Senior Oceanographer built career on chasing wild weather

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Q What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I don’t think I really knew what I wanted to be. But I was certain that I loved science, particularly the mysteries of the ocean and changing weather patterns. At a certain time in my life, I hadn’t quite pinpointed oceanography as my future field – yet it seems an obvious choice in retrospect. It was only after completing my Physics degree, which I pursued for its versatility and broad career options, that the path to becoming an oceanographer became crystal clear. It was a serendipitous choice.

Q What does your role as a Senior Oceanographer involve?

As a Senior Oceanographer, my main role involves assessing oceanic conditions – including winds, waves, and currents – to support the design of marine facilities and guiding operations in the ocean. This spans oil and gas infrastructure such as pipelines, fixed platforms, floating facilities, and ports. More recently I’ve been applying my skills in the development of offshore wind farms. I leverage both measured and modelled data, and analyse the results, focusing especially on extreme weather events like tropical cyclones. Engineers use my findings to ensure the structures that are built withstand the most challenging and harshest conditions out at sea.

Q Why did you want to become an oceanographer?

I have always been interested in extreme weather and the ocean, but the academic path didn’t appeal to me. Also, I thought career opportunities in this field would be limited – the options were few and far between. Initially, I thought weather forecasting might fulfil my interests, before stumbling into oceanographic consulting. Purely through chance I secured an interim job working for an oceanographic consultancy firm – it’s the same place I still work 20 years later! I have been hooked ever since. Over two decades, I’ve had the opportunity to merge my physics background with my interests under the guidance of experienced mentors, and worked on many thought-provoking projects.

You know you’re working in oceanography when...

"When you find yourself relentlessly searching for measured data to validate your models!".

Q What’s particularly satisfying or rewarding about working in oceanography?

Collaborating with my brilliant, experienced, and supportive team to address complex client challenges is deeply fulfilling. I take pride in producing critical data and reports that influence significant large-scale projects, from inception to completion – which in some cases is over many years. Also, contributing to the ongoing energy transition with my accumulated skills is particularly professionally satisfying.

Q What’s the most fascinating thing you’ve done in your career / work?

Having the opportunity to study the incredibly accurate and robust measurements that our team collects, particularly during tropical cyclones, but also during other extreme events such as squall winds, rogue waves and a type of extreme current called a soliton. It’s particularly fascinating when you come across something you were not expecting and have to draw on all your powers of deduction to prove it is real and understand how it could have occurred.

Q Is there a particular project that stands out in your oceanography career?

I have worked on many memorable projects over the years. One project that stands out involved reviewing and analysing oceanographic conditions for a 900 kilometre pipeline stretching across the Timor Sea to Darwin Harbour. Aside from the opportunity to work in such a vast area, this project offered a chance to investigate diverse phenomena such as tropical cyclones, monsoons, squalls, solitons, large tides, and deep and shallow water. I loved the challenge of having to account for them all! I was engaged on this project from the initial concept through to the final design, and I still get asked questions about its operations today.