Svetlana Tretsiakova-McNally is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry within Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment. She is a polymer/material chemist with more than twelve years of post-doctoral experience in polymer and combustion chemistries and in material science. She had extensively studied fundamental physio-chemical phenomena and the mechanisms pertaining to thermal/thermo-oxidative degradation/decomposition, flammability, flame retardation, and fire chemistry of a wide range of polymers and composites. Her research areas include: synthesis of fire retardant polymers, novel bio-inspired fire retardants, flammability and toxicity of fire effluents, plastic waste re-use/recycling, alternative energy sources, and ligno-cellulosic materials for environmental applications. She publishes in the fields of polymer science, fire-safe polymeric materials, sustainable materials, and waste management. She has been involved in European research projects related to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. She is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and serves on the committee of the RSC Northern Ireland Section.