Organisation structure from July 2023

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes is overseen by an advisory board, which is chaired by distinguished scientific leader Dr Tony Press. The Centre advisory board provides strategic oversight and advice to the Centre of Excellence as well as monitoring the Centre’s performance against its stated Key Performance Indicators. 

Dr Tony Press, Adjunct Professor, UTAS, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (Chair) 

Dr Tony Press is an Adjunct Professor at the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, where he served as its CEO from 2009 – 2014. He was formerly the head of the Australian Antarctic Division.  

Tony Press has had a long career in science, natural resource management, public administration and international policy. He chaired the Antarctic Treaty’s Committee for Environmental Protection from 2002 to 2006. He was Australia’s representative to the CEP and Alternative Representative to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings from 1999 to 2008 and Australia’s Commissioner for the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources from 1998 to 2008. 

Dr Jaci Brown, Research Director for the Climate Science Centre, CSIRO

Dr Jaci Brown is the Research Director for the Climate Science Centre in CSIRO’s Ocean and Atmosphere Business Unit. Jaci’s research has spanned tropical oceanography, climate projections, fisheries, high resolution ocean defence tools, and seasonal atmospheric processes in Australia. Her previous role was a team leader in the Agriculture and Food Business unit. There Jaci lead the Weather and Climate Decisions Team which focused on delivering actionable weather and climate knowledge to stakeholders.

Ian T. Dunlop, Independent Advisor & Commentator, Climate Change & Energy 

Ian Dunlop is a Cambridge educated engineer, with a particular interest in the interaction of corporate governance, corporate responsibility and sustainability. Ian Dunlop was formerly a senior international oil, gas and coal industry executive. He was Chairman of the Australian Coal Association from 1987-88, CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors from 1997-2001, and Chair of the AGO Experts Group which developed the first emissions trading system for Australia from 1998-99. 

As a Fellow of the Centre for Policy Development, Director of Australia21 and a Member of the Club of Rome he advises internationally on climate, energy and sustainability. 

Danielle Francis, Manager Liveable Communities, Water Services Australia

In her 20 years in the Australian water industry, Danielle has led communications, regulatory, pricing, stakeholder and strategy portfolios to help the industry deliver valued services to the community.

Today, as WSAA’s Manager Liveable Communities, Danielle oversees national and regional collaboration, learning and advocacy on water security, integrated water cycle management, and climate change. She also develops initiatives to promote understanding and adoption of circular economy principles in the water industry. In addition, she leads work to promote recognition and integration of Indigenous water values and knowledge in water management and water services.

She advocates for all options to be on the table for water planning, to ensure good value and liveable water services for urban communities. She has researched many aspects of purified recycled water, including community engagement, and is on a global Project Advisory Committee for the US Water Research Foundation.

Dr Greg Holland, Willis Senior Scientist Emeritus at the Capacity Center for Climate and Weather Extremes (C3WE), NCAR, Boulder, USA 

Dr Greg Holland is an emeritus Willis Senior Scientist in C3WE at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). He was previously Director of NCAR’s Earth System Laboratory and Director of C3WE. His current research focuses on weather and climate extremes and their response to climate variability and change. His career in meteorology includes forecasting, teaching, research, and community service, including service on a number of committees and review boards for NOAA, the National Academies, NASA, Zurich Insurance, and chairing the Tropical Meteorological Program of WMO. Greg received his bachelors with honours in Mathematics from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and an MS and PhD in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University. 

Prof Dane McCamey Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), UNSW, Sydney

Professor Dane McCamey is Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of New South Wales, Sydney (UNSW). His research interest is in condensed matter physics, in particular the role that spin (a quantum property of subatomic particles) plays in the function of optoelectronic materials and devices. His research spans from fundamental investigation of quantum properties through to applications in photovoltaics and quantum technologies. Prior to his current role Dane was Deputy Dean Research and Enterprise for UNSW Science and served as Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science.

Dr Jon Petch, Director, Climate and Global Dynamics (CGD) Lab, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, USA 

Jon Petch is the director of the Climate and Global Dynamics (CGD) Lab at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in the USA. In this role, he leads a team of over 100 scientists and software engineers, overseeing diverse research in earth system science. The lab plays a crucial role in developing and supporting the Community Earth System Model (CESM), a global climate model. Jon also holds a visiting professor position at the University of Leeds, specialising in Weather and Climate Modeling, and chairs the science advisory group for the US Department of Energy’s next-generation earth system model program. He is involved in various international initiatives and advisory panels, showcasing his expertise in atmospheric model development and numerical experiments.

 Matt Riley, Director Climate and Atmospheric Science, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 

Matthew Riley is Director Climate and Atmospheric Science at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Matthew is the project Director for the NSW and ACT Regional Climate Modelling Project – NARCliM, and leads the Department’s Climate Change Impacts Research Program. He is also responsible for the operation of the 80+ monitoring stations of the NSW Air Quality Monitoring Network and leads the NSW Government’s air quality research program. He has over two decades of experience in urban meteorology, climatology and air quality measurement. 

Kathryn Smith, Assistant Secretary of the National Adaptation Policy Office

The Office, part of the Climate Change Group in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, works on climate adaptation across all governments, is responsible for climate science coordination.

Dr Bertrand Timbal, General Manager for the Research Program, Science and Innovation, Bureau of Meteorology

Bertrand re-joined the Bureau in 2020 as the General Manager for the Research Program, Science and Innovation Group (SIG), after 3 years leading the Climate Branch in the Centre Climate Research Singapore (CCRS), the research arm of the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).Bertrand first moved to Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology in 1996, after completing his PhD at the French National Met Service (Meteo-France) in 1994.

As GM for Research, Bertrand leads a program of 130 of scientists, support scientists and science managers delivering along the four objectives of the Bureau R&D Plan. Within SIG and together with the Research to Operations (R2O) Program, the Research program progresses the science and innovation of the Bureau from original, state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed and published science, to the operationalisation of new products and services, creating impact and value for the Australian community; the engine room to deliver the Bureau Strategy.