12
BAMOS
Dec 2019
AMOS Science Outreach Award
The AMOS Science Outreach Award recognises AMOS outreach
ambassadors, who inspire other AMOS members to undertake
science engagement activities, and additionally recognises those
who engage with the public, politicians, schools, businesses
and communities, to educate and inform those groups on
topics associated with AMOS themes. The 2019 AMOS Science
Outreach Award has been awarded to Dr Joëlle Gergis from
the ANU Fenner School. Joelle has communicated the role that
climate and climate extremes have played in Australian history,
extending to Australian climate and climate change science
more generally. It has been channelled through frequent articles
aimed at a more general audience (e.g. The Conversation),
public lectures, and invited presentations in non‑climate fields.
Particularly notable has been her outreach into the Arts and
Humanities. Her most outstanding contribution is her highly
acclaimed book Sunburnt Country: The History and Future of
Climate Change in Australia. Written for the public, and covering
Australia’s past climate, future climate and our responses to this,
and including engaging descriptions of the range of relevant
research, it represents a unique and highly influential outreach
contribution. Indeed, it has become a bestseller, and has led to
an enormous range of associated outreach activities for Joelle,
not normally available to an AMOS scientist, most notably talks
at national literary festivals.
AMOS Awards Committee and Selection
Subcommittees 2019
Each year we publish the membership of the committees
responsible for the selection of medal and awards winners. The
following are the members of these committees for 2019. The
awards for 2019 are indicated in bold.
AMOS Awards Committee: Beth Ebert (Chair); Melissa Hart;
Andrew Tupper; Matthew Wheeler; Tom Beer
Uwe Radok PhD Thesis Award Subcommittee: Melissa Hart
(Chair); Steve Siems; Andrew Hogg; Shane Keating
Christopher Taylor Award & Gibbs Medal Subcommittee:
Andrew Tupper (Chair); Callum Stuart; Dean Sgarbossa; Beth
Ebert
Morton Medal & Zillman Medal (formerly Distinguished
Research Award) Subcommittee: Matthew Wheeler (Chair);
Lisa Alexander; James Risbey; Julie Arblaster
Priestley Medal & Meyers Medal Subcommittee: Tom Beer
(Chair); Milton Speer; Adele Morrison; Sophie Lewis
The AMOS Awards Committee acts as the selection
subcommittee for the AMOS Science Outreach Award.
All these committees have received great support from the
AMOS Administrative Officer, Jeanette Dargaville, and the
Awards Committee is very grateful for all her efforts and
dedication to the Society.