After working in this position for 9 years, she joined RMIT University as a professor in 2018, and has been working there as a Distinguished Professor since 2019. Research Ivanova has authored over 350 articles, and 30 book chapters, and has 4 patents awarded. She works in the fields of nanobiotechnology, material science, and microbiology. Nanobiotechnology Ivanova presented the very first reported physical bactericidal activity of black silicon, which is first synthetic analogue of natural bactericidal surfaces such as insect wings, while giving a prospect for the development of a new generation of mechano-responsive, antibacterial nanomaterials. She has led a research project on biomimetic mechano-bactericidal nanostructured surfaces since 2012. In her studies focused on mechanical rupture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cells by cicada Psaltoda claripennis wings, she demonstrated that upon being incubated on cicada wings, Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells are stretched and ruptured by the nanopillar arrays present on the wing surface, resulting in bacterial cell death. Her studies further showed that cicada wings are highly effective antibacterial, as opposed to antibiofouling, surfaces. In 2013, she proposed a biophysical model of the interactions between bacterial cells and cicada wing surface structures, which highlights that mechanical properties play a vital role in terms of determining bacterial resistance/sensitivity to the bactericidal nature of the wing surface. One of her highly cited papers has discussed the diverse structural variations of EPS produced by bacteria of different taxonomic lineages, and highlighted a number of techniques that can be used in studies involving biofilm-specific polysaccharides. With an intention to explore areas related to biodegradation of polymers, she presented an overview of the problems related to plastic pollution in the marine environment, a description of the properties, commercial manufacturing and degradability of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Ivanova discussed antifouling and bactericidal impacts of antibacterial surfaces. While demonstrating the bactericidal activity of nanopatterned superhydrophobic cicada Psaltoda claripennis wing surfaces, she provided a model for the development of novel functional surfaces that have the ability to possess an increased resistance to bacterial contamination and infection. Biomaterials Ivanova in collaboration with colleagues described the role that surface modification of biomaterial plays in the context of preventing biofilm formation and the attachment of microorganisms. In her studies focused on the understanding of the basis of the mechanical antimicrobial mechanisms, she discussed