Last year the MNF Steering Committee said farewell to its long serving Chair, Professor Craig Johnson from the University of Tasmania, along with Professor Richard Arculus from the Australian National University and Greg Paten from Woodside Energy.

We owe sincere thanks to these outgoing members, who have spent the best part of ten years working towards the realisation of Investigator as the new Marine National Facility research vessel, and ensuring the research undertaken onboard Southern Surveyor safely achieved the best marine science for the nation.

The new Chair for the MNF is Dr Ian Poiner whose research focus is tropical marine systems, especially understanding how they are influenced by human activities.  He is also a Chair of the Integrated Marine Observing System Advisory Board, the University of Western Australia Oceans Institute and the Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership Independent Science Panel.There are three other new faces on the MNF Steering Committee.

Bob Quarrill Bob from Woodside Energy. He is currently Manager for the GeoTechnical Operations, which are accountable for the conduct of Woodside’s survey operations, including hydrographic, bathymetric, topographic, seismic acquisition and processing, shallow geophysical, geotechnical, oceanographic, meteorological, environmental surveys and positioning support, remote sensing and geospatial data management.Nick Gales, is the Chief Scientist with the Australian Antarctic Division and he’s been involved in applied marine mammal research and management since 1980. He leads the Australian Marine Mammal Centre and is responsible for all technical and scientific aspects of the Australian Government’s responsibilities for the management of marine mammals in Australia and Antarctica.Professor Richard Coleman is the Deputy Director at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania. Prior to this position he was Executive Director, Physical, Mathematical and Information Sciences, at the Australian Research Council (ARC) for three years and he has over 25 years’ experience as a researcher and academic in the Australian university sector.The new look MNF Steering Committee recently met in Hobart.