Robert M. Carter

Bob Carter is a Research Professor at James Cook University (Queensland) and the University of Adelaide (South Australia). He is a palaeontologist, stratigrapher and marine geologist of more than thirty years professional experience, and holds degrees from the University of Otago (New Zealand) and the University of Cambridge (England). He has held tenured academic staff positions at the University of Otago and James Cook University (Townsville), where he was Professor and Head of School of Earth Sciences between 1981 and 1999. Bob has wide experience in management and research administration, including service as Chair of the Earth Sciences Discipline Panel of the Australian Research Council, Chair of the national Marine Science and Technologies Committee, Director of the Australian Office of the Ocean Drilling Program, and Co-Chief Scientist on ODP Leg 181 (Southwest Pacific Gateways).

Bob Carter contributes regularly to public education and debate on scientific issues, which are related to his areas of knowledge. He also offers lecture or workshop presentations by arrangement. His public commentaries draw on his knowledge of the scientific literature and a personal publication record of more than 100 papers in international science journals on topics which include taxonomic palaeontology, palaeoecology, the growth and form of the molluscan shell, New Zealand and Pacific geology, stratigraphic classification, sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, the Great Barrier Reef, Quaternary geology, and sea-level and climate change.

See full publication list, at: http://members.iinet.net.au/~glrmc/new_page_4.htm

Bob Carter's continuing research on climate change, sea-level change and stratigraphy is based on field studies of Cenozoic sediments (last 65 million years) from the Southwest Pacific region (especially the Great Barrier Reef and New Zealand). This includes work on Ocean Drilling Program cores collected during the 1998 drilling Leg, Southwest Pacific Gateways.

Bob Carter's climate change studies are relevant to the wider societal discussions of this topic that occur with respect to "global warming."

His more general stratigraphic work contributes towards the research base which underpins the exploration for and development of sedimentary mineral deposits, including the important energy resources of coal, oil, gas and uranium.

Bob Carter's research career has been supported by grants from competitive public research agencies, including especially the Australian Research Council. He receives no research funding from special interest organizations such as environmental groups, energy companies or government departments.