National Committee for Earth Sciences

The National Committee for Earth Sciences (NCES) fosters the Earth sciences in Australia, links the Academy to Australian Earth scientists and relevant scientific societies, and provides a link between Australian and overseas Earth scientists, primarily through the International Union for Quaternary Research, the International Union for Geodesy and Geophysics and the International Union for Geological Sciences.

In 2018 the NCES published a wide-ranging decadal plan, Our Planet, Australia’s Future, to ensure Australian geoscience research continues to be world leading through sustained support for this innovative and integrated field of endeavour. The plan is intended to drive future research to impact positively on Australian life: improving the safety, security and well-being of Australians while contributing positively to the nation's prosperity and management of environmental challenges.

A previous decadal plan was released in 2003 and brought about a period of significant scientific advance in the sector, built on well-funded research programs and underpinned by significant investment in research infrastructure through the NCRIS and EIF schemes. The new decadal plan looks towards the challenges and opportunities likely to present themselves over the next 10 years.

Statement regarding a decline in funding of tertiary geoscience departments across Australia

In August 2021 the National Committee for Earth Sciences published a statement addressing the systematic reduction in staff members in geosciences departments in Australia in recent years.

Download the statement here (PDF, 180KB)

Governance

• Terms of reference (PDF, 333 KB)

Reports and activities

• Submission - 2021 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap Exposure Draft December 2021
• Submission—University Research Commercialisation Scheme, April 2021
• Decadal plan for Australian Geoscience: Our Planet, Australia's Future, Published 2018

Related groups and organisations

• International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)
• International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)
• International Union for Quaternary Research

Members

• Chair: Emeritus Professor Ian Jackson FAA
  • Australian National University, Research School of Earth Sciences
  • Research Expertise: Seismology, Earth evolution, geophysics
• Deputy Chair: Professor Kliti Grice FAA
• Curtin University, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Research Expertise: Organic geochemistry, ecology, microbiology.
• Ex-officio member: Dr Sandra Occhipinti
• President Elect for Australian Geoscience Council. CSIRO, Research Director.
• Research Expertise: Structural geology, mineral systems, structural and lithostratigraphic mapping & analysis, tectonic reconstructions, geophysical interpretation, geological mapping, chrono stratigraphy
• Ex-officio member: Emeritus Professor David Cohen
• The University of New South Wales, Emeritus Professor of Geochemistry. International Union of Geological Sciences, Treasurer.
• Research Expertise: Mineral exploration, environmental geochemistry, exploration geochemistry, selective extractions, biogeochemistry.
• Ex-officio member: Emeritus Professor Chris Rizos
• The University of New South Wales, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, President of International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), Co-director of the Satellite Navigation and Positioning (SNAP) Lab
• Research Expertise: Global positioning system (GPS), GPS navigation, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), surveying
• Committee member: Professor Nathan Daczko
• Macquarie University, School of Natural Sciences
• Research Expertise: Microstructural and microchemical changes that occur during melt-rock interaction
• Committee member: Dr Steven Hill
• Geoscience Australia, Chief Scientist
• Research Expertise: Sediments, mineral exploration, biogeochemistry, lakes, geological mapping
• Committee member: Dr Tim Rawling
• AuScope, Chief Executive Officer
• Research Expertise: Geography, earth and atmospheric sciences
• Committee member: Dr Eleanor Green
• The University of Melbourne, School of Geography, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences
• Research Expertise: Thermodynamic equilibrium, geology, phase-relations
• Committee member: Dr Andrew Smith
• Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Principal Research Scientist
• Research Expertise: Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), particle accelerator systems, ion beam optics, Antarctic paleoclimatology
• Committee member: Dr Jessica Stromberg
• CSIRO, Senior Research Scientist and Team Leader in the Discovery Program of the CSIRO Mineral Resources BU.
• Research Expertise: Application of geochemical, spectroscopic techniques, mining, mineralogy, astrobiology, planetary science.