Globally-recognised groundwater scientist Professor Craig T. Simmons has been inducted into the Australian Academy of Science.
This month, Professor Simmons commenced as the new University of Newcastle Pro Vice-Chancellor for the College of Engineering, Science and Environment. His work on variable-density flow phenomena is internationally recognised as revolutionising the understanding of groundwater and groundwater processes.
The Australian Academy of Science Fellows are among the nation’s most distinguished scientists. Their peers elect them for ground-breaking research and contributions that have had a clear impact.
Professor Simmons is an engineer and a scientist. He drove the development of new mathematical models capable of greater insight and accuracy. His models have addressed the limitations of classical fluid mechanics in groundwater geoscience.
Professor Simmons made the first direct observation of gravitational instabilities in a natural groundwater setting. It confirmed his theoretical predictions about unstable groundwater phenomena’ nature, complexity, and significance.
What did Professor Simmons do?
His science underpins a new knowledge framework. It has established a new modelling paradigm to inform environmental management and policy issues as diverse as food and water security, coal seam gas, fracking, nuclear waste disposal, mining and energy.
University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky, AO, congratulated Professor Simmons on his induction as a Fellow to the prestigious Australian Academy of Science.
“Professor Simmons is renowned worldwide for his major contributions to science leadership, education, and policy reform, working across the public and private sectors,” Zelinsky said.
“We are very proud at the University of Newcastle to attract globally-recognised science leaders like Professor Simmons to lead our teaching and research and make sure our students learn from the best minds in the world.
“With Professor Simmons’ leadership, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for our engineering, science and environment academics to continue making positive impacts in their fields, helping to solve the world’s challenges.”
About Professor Simmons
Professor Simmons holds a PhD in Science: Hydrogeology from Flinders University/CSIRO, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Adelaide.
Three admission ceremonies will be conducted in Canberra today for Fellows elected to the Academy in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Academy’s flagship event – Science at the Shine Dome – was staged for the first time since 2019.
University of Newcastle chemical engineer Laureate Professor Kevin Galvin, who was elected as a Fellow of the Academy in 2020 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of mineral processing, was also officially inducted.
Well-known for inventing the Reflux Classifier, Professor Galvin earned his reputation as an internationally acclaimed chemical engineer. He works hard to find better ways to separate fine mineral particles.
Since 2010, Reflux Classifiers have been installed around the world. It processes raw materials such as iron ore, chromite, metallurgical coal, manganese and lithium.
From 1954 to 2022, there have been 590 Fellows elected to the Academy.
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