ACE CRC Honorary Research Fellow Dr John Church has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Dr Church is a CSIRO Fellow and was formerly leader of the ACE Sea-Level Rise Program. The Academy has recognised him for providing pre-eminent expertise on the rate of sea-level rise in the 20th Century. ACE CRC CEO, Dr Tony Press, said Dr Church had contributed enormously to the world’s understanding of global sea-level rise. “It is fitting that he has been elected to the Australian Academy of Science -   it is a reflection of the significant contribution he has made to science in general and in particular to unravelling the impacts of climate change. On behalf of the ACE CRC, I offer John our congratulations,” Dr Press said. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Division Chief Dr Bruce Mapstone said the award recognised Dr Church’s leadership in this field of science nationally and internationally, as well as his many contributions to the development of observational capacity that were now a standard for oceanographers and climate scientists. The Academy citation states: “He was a pioneer in what is now a standard approach to the use of observations to detect climate change in the ocean. He provided substantial improvements in estimates of ocean heat uptake, resolving discrepancies between observations and models and the long-standing conundrum about the causes of 20th century sea-level rise. Church elucidated the dynamical balances at work in some of the major current systems surrounding Australia. His multi-disciplinary work remains a model for the application of oceanographic information to biological fisheries issues. Dr Church’s scientific record includes two books and more than 3000 citations. He was one of 21 new Fellows who were announced on March 26 and will be admitted to the Academy at its Science at the Shine Dome celebration on 2 May in Canberra.

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