Andrew Pitman
Encyclopedia
Andrew Pitman is an atmospheric scientist who was born in Bristol
in 1964 and educated at Liverpool University (B.Sc. Hons and Ph.D.). He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Leadership (Higher Education) from Macquarie University
. In 2002 became a Professor at Macquarie University
, Sydney
, Australia
, moving to University of New South Wales
in 2007. He is currently the Director of the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science. He won the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographical Society's Priestly Medal for excellence in Atmospheric Science Research in 2004 and the
Australian Meteorological and Oceanographical Medal in 2009. He contributed to the Copenhagen Diagnosis
which was shortlisted for a 2010 Eureka Prize and won the 2010 Future Justice Prize. He won the New South Wales' NSW Climate Scientist of the year in 2010.
and how uncertain our projections of the future might be given instability in terrestrial carbon storage. He has also explored the global and regional impacts of land cover change. He has interests in climate
extremes and how these are likely to change in the future.
Pitman also served as a lead author of Working Group 1 of the IPCC
2005 and 2007 and is a Review Editor in the current assessment.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1964 and educated at Liverpool University (B.Sc. Hons and Ph.D.). He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Leadership (Higher Education) from Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
. In 2002 became a Professor at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, moving to University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in 2007. He is currently the Director of the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science. He won the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographical Society's Priestly Medal for excellence in Atmospheric Science Research in 2004 and the
Australian Meteorological and Oceanographical Medal in 2009. He contributed to the Copenhagen Diagnosis
Copenhagen Diagnosis
The Copenhagen Diagnosis is a report written by twenty six climate scientists from eight countries. It was published in 2009 and was a summary of the peer reviewed literature to date....
which was shortlisted for a 2010 Eureka Prize and won the 2010 Future Justice Prize. He won the New South Wales' NSW Climate Scientist of the year in 2010.
Current Research Interests
Pitman has recently been working on coupled carbon modules for climate models including dynamic vegetation, how vegetation responds to increasing carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
and how uncertain our projections of the future might be given instability in terrestrial carbon storage. He has also explored the global and regional impacts of land cover change. He has interests in climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
extremes and how these are likely to change in the future.
Current Positions Held
Pitman currently holds the following positions:- Director of the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, hosted by the University of New South WalesUniversity of New South WalesThe University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. - Former Convenor of the Australian Research CouncilAustralian Research CouncilThe Australian Research Council is the Australian Government’s main agency for allocating research funding to academics and researchers in Australian universities. Its mission is to advance Australia’s capacity to undertake research that brings economic, social and cultural benefit to the...
, - Former Editor of the Journal of ClimateJournal of ClimateThe Journal of Climate is a scientific journal published by the American Meteorological Society.The journal publishes articles on climate research, in particular those concerned with large-scale atmospheric and oceanic variability, changes in the climate system , and climate simulation and...
- Former Chair of the World Climate Research Program’s committee on Global Land Atmospheric System Study
- Member of the National Academy of Science’s committee on Earth Systems Science
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Risk Frontiers Natural Hazards Research Centre.
Pitman also served as a lead author of Working Group 1 of the IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
2005 and 2007 and is a Review Editor in the current assessment.