Climate Change experts

Associate Professor Frank Murray

Environmental management, climate change air pollution in Asia

A recognised air pollution and climate change expert, Associate Professor Frank Murray is the technical editor of the first comprehensive review of urban air quality management at a country level across Asia. He is currently collaborating with government agencies across Asia to identify and manage the impacts of air pollution and climate change.

Professor Murray has worked with the World Health Organisation in Geneva, United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi and Bangkok, the Asian Development Bank, the Clean Air Initiative for Asia in Manila and the Stockholm Environment Institute. He was also lead author of the atmosphere chapter of GEO4, UNEP's state of the world environment report published in 2007.

Professor Philip Jennings

Renewable energy research and photovoltaics

Murdoch’s Professor of Physics and Energy Studies, Philip Jennings is an expert in photovoltaics, particularly amorphous silicon solar cells and attempts to improve their efficiency and stability, and has been involved in renewable energy research and education for more than 25 years, leading a range of educational programs in renewable energy at the University.

Professor Jennings is the former president of the Conservation Council, current president of the Wetlands Conservation Society, President of the Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre and Secretary of the Pollution Action Network.

He is also active in the voluntary conservation movement, having held various positions with the Conservation Council of Western Australia and its affiliated groups.

He also represents the Conservation Council on the Cockburn Sound Management Council and the Air Quality Coordinating Committee, and is the Chair of the Beeliar Regional Park Community Advisory Committee.

Professor Glenn Albrecht

Sustainability, environmental history and environmental politics

Director of Murdoch’s Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy, Professor Glen Albrecht specialises in the incidence of mental health issues caused by climate change.

He investigates the complexity of human and ecosystem health, and is credited for his “solastalgia” concept - a form of human distress created by negatively perceived environmental change resulting from industrial development, mining, drought and climate change.

Professor Albrecht is also examining the resilience of various regions in Western Australia.

Dr Jonathan Whale

Wind energy

Dr Jonathan Whale is Director of Australia’s National Small Wind Turbine Test Centre, operating out of Murdoch University. The federally-funded centre is the only one of its kind in Australia and aims to stimulate the small wind turbine industry in Australia by improving the quality of small wind turbines.

Dr Whale works with small wind turbine manufacturers, project developers and local councils in assessing wind resources and demonstrating and testing small wind turbines. He also works on international small wind projects with the International Energy Agency.

Dr Mike Bunce

Ancient DNA, forensics, past biodiversity and molecular evolution

Dr Mike Bunce is an ARC Future Fellow and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology.

Dr Bunce is an expert in the retrieval and characterisation of DNA from a variety of ‘old’ substrates including bone, ice cores, sediments, hair and eggshell.

His research expertise is used in a variety of fields including; forensics, conservation biology, paleontology and archaeology.

Professor Giles Hardy

Forest pathology and natural ecosytems; ecosystem function and health