News
BAMOS 2021 / 2022
Summer 7
Shayne McGregor , Priestley Medal
The 2021 Priestley Medal is awarded to Associate Professor Shayne McGregor from Monash University . Shayne is one of Australia ’ s foremost experts in tropical climate variability and climate change . His work spans an impressive array of areas that has led to important discoveries related to : ( i ) the recent tropical Pacific trade wind acceleration and its relationship to global warming variations ; ( ii ) understanding El Niño event dynamics , particularly El Niño event onset and termination ; ( iii ) developing our understanding of how explosive volcanism can impact El Niño ; ( iv ) understanding the drivers of regional patterns of sea level rise ; and ( v ) paleo-climatic reconstructions of past ENSO variability . As a result of Shayne ’ s work , we now have a much better understanding of global decadal climate variability and interbasin teleconnections . He has made important contributions to several key national and international reports ( including IPCC AR6 ) on the role of the oceans in climate variability and change . He is a member of the AMOS expert group on Climate Variability and co-chairs the WCRP ’ s CLIVAR Pacific Region Panel .
The Priestley Medal recognises personal excellence in meteorological , oceanographic or climate research carried out substantially within Australia by a mid-career scientist no older than 45 years . It commemorates the life-long contributions of Dr C H B Priestley , the first Chief of the CSIRO Division of Meteorological Physics , to meteorological and oceanographic research .
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick , Science Outreach Award
The 2021 Science Outreach Award is awarded to Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick of UNSW , Canberra . Throughout her career and especially during the last five years , Sarah has provided a reliable and honest voice to the Australian and international discussion on climate science including the link between heatwaves and human health outcomes . She has featured in all major news outlets across Australia , written almost 30 articles for The Conversation , been generous with school engagements and contributed to an impressive range of community events , while raising a young family . Her fortnightly communication through NSW and ACT newspapers is bringing climate change into regular view of Australians . She has established and maintained an online heatwave tool ( scorcher . com . au ), and been featured in documentaries and TV programs ( e . g . BBC Life at 50 degrees ; National Geographic Nature ’ s Fury ). She has also given climate briefings to politicians , business , education and legal professionals . In October 2021 , Sarah addressed the National Press Club on IPCC-related science .
The Science Outreach Award recognises AMOS outreach ambassadors , who inspire other AMOS members to undertake science engagement activities , and additionally recognizes those who engage with the public , politicians , schools , businesses and communities , to educate and inform those groups on topics associated with AMOS themes .