Melissa Hart
- Co-chair, University of Tasmania
As Graduate Director in the Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence for Climate System Science and Climate Extremes, Melissa Hart has led and developed a national, cross-institutional graduate program which has reimagined the traditional Australian PhD. With a vital combination of breadth, depth, support, and collaboration, the program has provided over 360 PhD students with the skills, knowledge, and experience fundamental to developing world leading climate science researchers.
As a climate scientist, Melissa explores the impact of cities on climate and climate on cities, and the meteorological controls on air pollution. She has led citizen science projects that have placed meteorological and air quality sensors schools, both in cities and in remote communities. Students collect and analyse research quality data for use in curriculum-aligned classroom activities.
Melissa is also a strong advocate for gender equity in science. She is a former chair of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society’s equity and diversity committee, and a proud alumni of the 2018 Homeward Bound Women in STEMM leadership initiative.
