People
CWCL Co-Leads
Associate Professor Anthony Kiem
Associate Professor
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Anthony's focus is on understanding the drivers and impacts of climate variability and change in the Asia-Pacific region. Of particular interest are hydrological extremes and how these may change in the future.
- Anthony.Kiem@newcastle.edu.au
- (02) 4921 8656
Lisa Walpole
New South Wales (NSW) Regional Manager
Alluvium Consulting
With a technical background in hydrology and water resource management, Lisa is passionate about supporting strategic and evidence-based decision-making and planning.
- T: 0414 096 545
- E: Lisa.walpole@alluvium.com.au
CWCL Members
Dr Tessa Vance
Senior Research Associate, Australian Antarctic Program Partnership
University of Tasmania
Tessa develops pre-historical climate records for Australia and the southern Indo-Pacific to better define long-term climate variability and change. She uses ice cores from Antarctica to produce climate ‘proxy’ records, including multi-century histories of ocean drivers, rainfall and multi-year droughts. These long records help hydrologists and policy makers place current climate extremes and future projections into context.
Dr Tonelle Handley
Honorary Senior Lecturer/Senior Researcher/Casual Senior Research Assistant/Casual Academic
School of Medicine and Public Health
Tonelle is a psychiatric epidemiologist whose research focus is on quantitative approaches to improving mental health for rural Australians. Her areas of work include assessing relationships between climate extremes and mental health, improving access to mental health services, improving community attitudes towards mental health, and rural suicide prevention.
- Tonelle.Handley@newcastle.edu.au
- (02) 4033 5622
Dr Danielle Udy
Danielle recently submitted her PhD investigating how Antarctic ice core records of past climate can enhance our understanding of Australian climate variability. Her research has revealed insights into how weather systems in the Southern Ocean can help us understand and manage the extreme rainfall variability that impacts water resource management in Australia. She is passionate about combining research and industry, incorporating insights from palaeoclimate, recent observations and future climate projections to inform water security policy and infrastructure decisions.
- T: 0435 521 432
- E: danielle.udy@utas.edu.au
Dr Andrew Magee
Honorary Lecturer
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Andrew is the developer and creator of the Long-Range Tropical Cyclone Outlook for the Southwest Pacific (TCO-SP) and Australia (TCO-AU). Andrew provides scientific advice and technical assistance on climate change/risks for projects across the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Emma Austin
Post Doctoral Researcher
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Emma’s research focuses on the environmental, social, health and economic effects of drought on rural communities in Australia. Emma also has significant experience coordinating and managing research and consulting projects including the development of strategic partnerships with key industry and government stakeholders.
Dr Sascha Fuller
Pacific Engagement Coordinator/Pacific Engagement Coordinator
Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources
Sascha is an environmental anthropologist and development practitioner with over 15 years research and field experience in the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal and Mexico. Sascha coordinates the University of Newcastle's Pacific Node which aims to strengthen the University of Newcastle’s commitment to deliver co-operative solutions to challenges faced by Pacific island communities through collaborative research, in-country capacity building, and knowledge generation/sharing.
- Sascha.Fuller@newcastle.edu.au
- +61478190466
Emeritus Professor George Kuczera
Emeritus Professor
School of Engineering
George is recognised as a world authority on statistical methods in hydrology and water resources. His work has focused on developing methods that make the best use of limited information and quantifying uncertainty to inform the decision making process.
- George.Kuczera@newcastle.edu.au
- (02) 4921 6038
Associate Professor Greg Hancock
Greg has expertise in geomorphology, erosion and hydrology assessments for natural and disturbed landscape systems, impact of climate variability on erosion and water quality, mine site and disturbed landscape rehabilitation, and soil carbon and nutrient assessment.
Dr Matt Armstrong
Postdoctoral research fellow developing approaches to better account for the impacts of climate variability and change in water resources management.
Dr Gabriel Rau
Lecturer- Hydrogeology
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Gabriel’s work focuses on surface water groundwater interactions. This includes expertise in groundwater monitoring and working out how best to use datasets to characterise groundwater systems.
- Gabriel.Rau@newcastle.edu.au
- (02) 4921 7743
Dr Tina Jafari
Hydrogeologist with governmental and consulting working experience in both office and field environments. Broad range of computational, experimental, practical knowledge in groundwater monitoring and modelling.
Tuyen Thi Luong
PhD student investigating the relationships between climate extremes and mental health.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.