SE Queensland’s Future Weather and Climate: What it Means for Industry, Government and the Community

A one day forum for anyone in SEQ working with, or concerned about, the impact of weather and climate.

Tuesday 12th April 2011
8:45 am – 4:15 pm

Queensland Museum Theatre, South Bank
Admission $55, AMOS Members $40.00, UQ Alumni $40, Students $30

Lunch and refreshments provided

A one day forum of talks and panel discussion by the experts.

Welcome Address
Honourable Kate Jones, Minister for Environment and Resource Management
In March 2009, The Honourable Kate Jones was sworn in as Climate Change and Sustainability Minister. Since her appointment, she has led significant reforms for protection of the Great Barrier Reef, has expanded Queensland’s National Parks and developed a plan to dramatically reduce waste going to landfill and create green jobs in the recycling sector. Kate is passionate about reducing the impacts of climate change and continues to work to ensure the long-term sustainability of Queensland’s environment.

Thunderstorms: Expected Trends
Bruce Gunn, The Bureau of Meteorology
Bruce has over 25 years experience and is the Bureau’s subject matter expert in the operational application of weather radars and has been instrumental in the design of the Bureau’s radar presence on the world wide web and severe thunderstorm warning services in Queensland. Bruce oversees cross functional activities between the Bureau’s Climate, Water, Research, Systems and Forecasting Divisions in Queensland, and shares responsibility for supervision of the Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre when activated. Most notably he has held this role since TC Larry, and was also heavily involved in the warning operations for TC Yasi.

Climate Variability: Implications for SEQ
Associate Professor Hamish McGowan, The University of Queensland
Associate Professor Hamish McGowan is Reader in Climatology at The University of Queensland. His research focuses on Earth surface – atmosphere interactions and the causes of inter-annual to inter-decadal climate variability and impacts. He has authored more than 60 scientific articles and 100 conference presentations and is the current Chairperson of AMOS in Brisbane.

Tropical Cyclones: A real threat to SEQ?
Jeff Callaghan, The Bureau of Meteorology 
Jeff had 43 years service with BOM serving in areas from Antarctica (3 expeditions) to Willis Island in the Coral Sea. He spent the last 20 years of this service as a severe weather forecaster and researcher. His research topics include tropical cyclone motion and intensification; East Coast Low development; extreme rainfall; extreme wave development and the history of impacts from tropical cyclones and east coast lows.

SEQ Metropolis: Its emissions and Weather
Robin Ormerod, PAEHolmes Pty Ltd
Robin is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist accredited by the American Meteorological Society, with specialisations in air quality and climate. He has 30 years consulting experience, based in Brisbane and co-founded Pacific Air & Environment. Prior to this he was engaged in climate research at CSIRO in Melbourne. Robin has conducted numerous studies on air quality, air pollution meteorology and related policy issues for both industry and government. He presents short courses on air quality and atmospheric science for several organisations and has served on the scientific committees of international air quality conferences.

SE QLD susceptible to erosion and inundation?
Associate Professor Ian Goodwin, Macquarie University
Ian is Associate Professor in Climate and Coastal Risk and is Director of the Climate Futures Research Centre at Macquarie University, and researcher at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. He has 30 years research experience in the fields of climatology, paleoclimatology and climate change science, coastal and marine geoscience, coastal oceanography, polar glaciology, environmental hazard definition and impact management throughout Eastern Australia and the South-West Pacific. Ian is a foundation member of the scientific advisory committees for the Eastern Seaboard Climate Change Initiative (ESCCI) and is researching coastal processes and climate change in northern NSW and SE Queensland.

This AMOS event will be chaired by Andrew Wiebe, Senior Air Quality Consultant at Katestone Environmental Pty Ltd