Obituary
Angus receiving the Centenary
Medal in February 2003.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the government decided
to inject new, dedicated resources into Oceanography and to
establish a Division of Oceanography, build a new dedicated
oceanographic research ship, and transfer both the new Division
of Oceanography and the Division of Fisheries to Hobart. Angus
was appointed Chief of the Division of Oceanography in 1981
and was instrumental in the success of this program.
During his time as Chief of Oceanography, Angus established the
identity of modern oceanography in CSIRO and helped it grow
more broadly in Australia. He established the oceanography
group in Hobart and created the conditions for it to earn a
reputation for outstanding science within CSIRO, nationally and
internationally. The culture that he established lasted well after
his term as Chief, and was important in the survival of ocean and
climate research in CSIRO during attempts in 2016 to disband it.
He was a much admired and loved Chief by his staff and he was
the best Chief in CSIRO that I (John Church) and many of my
colleagues ever met.
Angus was not just a brilliant research scientist and a much-
admired Chief of Division, he was also a major influence on
Australian and international science and especially on the
emergence of a real and lasting partnership between the
sciences of the atmosphere and ocean.
When he became entrained into the international oceans
policy world of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission (IOC) in the 1980s, he worked quietly and
constructively to help build an era of inter-agency cooperation
between the IOC and the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO). In particular he played a central role in working with the
World Climate Research Programme to ensure the success of the
two major 20th century field initiatives in climate research, the
1985–1994 Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Project
and the 1990–98 World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE).
Angus also provided outstanding international leadership in
the 1990s development of global environmental observing
systems, especially the Global Ocean Observing System
(GOOS) and the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
and significantly influenced the 1999 establishment of the
WMO-IOC Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and
Marine Meteorology (JCOMM). His contribution to international
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oceanography through the IOC was honoured with the award,
in 2010, of one of the Commission’s special 50th Anniversary
Medals.
In national roles, Angus was elected to the Australian Academy
of Science (AAS) in 1982 and to the Academy of Technological
Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) in 1994 and he served both
academies with distinction.
Post-retirement from CSIRO, Angus joined the Bureau
of Meteorology and took on a ‘Senior Adviser’ role with
enthusiasm and continued to contribute greatly to international
partnerships in the final eight-year phase of his distinguished
professional career which formally came to a close with his ‘final’
retirement from the Bureau on 30 June 2003.
Australia, and indeed the world, owes a lot to Angus’s national
and international leadership in oceanography.
Angus served as a very active President of AMOS in 1998–99.
His Presidency encompassed the publication of a special
anniversary issue of BAMOS in August 1998 to celebrate 25 years
since the establishment of the Australian Branch of the Royal
Meteorological Society and, fittingly, another special issue in
October 1998 on the International Year of the Ocean.
On a personal level Angus was very comfortable in his own skin.
He had an air of confidence, while at the same time exuding
an endearing calmness. He had an easy-going manner and a
great sense of humour. He is remembered as a special friend,
a great boss, a visionary leader, a consummate professional, an
astute judge of people and policy, a world-leading scientist, an
absolute standout in promoting marine science in Australia and
a gentle, endearingly quirky personality with a great sense of
fun and unfailing good humour.
We extend the deep sympathy of Angus’ former professional
colleagues, to his family and friends and especially to his partner
Elizabeth Wood. It is said often but can rarely be said with such
sincerity and certainty in our field: ‘We will not see his like again.’
We feel privileged to have been invited to contribute to the
celebration of his life in Hobart on 27 October 2018 and to
provide this summary of our remarks for BAMOS.
Images provided by the authors.
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