NODE LEADERS
Node 1: Strategic research on Western Australian marine ecosystems
Node 1 Leader: Dr John Keesing
Node 3: Conserving marine biodiversity
Node 3 Leader: Dr Chris Simpson
Node 4: Sustainable ecosystems for sustainable fisheries
Node 4 Leader: Dr Rick Fletcher
Node 5: Biodiscovery, biotechnology and aquaculture
Node 5 Leader: Mr Jason Froud
Node 6: Ocean predictions for the off-shore and coastal engineering
Node 6 Leader: Professor Greg Ivey
Professor Chari Pattiaratchi
Node 1: Strategic research on Western Australian marine ecosystems
Dr John Keesing
Research Group Leader
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
Current activities
In addition to WAMSI Node 1 Leader responsibilities, John currently also:
• leads Maritime Uses and Impacts research in CSIRO’s Wealth from Ocean Flagship, and
• manages the WA Coasts Research Group in CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research.
In these roles John leads a multidisciplinary project team with skills in physical and biological oceanography, marine biogeochemistry, biology, physiology, ecology and modelling.
Background
John’s research background is in marine ecology and fisheries science. His previous roles include:
• Research Director, Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment (as part of his CSIRO role),
• Director of Research and Development, Murdoch University, and
• Chief Scientist (Aquatic Sciences), South Australian Research and Development Institute.
Academic qualifications
John has a PhD from James Cook University, an honours degree from Murdoch University and a bachelor’s degree from the WA Institute of Technology (now Curtin University of Technology). Most recently John completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance from the Securities Institute of Australia.
Recent ahievements
In 2006 John led a team that completed delivery of an extensive final report on the Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment (SRFME).
John has also been part of an international team that discovered the cause of the world’s largest algal bloom – which threatened to disrupt the 2008 Olympic Games sailing events – was the massive expansion in coastal aquaculture in China (http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8026000/8026847.stm).
Node 2: Climate processes, predictability and impacts in a warming Indian Ocean
Dr Ming Feng
Senior Research Scientist
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
Current activities
• biophysical coupling in the Leeuwin Current and its eddy field,
• the nutrient budget in the Leeuwin Current and on the shelf off the west coast of Western Australia, and
• connectivity and fisheries recruitments off the Western Australian coasts.
Background
• boundary current and eddy dynamics, especially the Leeuwin Current system
• biophysical coupling in the Leeuwin Current system
• upper ocean heat, freshwater, and nutrient balances.
• the CSIRO Look Out!!! Award as part of the Climate Change in Australia Team in 2008, and
• the CSIRO Go for Growth team award for Strategic Research Fund for Marine Environment in 2006.
Node 3: Conserving Marine Biodiversity
Marine Science Program
Department of Environment and Conservation, WA
Phone: +61 8 9219 8761
Email: chris.simpson@dec.wa.gov.au
Node 4: Sustainable ecosystems for sustainable fisheries
Dr Warrick (Rick) Fletcher
Director of Research
WA Department of Fisheries
Rick graduated with a Bachelor of Science (with honours) from the University of Melbourne in 1980 followed by a PhD from the University of Sydney in 1984.
He is best known for his research into creating sustainable development in the fisheries and aquaculture areas. Most of this work was carried out between 1988 and 1996 and the system is now known as one of the world’s best practice systems in ecologically sustainable fisheries. His system has been adopted by international organisations and the basic concepts used in other areas.
He began working for the WA Department of Fisheries in 1988. One of his initial projects was to assess the abundance of commercially caught fish species using historical fishing information, biology studies, logbooks and monthly catch information from fishermen as information sources.
Rick now manages 130 staff who carry out research projects on invertebrates, finfish, biodiversity, aquaculture and stock assessment across WA. His departmental role is to provide strategic advice to the Chief Executive Officer and to identify risks and opportunities as they arise.
Rick is a member of several consultative committees including the management advisory committees for major fisheries, interdepartmental committees and internal committees.
In addition he heads the national ecologically sustainable development subprogram for the Australia Fisheries Management Forum.
After graduating with his PhD in 1984 he began his career by heading to Vanuatu to research the population of the coconut crab. He has followed up with four studies that reassessed numbers. He devised a management strategy and trained local fisheries staff in how to assess the populations. The venture has been extremely successful.
Rick spent four years – 1996-2000 – as the Director of Research at NSW Fisheries. He managed 130 staff, coordinated grant applications, changed the research culture so that projects were seen to be part of achieving a desired outcome and not the end themselves, and chaired the program committee for the World Aquaculture Society conference held in Sydney in 1999. He was involved in oyster research and marine park research and chaired a Research Committee of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture for four years. He was appointed to lead WAMSI’s Node 4 research projects in 2007.
Node 5: Marine biodiscovery, biotechnology and aquaculture: the blue farm
Jason Froud BSc. Grad Dip Bus. (Man)
Jason is the Manager of the Strategic Fisheries Policy area in the Western Australian Department of Fisheries.
He leads 14 staff and is responsible for developing, implementing and reviewing policies and strategies relating to fisheries and the aquatic industry.
His team provides reviews on fisheries economics, charter fishing, pearling and recreational fishing.
He has led the department’s Pearling Sub-Program dealing with the regulation and management of the WA pearling industry.
Other roles within the department included the sustainable fisheries management of commercial and recreational fisheries from north of Bunbury to the South Australian border.
He has worked as the Principal Policy Advisory in the Department of Premier and Cabinet providing strategic liaison between the department and the Minister, and provided high-level advice to senior decision-makers about fisheries policy, legislation, enforcement, compliance and research.
His career has been wide and included time spent in the educational and curatorial fields at aquatic organisations in Queensland and Western Australia.
Node 6: Ocean science for offshore and coastal engineering
Professor Greg Ivey
Professor of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
The University of Western Australia
Greg leads the research projects in offshore and coastal engineering.
He and his research partner, Professor Chari Pattiaratchi, are based at The University of Western Australia’s School of Environmental Systems Engineering and deal with researchers and heads of private industry, government and academic institutions.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (hons) and a Masters in Engineering Science from UWA, he completed a PhD at the University of California at Berkeley.
He worked as an engineer before changing direction and following a research career which has taken him to research institutions in Canada, the USA, France and Australia.
At UWA his career has included being Head of UWA’s Department of Environmental Engineering, a member of the Faculty of Engineering Advisory Board, a member of the Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Faculty Board, a board member of the Graduate Research School, a member of the Faculty Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Faculty Board and Chair of review boards.
His research has taken him to research institutions in Canada, the USA, France and Australia. In addition to his academic work he has carried out research for Alcoa, Woodside Engineering, Woodside Offshore Petroleum Pty Ltd, Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd, Shark Bay Resources, and Woodside Energy and Chevron Texaco’s North West Shelf projects.
He has written scientific papers for 30 years, is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, a member of the International Association of Hydraulic Research, the Australian Water and Wastewater Association and the American Geophysical Union.
He has been a visiting Fellow and visiting professor at Sandford University in the USA, and a visiting Fellow in France and Japan. His main interest is in geophysical fluid dynamics.
Professor Chari Pattiaratchi
Winthrop Professor
School of Environmental Systems Engineering.
The University of Western Australia
Chari graduated from the University of Wales in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography and Applied Mathematics, following it with a Master of Science and then a doctorate in oceanography.
Between 1981 and 1985 he worked as a research assistant at the university before working as an oceanographer for a year. He returned to the University of Wales as a senior research assistant before moving to Western Australia and becoming a lecturer and senior lecturer at UWA’s Department of Environmental Engineering between 1988 and 2000 interspersed with taking Visiting Professorships to Hamburg University, the University of Southampton, and the Marine Sciences Research Centre at the State University of New York, POGO (Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans) National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.
From 2000 to 2002 he was appointed Associate Professor at UWA’s Department of
Environmental Engineering before being appointed as Professor, a position he holds today. He is also coordinator of UWA’s Marine Science and Engineering Program.
Chari was a visiting professor at the Iranian National Centre for Oceanography (INCO) and the Department for Physical Oceanography and Instrumentation at the Baltic Sea Research Institute in Germany.
He has won the Eminent Sri Lankan scientist award, an engineering excellence award frm the South Australian Institute of Engineers, and is a Fellow of the Instiute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). He won the Rotary centennial service award for professional excellence and a postgraduate research supervision excellent in teaching award from UWA.
He is a member of the:
• International Association of Sedimentologists,
• Remote Sensing Society,
• American Geophysical Union,
• Challenger Society for Marine Science,
• Australian Marine Sciences Association,
• The Oceanography Society,
• Coastal Research Foundation,
• Australian Meteorology and Oceanographic Society and
• Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses (PIANC) Australia.
He holds or has held positions on many committees and boards at UWA and associated organisations. External positions and organisations include:
• Director, Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders (2006 to date);
• Chair, West Australian Integrated Marine Observation System (WAIMOS) (2006 to date);
• Swan River Trust Technical Advisory Panel (2006 to date);
• Chair, Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System working group: Modelling, forecasting and scenario development (2005 to date);
• Secretary, West Australian Global Ocean Observation System (WAGOOS) (2004 to date);
• Artificial surfing reef committee, Ministry of Sport and Recreation;
• Department of Industry Technology and Regional Development, marine science group;
• Water Authority of Western Australia steering committee for the Perth coastal waters study;
• Adelaide coastal waters study, steering committee (2003–05);
• The Institution of Engineers (WA chapter) coastal and ocean engineering panel (1990–92); and
• President, Australian Marine Science Association (WA) branch (1998–2004).
Chari was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and educated at the Royal Junior School and the Royal Junior College where he was prefect and head of the swimming and water polo teams. He is still the Sri Lankan record holder in 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle, and the 400 metre individual medley.
He represented the University of Wales in swimming and water polo, being the captain of both teams. He also won the university’s gold awards for outstanding performances in swimming and water polo.