Eureka! CSIRO wins for climate change research

Dr Church developed a way to combine historical data from tide-gauge readings with modern data from satellite altimeters which measure the height of ocean surfaces over most of the global ocean.

This led to the discovery that sea-level rise accelerated during the 20th Century.

“Dr Church’s research is critical to understanding the effect of climate change on sea level. I congratulate him on his enormous contribution to science and his Eureka Award,” CSIRO’s Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said.

Dr Church’s research has demonstrated that current models of climate change underestimate the rate at which sea levels may rise. He was also the first person to recognise that violent volcanic eruptions can have significant impact on sea level as a result of cooling effects of volcanic aerosols in the upper atmosphere.

“Sea level rise is an important issue to society and is central to the current debate about global warming and its impacts,” Dr Church said.

“I am greatly honoured to receive this Award.”

Dr Church’s work on global and regional sea level assessment utilising the satellite-altimeter data is globally recognised for its impact and is contributing to international projects on satellite data calibration.

Dr Church is an oceanographer with CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre and is currently Chair of the Joint Scientific Committee of the World Climate Research Programme. He was co-convening lead author for the chapter on Changes in Sea Level in the IPCC Third Assessment Report. His previous awards include the 2006 Roger Revelle Medal, awarded by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and a 2006 CSIRO Medal for Research Achievement. 

The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes are Australia’s premier award scheme for outstanding science. Presented annually by the Australian Museum, the prizes reward excellence in the fields of research and innovation, science leadership, school science, and science journalism and communication.

The University of New South Wales Eureka Prize for Scientific Research is awarded for outstanding curiosity-driven scientific research.

The Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners will be announced this evening at the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Award Dinner in Sydney (Tuesday 21 August).

Download images at: Eureka Prize Winners.