14
BAMOS
Dec 2018
AMOS Science Outreach Award
The AMOS Science Outreach Award recognises AMOS
outreach ambassadors, who inspire other AMOS members to
undertake science engagement activities, and additionally
recognises those who engage with the public, politicians,
schools, businesses and communities, to educate and inform
those groups on topics associated with AMOS themes. The
2018 (inaugural) AMOS Science Outreach Award has been
awarded to Dr Andrew King of Melbourne University. Since
receiving his PhD about four years ago Andrew has developed
into one of our country’s most prominent commentators
on climate change, and demonstrated a mastery of science
communication and outreach. Andrew has been a prominent
contributor to The Conversation, writing 42 articles over the
last four years. The focus of his writing has been on climate
change and climate extremes. Many of his pieces are motivated
by current events, like hurricanes, storms, or heatwaves, which
also necessitates Andrew dropping everything to get an article
out quickly. His articles effectively explain the processes and
phenomena and also place the events in the context of climate
change and variability. He writes these articles in such a way to
make complicated scientific concepts and methods accessible
and understandable to the lay audience, and is very effective
in doing so. Andrew is also regularly contacted by the media
to provide background information or commentary. He has
become one of the go-to experts on many aspects of weather
and climate. In fact, he has been quoted or appeared in the
media on more than 250 occasions in the last four years.
AMOS Awards Committee and Selection
Subcommittees 2018
Each year we publish the membership of the committees
responsible for the selection of medal and awards winners. The
following were the members of these committees during 2018.
The awards for 2018 are indicated in bold.
AMOS Awards Committee: Neville Nicholls (Chair); Melissa Hart;
Andrew Tupper; Matthew Wheeler; Mervyn Lynch
Uwe Radok PhD Thesis Award Subcommittee: Melissa Hart
(Chair); Kevin Walsh; Steve Siems; Andrew Hogg
Christopher Taylor Award & Gibbs Medal Subcommittee:
Andrew Tupper (Chair); Andrew Burton; Dean Sgarabossa; Beth
Ebert
Morton Medal & Distinguished Research Award Subcommittee:
Matthew Wheeler (Chair); Lisa Alexander; James Risbey; Neil
Holbrook
Priestley Medal & Meyers Medal Subcommittee: Mervyn Lynch
(Chair); Tom Beer; Matthias Tomczak; Milton Speer
The AMOS Awards Committee acts as the selection
subcommittee for the AMOS Science Outreach Award.
All these committees have received great support from the
AMOS Administrative Officer, Jeanette Dargaville, and the
Awards Committee is very grateful for all her efforts and
dedication to the Society.