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BAMOS Dec 2024
President ’ s report
Martin Singh
It is an honour to write my first report for the Bulletin of AMOS ( BAMOS ) as President . I would like to begin by acknowledging the hard work and dedication of the previous president , Roger Dargaville . Roger oversaw a return to in-person activities for AMOS , including the successful 2022 Annual Conference in Adelaide , and the restarting of activities within the regional centres after COVID . The organisation ’ s finances remain in good shape , and I thank the previous Treasurer , Amber Tilly , for her exceptional work over the past two years .
Since February , the new executive has been in place . I welcome David Hoffmann as Treasurer , and Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick as Vice President . They will join Ben Hague , who continues in his role as Secretary . I am very excited to work with the executive to further enhance AMOS as both a learned society for the sciences of the atmosphere , ocean , and climate system , and as an organisation that effectively represents the views and interests of our members .
I would also like to welcome the new BAMOS editor , Laure Poncet , and thank the outgoing editor Melissa Lyne . BAMOS has been published since 1989 , almost as long as the society has existed independently . It is an important forum for discussion of our science with a uniquely Australian focus . Looking at the authors whose work has appeared in BAMOS over the years is like reading a who ’ s who of Australian meteorology and oceanography . I am very excited to have Laure on board to continue the legacy of this wonderful publication .
With the rest of the executive , my focus in the coming two years will be to further enhance the regional centres of AMOS that exist across the country . Since COVID , these centres have been rebuilding their activities , and we hope to continue this trend . Secondly , I believe AMOS ’ s engagement in policy should remain a high priority , and I will endeavour to engage our membership in providing input to government inquiries and other opportunities to influence policymaking relevant to our members . As an independent entity , AMOS has a special role in providing frank advice to the government that reflects the views of our members .
Since the last edition of BAMOS , we have been actively involved in many initiatives . Earlier this year , we held the 30th AMOS Annual Conference in Canberra , which was a huge success . Highlights included many keynote talks from national and international leaders in the AMOS sciences , including Ed Hawkins , who created the famous climate stripes . A particular highlight for me was seeing our talented early-career researchers give talks and present posters on their exciting research . I would also like to congratulate Jessica Bhardwaj , who was awarded Best Student Oral Presentation , and Quincy Tut , who was awarded Best Student Poster Presentation . We also recently held a hybrid panel event , The Climate of the Future : Can we handle the heat ?, hosted by Melissa Lyne , which addressed the impacts of extreme heat on our bodies , communities , and healthcare systems .
Over the past year , AMOS has been very active in providing input to governmental inquiries and reports . Specifically , AMOS contributed submissions to Senate inquiries into the Australian Antarctic Division Funding and The Importance of Antarctica for Australia ’ s National Interest , provided input to the Climate Change Authority Consultation on Australia ’ s emissions reduction targets , and offered feedback on the Federal Government ’ s Draft Sustainable Ocean Plan . These submissions can be extremely impactful and are an important way to ensure that the views of practitioners within the AMOS sciences are represented in government policymaking . They are often put together at very short notice , and I wish to thank all AMOS members who have helped shape our submissions .
AMOS also plays an important role in supporting events , including conferences , workshops , and networking activities for the community . The Australian Academy of Science Elizabeth and Frederick White Research Conference on Atmospheric Dynamics was held in Melbourne from August 20 to 22 , with AMOS ’ s support . We also held an early-career researcher event at the ACCESS-NRI workshop in September and supported the Fenner Drought conference in October . In 2025 , AMOS will hold the 31st Annual Conference in Cairns from June 23 to 27 . The conference will showcase the breadth of science conducted by our members , with a particular focus on topics relevant to the tropics and the Great Barrier Reef . I hope to see everyone in Cairns next year !
I am looking forward to an exciting two years as President of AMOS . Together , I am confident we will continue to advance our understanding of meteorology , oceanography , and climate science , and strengthen the impact of our contributions to society .